2023 gave us various opportunities, laying out new hopes for life and the days ahead. The past couple of years clenched with immense terror and bad health, overcoming one of the greatest times of the current generation. People entered the new year with hearts softly perfumed in positive anticipation and tinted in golden hopes and desires. However, the year also welcomed the most striking news surrounding the demographic data of the nation.
According to United Nations’ most recent data, India toppled China into becoming the most populous country in the world with or providing residence to 142.86 crore people. In contrast, China has a population of 142.57 crore. The Pew Research Centre has stated that the population of India has grown by more than one billion since 1950. China has been crippled with the fear of a shrinking population for some time now, resulting in the repealing of its “one-child policy” imposed in the 1980s owing to the flooding population. China has been struck with a concerning demographic decline where birth rates are less, and the nation’s working population is ageing, leaving a disparity in the region’s youth population.
The rest of the world
The UN data reports a rise in global population by mid-2023, hitting 8.045 billion. The estimates foresee a spike in the population of the world’s second-largest continent, rising from 1.4 to 3.9 billion by 2100, with a rising trend in a population already visible in the African continent. Around the right European nations witnessed a shrink in their population in the past decade. The same is true for Japan, which is declining due to its ageing population. According to UN reports, the world’s entire population is expected to decline only after the 2090s after hitting a peak of 10.4 billion.
Factors influencing the rise in population
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Fertility rate
The UN reports state that the future of the world population sincerely depends on the fertility rate. The World Population Prospects suggested a decline in global fertility, from 2.3 children per woman in 2021 to 2.1 in 2050.
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Increasing longevity
Life expectancy has faced significant gains and is expected to rise from 72.8 years in 2019 to 77.2 years in 2050.
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International migration
Although international migration doesn’t form a substantial component of population shift, the impact of migration has significantly affected the size of the population in some areas and countries.
Challenges that Lie Ahead
The immense size of the nation and India’s continuing growth may open some significant challenges in the coming days. According to the data, half India’s population is under 30, and around 12 million people enter the market annually for job opportunities. Satiating the employment of such a huge population might pose a challenging task for the nation, or else the unemployment rate might take a rising toll. Poonam Muttreja, the executive director of the Population Foundation of India, shares their view on the asset that this youthful population presents, which can only be driven to full potential when backed with investment in education, health, nutrition and skills for employability.
China’s shrinking and ageing workforce poses the threat of sustaining economic growth and achieving geopolitical ambitions of surpassing the United States. On the demographic division debate, women’s participation in the workforce is still very less in India, which accounts for just a fifth of the total labour force. In contrast, Chinese women make up 44.8% of the nation’s total workforce. Amidst all, the Indian state also has the challenge of alleviating poverty and reducing the prevailing inequality.
