India Surpasses China as Most Populous Country

India has become the most populated country in the world, surpassing China, according to an analysis by MarketWatch citing UN projections. As of April 14, India's population stands at 1,425,782,975, the newspaper notes.

According to the independent organization World Population Review (WPR), as of April 17, the population in India is 1,425,937,441 compared to China's 1,425,744,008 citizens.

MarketWatch highlights that India possesses immense economic potential not only due to its size but also because of its population composition. Currently, there is an average of 47 disabled individuals per 100 working-age persons in the country (down from 68 disabled individuals per 100 working-age persons 25 years ago). By 2048, this ratio is expected to decrease to 45, allowing the country to rise from 43rd place to 23rd place in the ranking of countries with the lowest values for this indicator. The publication refers to this as a substantial advantage for India.

In contrast, in China, there are 45 disabled individuals per 100 working-age persons (30th place), but that number is projected to increase to 68 (146th place) in 25 years.

India is currently experiencing what is termed a demographic dividend, characterized by economic growth against the backdrop of a low proportion of the disabled population. However, unlocking the full economic potential of the country requires closing the gaps in productivity and women's employment relative to other developing countries, MarketWatch emphasizes.