Human: Difference between revisions

Earth's population was deemed overpopulated in the 22nd century, jump-starting the colonization programs at the time.<ref name="P42">'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 42''</ref> Despite the colonisation efforts made to resolve the overpopulation issue, Earth's population still remained in the billions.<ref name="P282A">'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 282'' (''"Billions still live there despite the ongoing colonization of the stars."'')</ref> In 2511, [[Catherine Elizabeth Halsey|Dr. Halsey]] estimated the universal human population to be around 39 billion, of which many were unrecorded by colonial infrastructure.<ref>'''[[Halo: Reach]]''', ''[[Dr. Halsey's personal journal]]''</ref> In October 2552, Cortana estimated that humanity suffered 23 billion casualties throughout the course of the Human-Covenant War, putting the surviving human population around 16 - 20 billion.<ref name="palace">'''[[Halo Evolutions]]''', ''[[Palace Hotel]]'', ''page 351''</ref>  

There has been some discrepancies regarding the population of Earth after the Human-Covenant War. According to the [[Bestiarum]], the human population on Earth was stated to have been reduced to 200 million near the end of the Human-Covenant War, while the [[Halo Encyclopedia]] merely mentions the population to have been cut in half at the start of the [[Battle of Earth]].<ref name="bestiarum"/><ref name="P282B">'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 282'' (''"... the entire population of Earth was cut in half as the First Battle of Earth began."'')</ref> The ''Encyclopedia'' does not however specify whether it means half of Earth's population were killed, or if a significant number were evacuated, although the latter is more probable, as the Covenant did not commence planetary bombardment, and the statement is in regard of the situation at the beginning and not the end of the battle. The actual casualty count during Battle of Earth was mentioned briefly as being in millions.<ref>'''Halo 3''', ''[[Halo 3 ViDoc: Journey's End|Journey's End ViDoc]]'' (''"'''Marcus Lehto:''' The Covenant has absolutely destroyed parts of Earth. Millions of people have died."'')</ref>