WORLD POPULATION PROSPECTS REPORT (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Social Issues)

Context: According to the UN's World Population Prospects report, India's population is projected to peak at 1.701 billion in 2062.

World Population Prospects Report

• About: It is the twenty-eighth edition of official United Nations population estimates and projections.
• Prepared by: Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat.
• Coverage: It covers population estimates spanning from 1950 to the current year for 237 countries or areas worldwide.
• Projection: It provides insights into future population trends and dynamics at multiple levels global, regional, and national enabling policymakers and researchers to anticipate and plan for demographic changes.

Key Findings of 2024

• Population Growth Projection: The world’s population is expected to peak at around 10.3 billion by the mid-2080s, up from 8.2 billion in 2024.

o Subsequently, global population is anticipated to gradually decline, reaching 10.2 billion by the end of the century.

• Fertility Trends: Global fertility rate stands at 2.25 live births per woman as of 2024, a decrease from 3.31 births in 1990.

o Over half of all countries globally have fertility rates below the replacement level of 2.1 live births per woman.

• Growth Hotspots: Rapid population growth is projected in nine countries including Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger, and Somalia, with their populations expected to double between 2024 and 2054.
• Life Expectancy Increase: Global life expectancy at birth was 73.3 years in 2024, marking an increase of 8.4 years since 1995.
• Global Population Rankings: India is currently the most populous country with 1.451 billion people, followed by China at 1.419 billion and the United States at 345 million.

o By 2054, India and China will maintain their positions, while Pakistan is projected to surpass the United States as the third most populous country with 389 million people, maintaining this ranking through the end of the 21st century.