Statsguru: The next billion people will come from poorer nations

Last week, the United Nations announced that the world would cross 8 billion people. It took the world 12 years to add another billion people to its tally. However, lower fertility rates indicate that the addition of the next 1 billion will take 15 years, and the subsequent expansion to reach 10 billion people would require another 21 years.

India, however, would lead the pack; it is expected to surpass China in terms of the overall population in 2023 (chart 1). It will contribute 16.4 per cent to the addition of the next billion. Nigeria and Pakistan will follow with