How has the size and growth rate of the human population changed over the last 200 years?

Over the last 200 years, the growth rate of the human population has indeed increased exponentially and quickly. This rapid growth can be attributed to several factors, including advancements in medicine, agriculture, and sanitation, which have significantly reduced mortality rates and increased life expectancy. The Industrial Revolution played a significant role in this population explosion, as it led to improved living conditions and a dramatic decrease in the death rate due to infectious diseases and famine.

During this period, the global population has surged from about 1 billion in the early 19th century to over 7 billion today. This exponential growth is characterized by the fact that the rate of population increase has outpaced the previous growth rates, leading to a sharp upward curve in population figures on a graph. This trend of rapid population increase is projected to continue, although at a slowing rate in some regions due to declining birth rates.

The notion that the population has remained relatively stable or decreased significantly contradicts the historical data, as does the idea of fluctuations with no clear trend, as these concepts do not reflect the substantial and sustained growth observed in real-world demographics.