Did you know that numbers tell a story far more vivid than words ever could, revealing a world where 41% of adults are overweight, 12.5% of the global population lives with a mental disorder, and 66.2% of us are connected to the internet?
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, 41% of global adults were overweight according to WHO data, with rates highest in Pacific island nations exceeding 70%.
- CDC reports that 10.5% of US adults aged 18+ had depression in 2021, rising to 17.8% among females.
- Approximately 29% of US adults smoke cigarettes as of 2022 per CDC, with highest rates in Midwest states at 18-20%.
- World GDP growth slowed to 3.0% in 2023 per World Bank projections.
- US unemployment rate averaged 3.6% in 2023 per BLS.
- Global inflation peaked at 8.7% in 2022 per IMF.
- CO2 emissions from fossil fuels rose 1.1% in 2023 per Global Carbon Project.
- Global temperature anomaly was +1.17°C above pre-industrial in 2023 per Copernicus.
- Forest loss in tropics was 3.7 million hectares in 2023, down 7% per WRI.
- Global internet users reached 66.2% of world population in 2024 per ITU.
- AI market size grew to $184 billion in 2024 per Statista.
- 5G connections hit 1.76 billion globally in 2023 per GSMA.
- World population urbanized to 57% in 2024 per UN.
- Global median age rose to 31 years in 2023 per UN.
- US fertility rate 1.62 births per woman in 2023 per CDC.
The blog post examines global health and economic statistics, revealing many significant percentages.
Demographics
- World population urbanized to 57% in 2024 per UN.
- Global median age rose to 31 years in 2023 per UN.
- US fertility rate 1.62 births per woman in 2023 per CDC.
- India population surpassed China at 18% world total in 2023 per UN.
- Global life expectancy 73.4 years in 2023 per WHO.
- Women 49.7% of world population in 2024 per UN.
- Migration 281 million international migrants, 3.6% global pop in 2023 per IOM.
- Africa population growth 2.3% annually 2023 per UN.
- US population 341 million in 2024, growth 0.5% per Census.
- China population declined 2.08 million in 2023, -0.15% per NBS.
- Global youth 15-24 16% of population in 2023 per UN.
- EU population aging, 21% over 65 in 2023 per Eurostat.
- World illiterate adults 773 million, 13% aged 15+ per UNESCO.
- Households single-person 28% in US 2023 per Census.
- Global refugees 36 million in 2023 per UNHCR.
- Latin America urbanization 84% in 2023 per UN.
- Japan population density 333/km², 10th highest per UN.
- Global child population under 15 25% in 2023 per UNICEF.
- US millennials 22% of population in 2023 per Pew.
- Middle East youth bulge 27% under 15 per UN.
- Global sex ratio 101 males/100 females at birth per UN.
- Nigeria population 230 million, 3% annual growth per UN.
- Elderly dependency ratio 16% globally in 2023 per UN.
Demographics Interpretation
The world is now majority-urban and middle-aged, graying in some places while youthfully surging in others, and is generally healthier and more literate but remains stressed by inequality, movement, and the quiet pressures of low fertility and solitary living.
Economy
- World GDP growth slowed to 3.0% in 2023 per World Bank projections.
- US unemployment rate averaged 3.6% in 2023 per BLS.
- Global inflation peaked at 8.7% in 2022 per IMF.
- US GDP grew 2.5% in 2023 per BEA.
- China's GDP growth was 5.2% in 2023 per NBS.
- Eurozone inflation fell to 2.9% in 2023 per Eurostat.
- Global trade volume grew 0.8% in 2023 per WTO.
- US household debt reached 129% of disposable income in Q3 2023 per Fed.
- India's GDP growth hit 8.2% in FY 2023-24 per MOSPI.
- Global public debt hit 97% of GDP in 2023 per IMF.
- US corporate profits rose 4.2% in 2023 per BEA.
- Oil prices averaged $82 per barrel in 2023 per EIA.
- EU unemployment was 6.1% in 2023 per Eurostat.
- Global FDI flows declined 2% to $1.3 trillion in 2023 per UNCTAD.
- US consumer spending grew 2.4% in 2023 per BEA.
- Brazil's inflation was 4.6% in 2023 per IBGE.
