The United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) “State of World Population Report” for 2023 revealed that India had surpassed China to become the world’s most populous nation with 142.86 crore individuals against China’s 142.57 crore.
Twitter chief Elon Musk has reacted to a tweet that ranked countries based on population estimates, with India at the top of the list. “Demographics is destiny,” Musk wrote on Twitter, stating that he believes that the country’s demographics will determine how it evolves.
Musk, in August 2022, tweeted, “Population collapse due to low birth rates is a much bigger risk to civilisation than global warming.” He also proposed a solution to address the issue of resource scarcity to establish a human civilisation on Mars through colonisation.
According to the UN data, the global population will hit 8.045 billion by mid-2023. China has held the distinction of being the most populous country since at least 1950. India overtaking China is expected to have significant economic implications.