The best current estimates suggest that about 117 billion people have ever lived on Earth. This figure is based on demographic modeling starting from roughly 190,000 BCE, considered the approximate emergence of modern Homo sapiens, and incorporates assumptions about population sizes and birth rates throughout history
. Key points supporting this estimate include:
- The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) calculated about 117 billion total births by 2022, with around 8 billion people alive today, meaning about 6.8% of all humans ever born are currently living
- Other researchers estimate slightly lower totals, around 109 to 110 billion people having lived and died, with the difference arising from varying assumptions about prehistoric population sizes and birth rates
- Estimates generally agree that the vast majority of humans who have ever lived died before the modern era, with only a small percentage (around 7-8%) alive today
- These calculations factor in high birth rates and high infant mortality rates in ancient times, as well as slow population growth until recent centuries
In summary, while exact numbers cannot be known due to limited data for most of human history, the consensus among demographers is that roughly 110 to 120 billion people have ever lived on Earth, with the best current estimate near 117 billion
