There are an estimated 100 million buildings in the world. The number of buildings has grown rapidly in recent years, and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. The United Nations predicts that the world population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and the number of buildings will need to increase to accommodate this growth. It is estimated that there will be 1.6 billion new buildings built by 2050, for a total of 2.6 billion buildings globally.

unsplash, Alin Zainescu

There is no definitive answer to this question as the number of buildings in the world can fluctuate over time. However, according to data from the World Bank, there were an estimated 794,432 Built Up Areas (BUAs) globally in 2016. This number is expected to increase to 849,407 by 2022.

So, if we assume that the number of buildings in the world is directly proportional to the number of BUAs, then we can estimate that there will be around 849,407 buildings in the world by 2022.

This is just one estimate though, and the actual number of buildings in the world by 2022 could be higher or lower than this depending on a variety of factors.

Some of these factors include:

– The rate of urbanization: As more and more people move into cities, the demand for buildings (both residential and commercial) will increase.

– The rate of economic growth: A booming economy can lead to an increase in construction as businesses expand their operations and build new office space.

– The rate of population growth: A growing population will also lead to an increased demand for housing, resulting in more buildings being constructed.

So, while we can’t say definitively how many buildings there will be in the world by 2022, we can make an educated estimate based on data and trends. Based on this information, it is safe to say that there will be at least 849,407 buildings in the world by 2022.

BUAs are defined as “any area with a minimum of 50% of its construction footprint covered by buildings”. Therefore, this estimate does not include all structures that could be considered buildings, such as temples, bridges, or stadiums. Nevertheless, it provides a good indication of the overall trend in the number of buildings around the world.

The vast majority of BUAs are located in Asia (60%), followed by Europe (15%), North America (11%), Africa (9%), and Oceania (5%). The top five countries with the most BUAs are China, India, the United States, Japan, and Russia. These nations make up almost half of the total number of BUAs globally.

unsplash, Ralf Leineweber

China alone had more than 256,000 BUAs in 2016, making it home to the largest number of buildings of any country in the world. The United States was a distant second with just over 87,000 BUAs, followed by India (51,700), Japan (50,200), and Russia (42,400).

These five countries are also expected to have the most buildings by 2022. China’s building stock is projected to grow to almost 309,000, while India is expected to see a nearly 30% increase in BUAs, bringing its total to around 66,500. The United States is expected to have just over 96,000 BUAs by 2022, followed by Japan (58,700) and Russia (50,700).

While the number of buildings in the world is expected to increase over the next few years, it’s important to note that this growth is not evenly distributed. Asia is expected to see the biggest increase in BUAs, followed by Africa and Europe. North America is actually expected to see a slight decrease in the number of BUAs between 2016 and 2022.

This trend is largely due to the fact that construction activity has been slowing down in developed countries like the United States and Japan, while emerging economies like China and India continue to grow rapidly.

The total number of BUAs in the world is expected to reach 849,407 by 2022, an increase of more than 50,000 from 2016. This growth will be driven by increases in Asia and Africa, as well as some other regions.

Some of the countries that are expected to see the biggest increase in BUAs between 2016 and 2022 include Nigeria (from 4,600 to 11,200), Ethiopia (from 5,400 to 12,800), Pakistan (from 8,700 to 20,500), Bangladesh (from 10,000 to 23,100), and India (from 51,700 to 66,500).

unsplash, Simon Moore

These figures show that the number of buildings in the world is expected to continue growing in the coming years, driven by factors such as urbanization, economic growth, and population growth. This growth will not be evenly distributed, with Asia seeing the biggest increase in BUAs. China and India are expected to have the most buildings of any country in the world by 2022.

These countries are all projected to see their number of BUAs more than double during this six-year period. Nigeria is expected to see the biggest percentage increase, with its BUA count increasing by more than 140%.

This growth in the number of buildings is expected to bring a number of challenges, such as increasing demands for resources and infrastructure. It will also have an impact on the environment, as more buildings means more emissions. However, it also presents an opportunity to build more sustainable and energy-efficient structures that can help mitigate some of these challenges.

Thus, based on these projections, it is safe to say that Asia will continue to be home to the majority of the world’s buildings in 2022. This is largely due to the continent’s large population and rapid economic growth. However, other regions such as North America and Europe are also expected to see a significant number of new buildings over the next few years.

unsplash, Andrea Cau

These numbers are expected to grow in the coming years as more and more people move into urban areas and the demand for housing increases. So while there is no exact answer to how many buildings there are in the world, we can expect the number to continue to rise in the years to come.

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