- Stock market volatility VIX averaged 17.4 in 2023 per CBOE.
- Global remittances reached $860 billion in 2023 per World Bank.
- US manufacturing PMI averaged 47.7 in 2023 per ISM.
- Japan's GDP contracted 0.4% in Q4 2023 per Cabinet Office.
- Crypto market cap peaked at 35% drawdown in 2023 per CoinMarketCap.
- US home prices rose 5.3% yoy in 2023 per FHFA.
- Global poverty rate at $2.15/day was 8.5% in 2023 per World Bank.
- Gold prices rose 13% in 2023 per LBMA.
- US labor force participation was 62.6% in 2023 per BLS.
- Russia's GDP grew 3.6% in 2023 per Rosstat.
- Global EV sales share reached 18% in 2023 per IEA.
- US savings rate averaged 4.4% in 2023 per BEA.
- Mexico's GDP grew 3.2% in 2023 per INEGI.
Economy Interpretation
While the global economic dashboard shows green shoots of recovery with respectable GDP growth and falling inflation, the American driver is cruising on fumes with robust spending and corporate profits, but running perilously low on savings as debt climbs and manufacturing stalls.
Environment
- CO2 emissions from fossil fuels rose 1.1% in 2023 per Global Carbon Project.
- Global temperature anomaly was +1.17°C above pre-industrial in 2023 per Copernicus.
- Forest loss in tropics was 3.7 million hectares in 2023, down 7% per WRI.
- Renewable energy share in electricity was 30% globally in 2023 per IRENA.
- Sea level rise accelerated to 4.62 mm/year in 2023 per NOAA.
- Arctic sea ice minimum was 4.37 million km² in 2023, 6th lowest per NSIDC.
- Global plastic production hit 400 million tonnes in 2023 per OECD.
- Protected areas cover 17% of terrestrial land in 2023 per UNEP-WCMC.
- US GHG emissions fell 1.9% in 2022 per EPA (latest).
- Coral reef bleaching affected 84% of world's reefs in 2023-24 per NOAA.
- Global wind power capacity grew 50% to 1TW in 2023 per GWEC.
- Biodiversity intactness declined to 67% of original in 2023 per IPBES.
- Methane emissions rose 10% since 2000, 28% of GHGs per UNEP.
- Solar PV capacity added 447 GW globally in 2023, 85% growth per IEA.
- Ocean acidification pH dropped 0.1 units since pre-industrial per IOC-UNESCO.
- Deforestation in Amazon was 5,153 km² in 2023 per INPE.
- EV battery mineral demand to rise 40x by 2040 per IEA.
- Global water stress affects 2.3 billion people, 29% population per UN-Water.
- Crop yield gap closes to 20% potential in high-income countries per FAO.
- PM2.5 air pollution caused 4.1 million deaths in 2021 per WHO.
- Glacier mass loss 267 Gt/year 2012-2022 per WGMS.
- Sustainable nitrogen management score averages 47% globally per IRP.
- US recycling rate for MSW was 32.1% in 2018 per EPA.
Environment Interpretation
Despite pockets of progress, the scoreboard for 2023 shows the planet's vital signs continue to deteriorate alarmingly, with humanity stubbornly pouring fuel on the fire while desperately trying to invent a better hose.
Health
- In 2023, 41% of global adults were overweight according to WHO data, with rates highest in Pacific island nations exceeding 70%.
- CDC reports that 10.5% of US adults aged 18+ had depression in 2021, rising to 17.8% among females.
- Approximately 29% of US adults smoke cigarettes as of 2022 per CDC, with highest rates in Midwest states at 18-20%.
- WHO states 1.27 billion adults worldwide suffer from hypertension, representing 33% of adults aged 30-79 in 2023.
- In 2022, 14.5% of US children aged 2-19 had obesity per NHANES data from CDC.
- Global diabetes prevalence reached 11.1% among adults aged 20-79 in 2021 according to IDF.
- 18.7% of US adults reported anxiety symptoms in 2023 per NIMH survey data.
- WHO data shows 81% of adolescents aged 11-17 worldwide are insufficiently physically active in 2016.
