What does the entry 8,000 BCE mean? What was the worlds population then

8000 BCE is the same as saying 8000 BC. The term "BCE" means "Before Common Era" and "CE" means "Common Era". The older terms of BC and AD means "Before Christ" and "Anno Dommoni" (Latin for "In the Year of Our Lord"). The change was made to make the terms secular.

The population was approximately 5 million people.