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Old Japan, young India and the risks of a world of 8bn people
Nikkei Asia ^

Posted on 12/29/2023 10:31:54 AM PST by FarCenter

TOKYO/NEW DELHI -- The year 2023 marks a historic turning point for Asia's demography: For the first time in the modern era, India is projected to surpass China as the most populous country.

While the South Asian nation's growing and youthful population spells opportunities for development, it also creates layers of challenges, from poverty reduction to education. Experts say soaring demand for food could affect India's trade with other countries, while the World Bank recently estimated that India will need to invest $840 billion into urban infrastructure over the next 15 years to support its swelling citizenry.

"This is likely to put additional pressure on the already stretched urban infrastructure and services of Indian cities -- with more demand for clean drinking water, reliable power supply, efficient and safe road transport amongst others," the bank's report said.

India's dilemmas are only part of a complex and diverging Asian population picture -- split between young, growing countries and aging, declining ones. Humanity's latest milestone turns a spotlight on this gap and the problems on both sides of it.

The United Nations, whose population estimates date back to 1950, announced on Nov. 15 that the global population had likely hit the 8 billion mark. It had crossed 7 billion only 11 years earlier.

Asia is home to more than half of the 8 billion.

Besides China (1.426 billion) and India (1.417 billion), five other Asian countries had over 100 million people as of 2022, the U.N. figures show. Indonesia had 276 million, Pakistan's population was at 236 million, Bangladesh counted 171 million, Japan had 124 million and the Philippines had 116 million. Vietnam, with 98 million, is expected to join the club soon.

Reaching a world of 8 billion people signals significant improvements in public health that have increased life expectancy, the U.N. said. But it also pointed out, "The world is more demographically diverse than ever before, with countries facing starkly different population trends ranging from growth to decline."


TOPICS: News/Current Events
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1 posted on 12/29/2023 10:31:54 AM PST by FarCenter
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To: FarCenter

I am sure they have vaxxes lined up that can fix this overpopulation “problem”.

;-)


2 posted on 12/29/2023 10:33:35 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
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To: FarCenter

Can’t have too much diversity./s


3 posted on 12/29/2023 10:35:46 AM PST by Honest Nigerian
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To: FarCenter

>> In the longer term, overall the population growth is expected to slow globally over decades. According to the current U.N. projections, the world population will add its next billion to reach 9 billion in 2037 — longer than the period between 7 billion and 8 billion — before peaking at about 10.4 billion in 2086.


4 posted on 12/29/2023 10:35:55 AM PST by FarCenter
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To: FarCenter

>> India will need to invest $840 billion into urban infrastructure over the next 15 years

Well what the heck! Are their rupee printing presses busted? C’MON MAN! We just “invested” three trillion dollars into building back a bunch of stupid useless sh!t. Look, Ragwan, just raise wages at the seven-eleven and then raise taxes. Hey man, slurpee machine is busted again!
— Uncle Joe


5 posted on 12/29/2023 10:41:25 AM PST by Nervous Tick ("First the Saturday people, then the Sunday people...": ISLAM is the problem!)
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To: FarCenter

Don’t let them in Canada, or the locals will need a new country. Probably already need one.


6 posted on 12/29/2023 10:46:46 AM PST by Bulwyf
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: FarCenter

...and we caucasians comprise roughly 9% of that total. Why are we not considered a ‘minority’? Hmmm...


8 posted on 12/29/2023 10:55:46 AM PST by drwoof
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To: FarCenter

The elites seem to have hit on a plan to ship all of the young men to First World countries - where due to cultural conflicts they will father fewer children.


9 posted on 12/29/2023 12:02:09 PM PST by Mr. Jeeves ([CTRL]-[GALT]-[DELETE])
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To: Mr. Jeeves
I disagree. The left seems intent on lowering birth rates of people they think they can't control, while letting birth rates soar among people the left thinks they can control.

I know we every now and then hear about the eugenecists and I'm sure there are some in the left who are like that. But for the most part, I don't see the left trying to lower the 3rd world's birth rates like they lower the developed world's birth rates.

10 posted on 12/29/2023 12:19:42 PM PST by Tell It Right (1st Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
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To: Tell It Right

>>I don’t see the left trying to lower the 3rd world’s birth rates like they lower the developed world’s birth rates.

Generally, the left supports birth control and abortion in 3rd world countries.

Unfortunately, there is a GOP faction in Congress that keeps rejecting the use of foreign aid for those purposes. They are not thinking clearly.


11 posted on 12/29/2023 12:39:00 PM PST by FarCenter
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To: JJBookman

>>NO WAY there are 8 billion people on planet Earth, 5 billion maybe but NOT 8

What is your basis for suggesting that 8 billion is the wrong number?

https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/11/world-population-estimated-eight-billion.html

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/all-the-people-in-the-world-1000-peop/


12 posted on 12/29/2023 12:48:52 PM PST by FarCenter
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To: cgbg

Viruses, Vaxxes, Famine and WW3 will cure the problem.


13 posted on 12/29/2023 1:39:25 PM PST by Semper Vigilantis ('Legal' and 'Right' are not synonyms)
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To: JJBookman
NO WAY there are 8 billion people on planet Earth, 5 billion

maybe but NOT 8


Do you really think it's that hard to count people to close to that accuracy? Why don't you think 8B is correct?
14 posted on 12/30/2023 6:45:41 AM PST by Svartalfiar
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