- In Europe, 23% of adults had diabetes or prediabetes in 2022 per ESC data.
- US cancer survival rate for all cancers combined is 68.7% five-year relative survival per NCI 2023.
- 9.2% of US high school students attempted suicide in 2021 per CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
- Global under-5 mortality rate dropped to 37 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, a 59% reduction since 2000 per UNICEF.
- 24% of US adults over 65 have Alzheimer's or related dementia projected by 2060 per CDC.
- In 2021, 27.1% of US pregnant women smoked per CDC birth data.
- WHO reports 2.3 billion adults overweight or obese in 2022, 39% of global adult population.
- 4.4% of US adults have schizophrenia spectrum disorders lifetime prevalence per NIMH.
- 35.2% of US adults met fruit intake recommendations in 2019 per CDC.
- Global HIV prevalence among adults 15-49 is 0.7% in 2022 per UNAIDS.
- 16.1% of US adults aged 18-44 used illicit drugs in past month in 2021 per NSDUH.
- In 2023, 52% of US adults got recommended flu vaccine per CDC.
- 12.5% of global population has a mental disorder per WHO 2022.
- US opioid overdose deaths rose 30% to 80,411 in 2021 per CDC.
- 88% of US adults have oral HPV infection lifetime per CDC.
- 6.1% of US children have asthma in 2022 per CDC.
- Global TB incidence fell to 134 per 100,000 in 2022, 8.7% drop since 2015 per WHO.
- 21.6% of US adults have arthritis per CDC 2022.
- 3.4% of global adults have psoriasis per IFPA 2023.
- US life expectancy at birth was 76.4 years in 2022 per CDC.
- 47% of US adults have hypertension per AHA 2023.
- 11.3% of US adults have serious mental illness per SAMHSA 2021.
Health Interpretation
These sobering global health statistics paint a picture of a modern world paradoxically burdened by diseases of excess, yet still vulnerable to ancient scourges, all while grappling with a profound and pervasive mental health crisis.
Technology
- Global internet users reached 66.2% of world population in 2024 per ITU.
- AI market size grew to $184 billion in 2024 per Statista.
- 5G connections hit 1.76 billion globally in 2023 per GSMA.
- Cybersecurity breaches cost average $4.45 million per incident in 2023 per IBM.
- Cloud computing market share AWS 31% in Q4 2023 per Synergy.
- Global semiconductor sales $526 billion in 2023 per SIA.
- 91% of organizations use AI in 2024 per McKinsey.
- Data center power demand to double by 2026 per IEA.
- Quantum computing investments $2.35 billion in 2023 per McKinsey.
- VR/AR market $29.1 billion in 2023 per Statista.
- Global broadband speed average 91 Mbps in Q4 2023 per Ookla.
- Ransomware attacks up 73% in 2023 per Sophos.
- Edge computing market $16.45 billion in 2023 per Grand View Research.
- 4.9 billion people use smartphones, 62% global pop in 2023 per GSMA.
- Generative AI users 65% of organizations in 2024 per Gartner.
- IoT devices 16.6 billion connected in 2023 per IoT Analytics.
- Blockchain market $7.18 billion in 2023 per Grand View.
- US tech layoffs 262,735 in 2023 per Layoffs.fyi.
- Global chip shortage eased, prices down 20% in 2023 per Deloitte.
- Metaverse market $82.4 billion by 2023 est per Bloomberg.
- 5G SA deployments 340 operators in 2023 per GSA.
- AI chip market $53 billion in 2023 per McKinsey.
- Digital twins market $10.1 billion in 2023 per MarketsandMarkets.
- Global R&D spend on tech 40% of total in 2023 per UNESCO.
Technology Interpretation
Despite the startling statistics on everything from our growing digital connectivity and AI adoption to the skyrocketing costs of cybercrime and data center power demands, the tech industry’s current state could be summarized as: humanity is furiously building a dazzling, high-stakes future while simultaneously scrambling to pay for it, patch its leaks, and power the whole chaotic, brilliant thing.
