Among the issues that the United Nations and United States can’t quite agree upon is the amount of human beings living in the world. The U.N. estimates that we just surpassed the 7 billion world population mark, but if you go by U.S. Census Bureau projections we won’t get there until several months from now.

The New York Times reports the head counters are 28 million people apart in their estimates. The article notes that the informed guesses could be off by 56 million if the margin of error is just 2 percent.

The U.N., as usual, is diplomatic, with a representative admitting that no one can know the exact amount of people on the planet. The U.S. Census believes its numbers are more accurate because it assumes that 367,000 people are born each day, while 153,000 die, reasoning that the world adds 78.5 million a year. Due to differences in counting methods, Census Bureau’s projections usually lag a year or so behind those of the U.N.

U.N. Says 7 Billion Now Share the World [The New York Times]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.