Numbers Behind Lives: A Realistic Picture of the World
We are 8 billion.
For most people, that’s just a large number. They hear it, see it in the news, nod, and move on.
But what if we imagine this vast world in percentages? What if we see our planet not as an abstract number, but as a community where everyone has their place?
Where do people live?
If we think of all the people on Earth as 100%, we find that:
11% live in Europe
5% in North America
9% in South America
15% in Africa
60% in Asia
In other words, Asia is a true giant, home to more than half of the planet’s population.
Also:
49% live in rural areas
51% live in urban areas
Cities are growing, yet nearly half of humanity remains tied to the land.
What languages are spoken around the world?
Despite the prevalence of English, the picture looks different:
12% speak Chinese
5% speak Spanish
5% speak English
3% speak Arabic
3% speak Hindi
3% speak Bengali
3% speak Portuguese
2% speak Russian
2% speak Japanese
62% speak other languages not in this list
The world is far more multilingual than it first appears.
Who has plenty, and who struggles?
The numbers reveal:
77% have a roof over their heads
23% lack permanent shelter
Food:
21% overeat
63% have enough to eat
15% are undernourished
Finances:
48% live on less than 2 pounds a day
Drinking water:
87% have access to clean water
13% drink dirty or contaminated water
Communication and technology:
75% have mobile phones
25% are without any phone
30% have internet access
70% have never used the internet
Education:
7% have a university education
93% have not attended higher education
83% can read
17% remain illiterate
Religions of the world:
33% are Christians
22% are Muslims
14% are Hindus
7% are Buddhists
12% are of other faiths
12% are atheists or agnostics
Age statistics: how many live to old age?
26% die before reaching 14 years old
66% die between ages 15 and 64
Only 8% of the global population reaches 65 years
If you are over 65, you’re among the fortunate who have outlived 92% of the planet’s population.
Age is not an end, but a beginning.
There is a myth that a person’s peak productivity occurs in youth. But research shows otherwise:
The most productive age is 60 to 70 years
The second phase of productivity is 70 to 80 years
The third is 50 to 60 years
The average age of:
Nobel Prize winners is 62
CEOs of leading companies is 63
Leaders of major religious organizations is 71
Popes is 76
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirms: a person reaches their emotional and intellectual peak at age 60 and maintains it until 80.
So if you’re 60, 70, or even 80, these are the best years of your life.
What truly matters
As you age, you start to realize the little things don’t matter.
You stop blaming yourself for an extra slice of cake.
You can read late into the night or sleep as much as you like.
You can sing, dance, walk, enjoy life—because there’s nothing left to prove.
You understand what’s important and what isn’t.
You’ve watched friends leave.
You know life is short.
And you no longer waste time on regrets.
Old age isn’t a sentence. It’s freedom.
I don’t wish to reclaim my youth.
I love who I’ve become.
I’m not going to lament the past or worry about the future.
I’ll enjoy each day as I have the chance.
And if I want to, I’ll have dessert every single day.
Life isn’t about living longer.
Life is about living fully.
