"Unlike plagues of the dark ages or contemporary diseases we do not understand, the modern plague of overpopulation is soluble by means we have discovered and with resources we possess. What is lacking is not sufficient knowledge of the solution but universal consciousness of the gravity of the problem and education of the billions who are its victim." -Dr Martin Luther King Jr

There are over 7 billion people living on Earth, today. This number is just 6.4 per cent of the total people that have ever lived on Earth -- 108 billion. Did you know that if Facebook was a country, it would be the 3rd most populous in the world?

However, among all these numbers, Asia is estimated to have 60 per cent of the world's population. China tops the list as the most populated country, followed by India. India accounts for 1.21 billion people of the total 7 billion which means that one out of every 6 people live here.

According to UN estimates, India will become the most populous country in the world in just 14 years' time, when it will have about 1.45 billion inhabitants.

For many in India, becoming the most populous country will be an achievement, marking the country's progress in its rivalry with China.

For others, particularly from the older generations, it represents a failure of the country's decades-old attempts to bring its population under control, which included a controversial and counter-productive mass sterilisation campaign during the 1970s.

Some interesting facts about India's population:

Image credit: Himanshu Jangid (https://www.facebook.com/himanshujangidphotography/) Image credit: Himanshu Jangid (https://www.facebook.com/himanshujangidphotography/)

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