A similar UN report two years ago had projected that the population of each of the two countries would reach 1.45 billion in 2028 when India’s would start to grow at a faster pace than China’s. By the year 2030, the population would be 244 million, and by 2100 Pakistan’s population could be 364 million, according to the revised projections made in the report. United Nations Member States are now in the process of crafting a successor agenda to the landmark Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which wrap up at the end of this year. It is also estimated that the population of Turkey will reach 87.7 million in 2030 and increase further to 95.8 billion in 2050. A new framework, focused on poverty eradication, social inclusion and preserving the health of the planet, is set to be adopted at a special UN summit, in New York this September.
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The report says that by 2050 or so, Nigeria will pass the US to have the world’s third-largest population, behind India and China.
Ten ministerial-level departments, including the ministries of civil affairs and education, jointly released a circular last year calling for the country to step up its preparations for the difficulties that will be caused by China’s aging society.
Declining fertility and rising life expectancy mean the world is getting greyer, and most regions will have an ageing population, starting with Europe where one third of the population is projected to be over 60 by 2050, the report said. John Wilmoth, head of the UN population division, said the concentration of growth in the poorest countries would make it harder to eradicate poverty, combat hunger and expand schooling and health systems. The most accelerated growth will be in Africa, where the population will more than double. The report states that in Latin America, the Caribbean and in Asia, now about 11 to 12 percent of people are over the age of 60.
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Within seven years, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China. While significant differences in life expectancy across major areas and income groups are projected to continue, they are expected to diminish significantly by 2045-2050.
