Fact Check: Did the White Share of World Population Fall From 36% in 1900 to 8% Today?

Fact Check: Did the White Share of World Population Fall From 36% in 1900 to 8% Today?

Viral Claim

A post by the account RadioGenoa on X (formerly Twitter) has gone viral, claiming that “in 1900 white population of world was 36%, today it is 8%.”

Business magnate Elon Musk shared the post with his own comment:

White people are a rapidly diminishing minority of global population.

The post has since attracted millions of views and sparked a wave of discussion online.

What the Data Shows

Historical and demographic research confirms the trend of decline but indicates that the numbers are misstated.

1900

World population: ~1.65 billion

People of European descent: 400–500 million

Share: 25–30%, not 36%

Sources: UN World Population Historical Data; Angus Maddison historical estimates

2025

World population: ~8.1 billion

People of European descent: 850 million – 1 billion

Share: 10–12%, not 8%

Sources: UN Population Division; U.S. Census Bureau International Data Base

Corrected Trend:

➡️ 1900: ~25–30%

➡️ 2025: ~10–12%

Expert Insight

X’s AI assistant Grok weighed in, stating:

The trend is real, but figures vary by source. Estimates put white population at ~25–30% of world in 1900 (not 36%), and ~8–12% in 2025, due to faster growth in other regions.

Demographers say this reflects a well-documented shift caused by differing fertility rates and global growth patterns.

Why the Decline?

Lower Fertility in Europe: Birth rates across Europe and other Western nations fell below replacement levels as early as the late 19th century.

Wars and Migration: Two world wars and migration trends reshaped European demographics.

Faster Growth in Other Regions: Africa, Asia, and Latin America saw unprecedented growth after 1950 thanks to advances in medicine, sanitation, and food supply.

“The proportion of Europeans in the global population has fallen sharply since 1900 — but not as sharply as the viral post suggests.”

Conclusion

The overall trend highlighted in the viral post is accurate: the share of people of European descent has dropped significantly since 1900.

However, the figures are misleading:

The global share was ~25–30% in 1900, not 36%.

It is ~10–12% today, not 8%.

Musk’s remark draws attention to a genuine demographic shift, but the claim as circulated exaggerates the scale of the change.