India set to overtake China as world’s most populous nation

India is expected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country this year even though its population growth has been slowing down, United Nations says.

Following are some key points about India’s demography, according to government data:

– India estimates its population at 1.38 billion, compared to China’s 1.4 billion.

– Uttar Pradesh, with a projected population of 230 million people, is the country’s most populated state, while Lakshadweep, with only 68,000 people, is the least populated.

– With 27.3 percent of its population aged between 15 and 29 years, India is among the youngest countries in the world.

– India is among the eight countries expected to be responsible for more than half the projected increase in global population upto 2050.

– The South Asian nation’s annual population growth has averaged 1.2 percent since 2011, down from 1.7 percent in the previous 10 years.

– The use of family planning methods in India increased to 66.67 percent in 2019-21, up from 53.5 percent in 2015-16.

– India’s total fertility rate – the number of children per woman – fell to 2 in 2019-2021, down from 3.4 in 1992-93.