WORLD AND REGIONAL POPULATIONS

Non-linear regression indicates that the logistic model provides excel lent fits to world and continental human population data of the period 1950-1985. If the present logistic regime persists, the world populat ion is likely to double in 47 years. Moreover, the eventual world popu lation would be close to its final value of 23.8 billion by the year 2 200, with about 11 billion in Asia and 10.5 billion in Africa. An simi lar to 95% confidence interval for the eventual world population is fo und to be between 11.9 and 35.7 billion. The logistic estimates of fut ure populations are much higher than those considered most likely by t he United Nations.