India’s population climbs 1.2 per cent during 2010-19

INDIA'S population climbed at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion, a UN report said.   

The country’s population growth during the nine-year period was more than double the annual growth rate of the world’s most populous country - China, the United Nations Population Fund said in a report. 

India's population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion, growing from 942.2 million in 1994, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency added.

According to the State of World Population 2019 report, China's population was at 1.42 billion in 2019, growing from 1.23 billion in 1994.   

China's population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019. 

In India, the total fertility rate per woman (the average number of children per woman) was 5.6 in 1969, dropping to 3.7 in 1994, and 2.3 in 2019.     

On the positive side, India recorded an improvement in the life expectancy at birth. 

The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994, and 69 years in 2019.        

The report showed that 67 per cent of the country's population was in the 15-64 age bracket, whereas six per cent of the population was of the age 65 and above.   

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in the country declined from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.