As populations fall, nations that can tap human potential will succeed (opens original article in a new tab)

As global population growth slows, countries that focus on developing high-quality human capital will have better prospects for economic and technological advancement.

• Global population increased from 2.5 billion in 1950 to 8.3 billion in 2026
• Low fertility rates may lead to population decline as people's everyday decisions shape demographic trends
• Quality of human capital, not just numbers, is critical for economic and technological development