The Population Project has temporarily suspended its activities. Our database of about 700 million and 200 million dead remains freely accessible. Read more.

Why The Population Project?

AB

Antoine Bello · August 2, 2022

We get asked this question all the time. Why would you collect the names and birth information of all humans on earth?

Simply put, because every life deserves to be acknowledged.

It is estimated that one billion people - 15% of the world’s population - has no legal existence whatsoever. They cannot vote, travel, open a bank account. The Population Project might not reverse the legal plight of these people but it can give them that doesn’t cost much but means a lot: dignity.

Besides that, ID or not, in a generation or two, most of us will be forgotten. The Population Project will keep a log of who lived when. It will be a resource for historians and genealogists alike. No record will ever be deleted.

Last but not least, in a time when the human race is fighting for its survival, doesn’t it seem odd that we don’t know the name of our neighbors on this planet?

A nonprofit organization striving to compile a list of every living person’s full name and place and date of birth.
The Population Project relies heavily on the work and contributions of volunteers. We believe that information-gathering and use should go hand-in-hand with transparency. This Privacy Policy explains how the Population Project, the non-profit organization that hosts this site, collects, uses, and shares information we receive from you through your use of the Population Project Site. It is essential to understand that, by using the Population Project Site, you consent to the collection, transfer, processing, storage, disclosure, and use of your information as described in this Privacy Policy. That means that reading this Policy carefully is important. We believe that you shouldn't have to provide nonpublic Personal Information to participate to the Population Project. You do not have to provide things like your real name, address, or country to sign up for a standard account or contribute content to the Population Project Site. We do not sell or rent your Personal Information, nor do we give it to others to sell you anything. We use it to figure out how to make the Population Project Site more engaging and accessible. Put simply: we use this information to make the Population Project Site better for you.