Continuous satellite measurements now offer the opportunity to compare Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) concentrations to variables such as anthropogenic sources. Decadal population and NO2 trends were analyzed for 14 regions by use of population data records from Columbia University and NO2 column data from the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) and the Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartography (SCIAMACHY) instruments. A number of noteworthy trends are present in the time series the most important being that despite population increases in many regions around the world, NO2 decreases were present in all regions of study except for Beijing and a selected Pacific Ocean region. An increase in NO2 of 14.9% was present over the selected Pacific Ocean region. This may have been due to influences from surrounding regions. However, further research of this region is essential to determine a definite cause. NO2 increased 72% per decade over China and this is likely related to increases in energy consumption of 149% per decade and other industrial activities in China, while the population increased at 9.5% per decade. These trends indicate that population growth and increasing energy consumption and industrial activity are correlated and without effective limitations on energy consumption and industrial activity pollutants in the atmosphere will continue to increase.