World’s most populous nation: India Overtakes China

According to UN data, India is now the most populous country in the world with 2.9 million more people than China, at 1,428.6 million. Although there is some ambiguity about the comparisons between the two countries, it is clear that China reached its population peak last year post which is now on the decline, while India’s population is on the rise, although the rate of population has been reducing since the year 1980. Notably, India has a fertility rate about twice that of China, which implies a significantly more population going forward.

The number of births in China did not increase as expected since Beijing abolished the one-child policy and then allowed even three children. Primary reasons include rising costs of #living, #childcare, and #education. The report reveals that China is faring better than India in terms of life expectancy, but India commands a demographic advantage owing to its young population and a consumer-driven economy, which together build the country’s exceptional domestic resilience to global shocks and uncertainties. Further, there are several synergies at work between different states.

• For instance, Southern India can counter its aging workforce problem by sourcing labor from Northern and Eastern states where the number of young workers is significant
• The UN report has also urged governments and politicians to become more realistic about making population estimates
• Instead of focusing on the pace of reproduction, they must investigate whether individuals, more so women, have the choice to decide whether to have a baby or not?

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