The latest data released by the United Nations has revealed that India has surpassed China to become the most populous country in the world. As per the UN estimates, India's population stands at 1.4286 billion while China's population is 1.4257 billion. This is the first time since the UN began collecting population data in 1950 that India has topped the list of the world's most populous countries.
Interestingly, China's population decreased last year for the first time since 1960, when millions of people died of starvation due to the disastrous agricultural policies of Mao Zedong, the former leader of China. Moreover, China is facing a looming demographic crisis as birth rates continue to decline and its workforce ages. Although several regions in China have announced plans to boost birth rates, these efforts have not yet succeeded in reversing the decline.
On the other hand, India has not conducted a census since 2011, and therefore, there is no recent official data available to determine its population. The country's once-a-decade census, which was due to take place in 2021, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If managed properly, this could yield a demographic dividend but if not, it may lead to a crisis in the long term due to unemployment.
