UN: By month's end, India population to be world's largest
India will be the world’s most populous country by the end of this month, the United Nations said on Monday, eclipsing an aging China and sparking questions about whether India can repeat the economic miracle that has taken China out of poverty and into the ranks of the world’s leading powers
NEW DELHI (AP) — India will be the world’s most populous country by the end of this month, eclipsing an aging China, the United Nations said Monday. The milestone raises questions about whether India can repeat the economic success that has made China central to the world’s economy and a leading global power.
The news comes at a moment when India is promoting itself as a rising international player as the host of this year’s G20 Summit. It’s also becoming a more attractive destination for multinational companies seeking to reduce their reliance on China.
By the end of April, India’s population is expected to reach 1.425 billion, which means it will match and then surpass mainland China’s, the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs said in a press release. The forecast is based on their latest estimates of global population.
It's not clear exactly when India's population will pass China's. It may have already have done so. Demographers say the limits of population data make it impossible to calculate a date. Another U.N. report last week projected that India would have 2.9 million people more than China by mid-year. The Indian government, which hasn’t done a census since 2011, has not officially commented on the estimates.
