Statistics Indonesia (BPS) has estimated that the country’s population will surpass 310 million people by the time it commemorates its 100th anniversary in 2045.

National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro said recently that, by 2045, Indonesia’s total population would reach between 311 million to 318.9 million people. The number is based on data from Statistics Indonesia's (BPS) latest report, "Indonesia Population Projections 2015-2045", which was released on Friday.

He said that to hit 311 million people, there must be an average of two children per family and an infant mortality rate of 3 percent per year.

“This projection means that we should improve the quality of our healthcare facilities, as well as our healthcare professionals during birth to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates to prevent a fast decline in population growth,” Bambang said as quoted by tribunnews.com.

In the report, the BPS estimates the 15-and-under child mortality rate to decrease to 2.4 percent in 2045 from 9.3 percent in 2015. An estimated 74.9 percent of deaths in 2045 are expected to occur among the elderly, an increase from 50.2 percent in 2015.

The country will have an ageing population once it hits 310 million people, as the percentage of the elderly will reach 19.8 percent of the entire country. (ris)