2019 was a year characterized by several events. The year was the end of a decade of exceptional global heat. It was the year when the concentrations of carbon dioxide hit the highest mark, thus locking in climate change.
Some of the deadliest meteorological disasters that year were abnormal flood levels, hurricanes, earthquakes and heatwave. China experienced typhoon Lekima that killed 72 people, and Japan had Typhoon Hagibis that killed 86 people. More than 900 lives were lost in Africa when tropical cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, killing 602 people, and 299 in Zimbabwe. In India, the heatwave killed 90 individuals when the temperatures went above120 degrees Fahrenheit. Further, more than 160 died in Japan when temperatures topped 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
In the entertainment world, filmmaking heavyweights Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Greta Gerwig released several movies. They include The Irishman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Little Women. The year had new music releases like Father of the Bride by Vampire Weekend, Quest Signs by Jessica Pratt, and Goes West by William Tyle.
In the aviation world, the number of fatalities dropped to 257 from 534 in 2018. There were six fatal incidents. The worst was the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 that crashed near Bishofu, Ethiopia, killing the 157 passengers on board in March 10, 2019. The Sukhoi Superjet 100-95B caught fire upon landing in May 5, 2019, thus killing 78 people on board. Scores of notable persons across the world passed away in 2019. They include Bob Einstein, Carol Channing, Kristoff St. John, Frank Robinson, Luke Perry, Don Imus, and Eddie money among others.
Record-breaking events characterized the political scene. President Donald Trump made history by stepping in North Korea to attend nuclear negotiations, but the talks stalled. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed a boy in the middle of the year. The House of Common voted out the Brexit deal three times, forcing Theresa May to resign, and voting in Boris Johnson as the prime Minister. Parliament voted overwhelmingly for Brexit on December 20; thus, Britain will be leaving the EU by January 31, 2020. The year ended with the impeachment of President Donald Trump by the U.S. House.
The world population in 2019 was 7,713,468,100 people according to data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. This figure includes both urban and rural populations. The urban population at that time accounted for 56.0% of the total population, which is roughly 4.3 billion individuals.The annual population change in 2019 was an increase of +82.4 million people, representing a percentage increase of +1.08% over the previous year.The average population density in 2019 was 32 persons per square mile (or 52 persons per square kilometer).
