Global population could be billions more than official estimates – Study

Errors in counting rural populations could mean that the actual number of people on Earth is significantly higher than official estimates. According to researchers at Aalto University in Finland, the traditional method of dividing the planet into square zones greatly underestimates the number of people living outside urban areas. The findings were reported by Science Alert.

The study, which examined data from 1975 to 2010, concluded that global population databases have underestimated rural populations by 53–84%. This suggests that several billion people may not have been accounted for in official statistics.

The study's authors analyzed 307 hydrotechnical projects across 35 countries, comparing official population records from five major databases with on-the-ground population estimates in those areas. They found that data on rural populations, especially concerning healthcare and infrastructure, is much scarcer compared to urban areas.

Not all experts fully agree with the findings. Some argue that modern satellite imagery and improved data collection methods have significantly reduced population estimate errors. However, even if the actual discrepancies are smaller, hundreds of millions of people may still be unaccounted for, impacting government service planning and climate change forecasting.

Researchers urge a reassessment of population counting methods, particularly in rural areas, to ensure a more accurate distribution of resources and better policy planning.