India will surpass China as world’s most populous country – UN
According to data released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), India is set to surpass China as the world’s most populous nation by the middle of this year.
The data shows that India will have almost 3 million more people than China, with a population of 1.4286 billion compared to China’s 1.4257 billion. The UN report for 2023, “State of World Population Report”, contains these projections.
However, the UN is unable to determine a specific date when this shift will occur due to “uncertainty” about the data coming from China and India. India conducts a census once every ten years, but the last one due to be held in 2021 was delayed during the pandemic. The country’s most recent official data dates to 2011.
By mid-year, the global population is expected to reach 8.045 billion, according to the UN report.
Additionally, the report highlights that eight countries will account for half the projected growth in global population by 2050. These countries include the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Tanzania.
