In a surprising move, India is likely to become the world’s most populous country this year, overtaking China with its 1.4 billion population.
As per the United Nations (UN), “India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country even though its population growth has been slowing down.”
China’s National Bureau of Statistics reported a drop of roughly 850,000 people for a population of 1.41175 billion in 2022, marking the first decline since 1961, which possibly makes India the world’s most populous nation, as reported by Reuters.
Here are some key points about India’s demography, according to government data:
1. India estimates its population at 1.38 billion, compared to China’s 1.4 billion.
2. Uttar Pradesh is the country’s most populated state with a projected population of 230 million.
3. Lakshadweep is the least populated, with only 68,000 people.
4. India is among the youngest countries in the world. 27.3 percent of its population is aged between 15 and 29 years.
5. India is among the eight countries expected to be responsible for more than half the projected increase in the global population up to 2050.
6. As per the UN, these countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tanzania.
7. India’s annual population growth has averaged 1.2 percent since 2011, down from 1.7 percent in the previous 10 years.
8. The use of family planning methods in India increased from 53.5 percent in 2015-16 to 66.67 percent in 2019-21.
9. India’s total fertility rate – the number of children per woman – fell to 2 in 2019-2021, down from 3.4 in 1992-93.