State of World Population

State of World Population Report: UNFPA

India will overtake China to become the world’s most populous country by the middle of 2023

Findings of the Report

• India to overtake China
  • India is set to overtake China to become the world’s most populous country by the middle of 2023.
• India’s estimated population
  • India’s population by mid-year is estimated at 1.4286 billion, against 1.4257 billion for China – 2.9 million fewer.
• US and the world
  • The United States is a distant third, with an estimated population of 340 million as of the end of June.
  • The world’s population hit the 800-crore mark in November 2022.
• 25% of India’s population is in the age group of 0-14 years, 18% in the 10-19 age group, 26% in the age bracket of 10-24 years, 68% in the 15-64 years age group, and 7% above 65 years.

About UNFPA

• The United Nations Population Fund(UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency.
• The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) establishes its mandate.
• UNFPA works directly to tackle Sustainable Development Goals on health (SDG3), education (SDG4) and gender equality (SDG5).

Practice Questions for Prelims

In the context of any country, which one of the following would be considered as part of its social capital? (UPSC 2019)
(a) The proportion of literates in the population
(b) The stock of its buildings, other infrastructure and machines
(c) The size of population in the working age group
(d) The level of mutual trust and harmony in the society

Ans: (d)

Mains Practice Question

Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty or poverty is the main cause of population increase in India. (UPSC 2015)

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