WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS 2019

June 18, 2019

According to ‘The World Population Prospects 2019’, by 2027, India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country.

Key findings of the report: 

  • Global population: The global population is projected to increase by another 2 billion people by 2050, from 7.7 billion in 2019 to 9.7 billion thirty years down the line. By the end of the century, the world population is set to peak at a level of about 11 billion.

  • India: In 2019, India has an estimated population of 1.37 billion and China 1.43 billion and by 2027, India’s population is projected to surpass China’s. India is also expected to add 273 million people by 2050 and will remain the most populated until the end of the century.

  • Top 5 populous countries (Projections):
    • Following the India-China re-ordering in 2027, the ranking of the five largest countries is projected to remain the same until the end of the century.

    • India is expected to remain the world’s most populous country with nearly 1.5 billion inhabitants, followed by China at 1.1 billion, Nigeria with 733 million, the United States with 434 million, and Pakistan with 403 million.



  • Declining population: By 2050, 55 countries are estimated to see their populations shrink by at least 1%. This is due to sustained low levels of fertility and high rates of emigration. In China the population is projected to shrink by as much as 2.2 % or 31.4 million by 2050.

  • Ageing: Overall the world’s population is ageing, with the age group of 65 and above growing at such a fast rate that by 2050, one in six people in the world will be part of it as compared to one in 11 in 2019.