Prime News Ghana

Will China Remain the Most Populous Country in the World?

By Sam Edem
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With a population of over 1.41 billion according to UN 2017 report, China is currently the most populous country in the world but whether or not it will remain at that position is a subject for debate.

While that figure is almost unimaginable for less populated countries like Ghana, Cuba or Togo, China certainly has a close rival in the population game.

Still in the Asian continent, India’s population is estimated about 1.34 billion.

Together, both leading economies of the Asian continent represent about 37% of the world’s populations which stands at approximately 7.5 billion people.

However, the main concern for Asia’s largest economy – China is not that every other country’s population is growing but at what pace.

The assertion proves true for its closest rival, India who according the 2017 UN economic report is growing at a faster pace than its Chinese counterpart.

Probably because of its strict laws on birth which were made to check the rather astronomical rise in its population over the last century which, coupled with being one of the world’s weakest economy at the time, resulted in widespread poverty across the country.

This trend was not to continue following the country’s economic revolution that has turned it into a global miracle or even more: a threat to the world’s largest economy – the United States.

While many will attribute China’s success only to aggressive education and investment in research and technology, it is important to note that its population has played a major role in the country’s rise to economic greatness in the world.

For instance, in manufacturing where about every major product manufacturer in the world has a production Centre in the country, China is able to provide quality but comparatively cheap labour to feed these foreign companies.

Which accounts for why conservative economic policy proponents like, US President Trump have to use the tax factor to place some restrain for some of such companies which are mostly US firms from opting for this highly cost effective production or operational option.

Even with such edge as the world’s leading population, China now has to scramble for the attention of these multinationals because India, having adopted a similar approach to its economic development has succeeded in raising an equally world class quality workforce for various sectors or industries to feed the companies at wage rates that seem like peanuts in the United States of America.

Having India as the world’s new most populous country by 2024 (barely 7 years from now) as predicted by the UN report would only further lessen China’s dominant stake in this global labour market.

India’s population, growing at an average rate of about 1.2% annually is expected to hit 1.5 billion within less than a decade period.

"In roughly seven years, or around 2024, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China," the report said.

In addition to the probable over taking of China as the world’s most populous country by India: including the two Asian leaders as first and second, an estimated ten countries are expected to account for more than half of the world’s projected population increase over the period 2017-2050 – with Nigeria as third, followed by Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, the United States, Uganda, Indonesia and Egypt.

 

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