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World population likely to shrink after 2064 at around 9.7 billion people

World population is likely to peak in 2064 at around 9.7 billion people and fall to 8.8 billion by century’s end

Sentinel Digital Desk

WASHINGTON: World population is likely to peak in 2064 at around 9.7 billion people and fall to 8.8 billion by century's end. Twenty three countries will see populations shrink by more than 50 per cent, including Japan, Thailand, Italy, and Spain, says a new analysis published in the journal The Lancet.

With 1.09 billion, India will be the most populous country by 2100, followed by Nigeria (791 million), China (732 million), the US (336 million) and Pakistan (248 million), according to the forecast.

Dramatic declines in working age-populations are predicted in countries such as India and China, which will hamper economic growth and lead to shifts in global powers.

But India will still be one of the four major powers along with Nigeria, China, and the US by the end of the century when the world will be multipolar.

The study forecasts global, regional, and national populations, mortality, fertility, and migration for 195 countries worldwide. (IANS)