India to become world's most populous country in April: UN

UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Xinhua) -- India will become the world's most populous country in April, according to UN projections.

By the end of April, India's population is expected to amount to 1,425,775,850, becoming the most populous country in the world, said the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) on Monday in a press release.

This forecast is based on the latest UN estimates and projections of the global population.

India's population is expected to continue growing for several decades, said the UN department.

Fertility is a key driver of population trends. India's current fertility rate (2.0 births per woman) is just below the "replacement" threshold of 2.1, the level required for population stabilization in the long run in the absence of migration, it said.

India is rapidly aging. Between 2023 and 2050, the number of persons aged 65 or over is expected to more than double in India.

In India, the number of adults of working age is projected to continue increasing both in number and as a proportion of the total population through the mid-century.

India's planned 2021 census was delayed due to challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and is now scheduled for 2024.