A Demographic Transformation

The world's population officially hit 7 billion on October 31, with many countries around the world choosing their own symbolic baby, holding rallies and other events to mark the latest stage of the global population growth.

"With planning and the right investments in people now … our world of 7 billion can have thriving, sustainable cities, productive labor forces that can fuel economic growth, youth populations that contribute to the well-being of economies and societies, and a generation of older people who are healthy and actively engaged in the social and economic affairs of their communities," the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) said in a report entitled The State of World Population 2011: People and Possibilities in a World of 7 Billion.

According to the report, the population milestone "will be marked by achievements, setbacks, and paradoxes."