New Delhi/IBNS: India has surpassed China to become the world's most populous country, data released by the United Nations on Wednesday showed.

The UN estimates India's population to be 142.86 crore, compared to China's 142.57 crore.

This marks the first time India has ranked at the top of the UN list of most populous countries since population data collection began in 1950.

China is grappling with an imminent decline in its population due to decreasing birth rates and an aging workforce.

Despite some efforts by local governments to encourage childbirth, official attempts have not yet been able to reverse this trend.

Meanwhile, India has not conducted a census since 2011, which means there is no recent official data on its population.

The census that was scheduled for 2021 was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the UN data, nearly a quarter of India's population is under 14 years old, while 68% falls in the age group of 15 to 64. The remaining 7% are aged 65 and above.

Various agencies have estimated that India's population will continue to increase for nearly 30 years before reaching a peak of 165 crore, after which it is expected to decline.

The latest UN report predicts that the world's population will reach 8.045 billion by mid-2023.

However, according to another UN report published in July last year, many countries in Europe and Asia are expected to experience a demographic decline in the coming decades.

This report projected how the global population will evolve from now until 2100.