According to data released by the United Nations, India is set to surpass China as the world’s most populous country, with an estimated population of 1.4286 billion by mid-year, compared to China’s estimated population of 1.4257 billion, or 2.9 million fewer. Although both countries will account for more than a third of the global population, growth rates in both have been slowing, with China’s population falling for the first time in six decades last year. India’s annual population growth has averaged 1.2% since 2011, down from 1.7% in the previous decade. Population experts believe that the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected India’s population data, as the country’s last census was in 2011 and the next, due in 2021, was delayed.
