"Pakistan Set to Be the World's Most Populous Muslim Country by 2048"
A recent UN report predicts that Pakistan, with its current population of over 245 million, will continue to grow through 2054 and peak at 404.68 million by 2092. By 2048, Pakistan’s population is expected to surpass Indonesia’s, reaching 331.29 million.
Between 1998 and 2017, Pakistan’s population grew at an average rate of 2.40% annually, adding around 5.28 million people each year. This rapid growth, driven by high birth rates and low use of birth control, is likely to strain resources like water, sanitation, and healthcare, and could lead to higher unemployment.
Since its independence in 1947, Pakistan’s population has increased significantly, and its growth rate is currently about 2%. This rate is expected to drop to less than 1% by 2050, with the population exceeding 300 million by then.
Globally, the population reached 8.2 billion in mid-2024 and is projected to peak at around 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s before slightly declining. However, growth is uneven, with some areas expanding rapidly and others aging quickly.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for accurate population data to ensure effective progress and highlight the importance of addressing the needs of marginalized groups. The UN’s World Population Prospects report, essential for monitoring development goals, shows that while global fertility rates are falling, many countries face significant demographic challenges, including ultra-low fertility rates and aging populations.
In summary, while high-income countries see slow growth or decline, low-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, are experiencing rapid growth, which will increase resource demands and environmental pressures.
