India Becomes the World's Most Populous Country
India overtook China in 2023 to become the world's most populous country.
According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant), India’s population is estimated at around 1.48 billion (approximately 148 crore) in 2026. India remains the world’s most populous country, although population estimates can vary slightly depending on the source, methodology, and exact reference date.
India’s population is projected to reach about 1.68 billion by 2050 according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024. The large working-age population (around 67–68% in the 15–64 age group) will continue to provide a strong labour force, relatively low labour costs, and a vast consumer market for food, infrastructure, technology and services.
While India will still have a relatively young profile compared with many other major economies, the older population is growing rapidly and will form a much larger share of the total by 2050.
India became the world's most populous country in 2023, surpassing China. The change marked an important shift in global demographics, with India expected to remain the world's largest population throughout the 21st century according to the United Nations.
The United Nations projects that India's population will continue growing until it reaches a peak of about 1.7 billion in the early 2060s. After reaching its peak, India's population is projected to gradually decline.
World Population data UN
The global population reached about 8.2 billion in 2024, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024.
The United Nations projects that the world's population will continue to grow for several more decades, reaching around 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s before gradually declining.
Global population has grown rapidly over the past two centuries, but the rate of population growth has slowed considerably in recent decades.
The world population reached 4 billion in 1974, meaning the global population has more than doubled since the 1970s. The population had reached 1 billion around 1804, according to historical demographic estimates.
Middle-income countries, especially those in Asia, have driven most of the world’s population growth in recent decades, accounting for the bulk of the increase since 2011.
Global population has grown approximately eight-fold since 1800 — from around one billion to over eight billion — primarily because of modern medicine and the industrialisation of agriculture, which significantly boosted food production.
China remain 2nd largest populous country
China is the 2nd most populous country in the world after India.
India vs China Population
China’s birth rate fell sharply over several decades, partly as a result of strict family-planning policies such as the one-child policy. India, by comparison, has added more than 200 million people since 2011.
China is now ageing rapidly and has a declining proportion of young people. This is reducing the size of its working-age population and making it harder for the country to remain a low-cost labour destination.
Older workers typically participate less in the labour force and may work at a slower pace than younger workers, intensifying the demographic challenge.
Less young people in a country results in slow economy, and declining population posess threats like mental stress (as few young man-women has to take care of the more old people, meaning more stress, work load etc).
China’s long-standing preference for sons, intensified by the one-child policy, produced a significant gender imbalance. With more boys born than girls, many young men now face greater difficulty finding a partner. This imbalance has contributed to social pressures, including higher levels of stress and mental health issues for some.
At the same time, China is dealing with a shrinking young workforce, slower growth, and an overall population decline. High living costs and the burden of supporting elderly parents make many young couples reluctant to have children.
To address these challenges, China progressively relaxed its birth limits: the one-child policy was replaced by a two-child policy in 2016, and in May 2021 the government introduced a three-child policy. It has also restricted non-medical abortions, particularly those used for sex selection.
Similar declines in birth rates are occurring in many other developed countries, including the United States, European nations, and Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Country is most Populous?
India is the World's Most Populous Country
Which Country is 2nd most Populous in the World?
China is the world's second most Populous Country after India.