Sources & References
- Reference 1WHOwho.intVisit source
- Reference 2CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 3DIABETESATLASdiabetesatlas.orgVisit source
- Reference 4NIMHnimh.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 5ESCARDIOescardio.orgVisit source
- Reference 6SEERseer.cancer.govVisit source
- Reference 7DATAdata.unicef.orgVisit source
- Reference 8UNAIDSunaids.orgVisit source
- Reference 9SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 10PSORIASISpsoriasis.orgVisit source
- Reference 11HEARTheart.orgVisit source
- Reference 12WORLDBANKworldbank.orgVisit source
- Reference 13BLSbls.govVisit source
- Reference 14IMFimf.orgVisit source
- Reference 15BEAbea.govVisit source
- Reference 16STATSstats.gov.cnVisit source
- Reference 17ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 18WTOwto.orgVisit source
- Reference 19FEDERALRESERVEfederalreserve.govVisit source
- Reference 20MOSPImospi.gov.inVisit source
- Reference 21EIAeia.govVisit source
- Reference 22UNCTADunctad.orgVisit source
- Reference 23IBGEibge.gov.brVisit source
- Reference 24CBOEcboe.comVisit source
- Reference 25ISMWORLDismworld.orgVisit source
- Reference 26ESRIesri.cao.go.jpVisit source
- Reference 27COINMARKETCAPcoinmarketcap.comVisit source
- Reference 28FHFAfhfa.govVisit source
- Reference 29LBMAlbma.org.ukVisit source
- Reference 30ROSSTATrosstat.gov.ruVisit source
- Reference 31IEAiea.orgVisit source
- Reference 32INEGIinegi.org.mxVisit source
- Reference 33GLOBALCARBONPROJECTglobalcarbonproject.orgVisit source
- Reference 34CLIMATEclimate.copernicus.euVisit source
- Reference 35GFRgfr.wri.orgVisit source
- Reference 36IRENAirena.orgVisit source
- Reference 37STARstar.nesdis.noaa.govVisit source
- Reference 38NSIDCnsidc.orgVisit source
- Reference 39OECDoecd.orgVisit source
- Reference 40PROTECTEDPLANETprotectedplanet.netVisit source
- Reference 41EPAepa.govVisit source
- Reference 42CORALREEFWATCHcoralreefwatch.noaa.govVisit source
- Reference 43GWECgwec.netVisit source
- Reference 44IPBESipbes.netVisit source
- Reference 45UNEPunep.orgVisit source
- Reference 46OCEANSANDCOASTSoceansandcoasts.orgVisit source
- Reference 47TERRAterra.ipea.gov.brVisit source
- Reference 48UNWATERunwater.orgVisit source
- Reference 49FAOfao.orgVisit source
- Reference 50WGMSwgms.chVisit source
- Reference 51RESOURCEPANELresourcepanel.orgVisit source
- Reference 52ITUitu.intVisit source
- Reference 53STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 54GSMAgsma.comVisit source
- Reference 55IBMibm.comVisit source
- Reference 56SYNERGYRESEARCHGROUPsynergyresearchgroup.comVisit source
- Reference 57SEMICONDUCTORSsemiconductors.orgVisit source
- Reference 58MCKINSEYmckinsey.comVisit source
- Reference 59SPEEDTESTspeedtest.netVisit source
- Reference 60SOPHOSsophos.comVisit source
- Reference 61GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 62GARTNERgartner.comVisit source
- Reference 63IOT-ANALYTICSiot-analytics.comVisit source
- Reference 64LAYOFFSlayoffs.fyiVisit source
- Reference 65DELOITTEwww2.deloitte.comVisit source
- Reference 66BLOOMBERGbloomberg.comVisit source
- Reference 67GSACOMgsacom.comVisit source
- Reference 68MARKETSANDMARKETSmarketsandmarkets.comVisit source
- Reference 69UISuis.unesco.orgVisit source
- Reference 70UNun.orgVisit source
- Reference 71POPULATIONpopulation.un.orgVisit source
- Reference 72WORLDMIGRATIONREPORTworldmigrationreport.iom.intVisit source
- Reference 73CENSUScensus.govVisit source
- Reference 74UNHCRunhcr.orgVisit source
- Reference 75WORLDPOPULATIONREVIEWworldpopulationreview.comVisit source
- Reference 76PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 77UNFPAunfpa.orgVisit source