The United Nations has released new data showing that India has surpassed China as the world’s most populous nation.
According to the UN’s World Population dashboard, India’s population stands at 1.4286 billion, while China’s is 1.4257 billion, as of mid-2023 estimates. However, China’s figures do not include Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
This marks the first time that India has topped the UN’s list of most populous countries since it began collecting population data in 1950.
China is currently facing a decline in birth rates, which has led to an aging workforce and a looming demographic crisis. Although several regions have announced plans to boost birth rates, official efforts have yet to reverse the decline.
Despite this, India has not conducted a census since 2011, and therefore has no recent official data on its population. According to UN data, nearly a quarter of India’s population is under the age of 14, with 68 percent falling within the 15 to 64 age group, and only seven percent above the age of 65.