NPR.org » Nearly 1 In 7 People On Earth Is Disabled, Survey Finds

A man pushes a friend in a wheelchair following an event in Beijing to raise awareness of accessibility issues for the disabled.

Nearly 1 In 7 People On Earth Is Disabled, Survey Finds

Published: June 09, 2011

by Joanne Silberner

More than 1 billion people in the world are living with some sort of disability, according to a new international survey. That’s about 15 percent of the world’s population, or nearly one of every 7 people.