Youth Perspectives

What the world would look like if there were only 100 people

People hold up inflatable world globes during World Environment Day celebrations in central Sydney June 5, 2009.  REUTERS/Daniel Munoz (AUSTRALIA ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY) - GM1E56510DP01

Image: REUTERS/Daniel Munoz

Laura Oliver
Writers, Forum Agenda
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Youth Perspectives

If there were just 100 people in the world, how many of them would be able to read and write? How many would have access to the internet? What number would have clean water to drink?

Image: Meghana Sutrave/100people.org

Data from 100people.org gives us a picture of what that population might look like - and help us better understand the make-up of our own world. For example, 48 people in a world of 100 would be living on less than $2 a day and just seven would have a college education - this has improved significantly since 2006, rising from just one person out of 100.

Meanwhile, 86 people would be able to read and write, 87 would have access to safe drinking water and 30 would have internet access.

In terms of how the population of 100 breaks down, there would be 75 adults and 25 children. Sixty of the people would be Asian, 16 would be African, 14 would be from the Americans, leaving 10 Europeans.

Christianity would be the most popular religion with 31 people, followed by 23 Muslims and 16 people who are not aligned with any religion.

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