The line graph compares the population of Brazil and Nigeria between 2000 and 2050.

Overall, the two countries followed contrasting population trends over the period. While Brazil’s population is expected to increase slightly before declining, Nigeria is projected to grow substantially. The populations of the two countries become almost identical around 2020, after which Nigeria pulls well ahead.

In 2000, Brazil had a population of approximately 0.54 billion, compared with around 0.4 billion in Nigeria. During the following 20 years, both populations increased gradually, although Nigeria experienced faster growth. Brazil’s figure rose to about 0.64 billion by 2020, while Nigeria’s population reached a similar level, narrowing the initial gap between the two countries.

From 2020 onwards, the trends began to diverge significantly. Nigeria’s population is predicted to rise sharply, reaching approximately 0.9 billion in 2030 and around 1.16 billion in 2040. This upward trend is expected to continue, with the figure climbing to nearly 1.5 billion by 2050.

Brazil, by comparison, is forecast to experience only modest changes. Its population is expected to peak at around 0.67 billion in 2030 and remain almost unchanged in 2040. It is then projected to fall slightly, ending the period at just over 0.6 billion. Consequently, the population difference between the two countries is expected to widen considerably by 2050.

Useful vocabulary & definitions

• follow contrasting population trends — develop in noticeably different ways
• increase slightly before declining — rise a little and then begin to fall
• grow substantially — increase by a large amount
• pull well ahead — become considerably higher than another figure
• increase gradually — rise slowly over time
• narrow the initial gap — reduce the difference that existed at the beginning
• begin to diverge — start moving in different directions
• rise sharply — increase quickly and significantly
• climb to — increase until reaching a particular figure
• by comparison — used to introduce a contrasting point
• peak at — reach the highest point
• remain almost unchanged — show very little or no change
• fall slightly — decrease by a small amount
• widen considerably — become much larger in terms of difference