U.N. says India is ready to overtake China as the most populous country in 2023

July 13, 2022: -On Monday, India is on track to overtake China as the planet’s most populous country coming year, according to a U.N. report published.

The report from the population division of the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs said that China and India were each home to over 1.4 billion people in 2022.

“India is projecting to surpass China as the populous country during 2023,” the U.N. said. The Government of India census for 2011 put the country’s people at over 1.2 billion.

“The global human population is reaching 8.0 billion in mid-November 2022, estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950,” according to the U.N.’s report.

Searching further ahead, the U.N. said its previous test projections showed the global population could reach almost 8.5 billion in 2030 and 10.4 billion in 2100.

In the previous year, the U.N. said that the “average fertility” of the planet’s population amounted to 2.3 births for each woman across a lifetime.

According to Monday’s report, this reached approximately five births per woman in 1950. “Global fertility is projected to refuse further to 2.1 births per woman by 2050,” it said.

On Sunday, the U.N.’s report was released. In a statement, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the day represented “an occasion to celebrate our diversity, recognizing our common humanity and marvel at advancements in health that have extended lifespans and reduced maternal and child mortality rates.”

“Similarly, it is a reminder of our shared responsibility to care for our planet and a moment to reminisce on where we still fall short of our commitments to one more,” Guterres said.

With a vast population and a significant economy, India’s need for resources in the years ahead is becoming increasingly pressing. On Monday, Reuters, which cited information from Refinitiv and trade sources, said June saw the coal imports reach “a record high.”

The deal reached at the COP26 climate transformation summit in November 2021 faced stumbling blocks related to phasing out coal, fossil fuel subsidies, and financial support to low-income countries.

Among the world’s biggest burners of coal, India and China insisted on the previous-minute change of fossil energy language in the Glasgow Climate Pact from a “phase out” of coal to a “phase down.” After initial objections, which opposing countries ultimately conceded.