India will overtake China as the most populous country by 2027: UN

NEW YORK: A recent report of the United Nations (UN) has projected that, given the current scenario, India is likely to overtake China as the most populous country by 2027.

The report, named “The World Population Prospects 2019”, was launched by the UN on June 17, highlights the trends of the world population and projects a net increase of 9.7 billion by 2050, which is 2 billion more than the previously estimated 7.7 billion, making it the peak of global human population in history. Half of this population would hail from 9 countries only: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the United States of America.

“Many of the fastest growing populations are in the poorest countries, where population growth brings additional challenges in the effort to eradicate poverty, achieve greater equality, combat hunger and malnutrition and strengthen the coverage and quality of health and education systems to ensure that no one is left behind,” said Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs.

The global fertility rate, which fell from 3.2 births per woman in 1990 to 2.5 in 2019, will decline further to 2.2 in 2050. India’s current total fertility rate stands at 2.2 births per woman. Also, the life expectancy of people of developing countries is also seven years less than the global average. According to the report, “In 2019, life expectancy at birth in the least developed countries lags 7.4 years behind the global average, due largely to persistently high levels of child and maternal mortality, as well as violence, conflict and the continuing impact of the HIV epidemic.”