World Population To be 9.7 Bn, India to be Most Populated Nation by 2050
The world population is expected
to rise to 9.7 bn by 2050 and India is expected to witness highest population
growth overtaking China as the most populous country, accoridng to The World
Population Prospects 2019 report of UN.
The nine countries expected to
show the biggest increase are India, Nigeria and Pakistan, followed by the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Indonesia, Egypt and the
United States of America. In all, the population of sub-Saharan Africa is
expected to practically double by 2050.
However, growth in these
countries comes against the backdrop of a slowing global fertility rate. In
1990, the average number of births per woman was 3.2. By 2019 this had fallen
to 2.5 births per woman and, by 2050, this is projected to decline further to
2.2 births: a fertility level of 2.1 births per woman is necessary to avoid
national population decline over the long run (in the absence of immigration).
Many of the fastest growing
populations are in the poorest countries, where population growth brings
additional challenges”, said Liu Zhenmin, United Nations
Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). These
challenges include the fight to eradicate poverty, and combat hunger and
malnutrition; greater equality; and improved healthcare and education. The
report, he said, offers a “roadmap” indicating where to target action and
interventions.
At the same time, growth is
providing opportunities in many developing economies: recent reductions in
fertility mean that the working-age population (25 to 64) is growing faster
than other age ranges, which could improve the possibilities for faster
economic growth. The report recommends that governments make use of this
“demographic dividend” to invest in education in health.
Photo and News Source: United Nations
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