Pakistan’s population to exceed 300m by 2050: UN

E-Paper | April 30, 2026

ISLAMABAD: New projections released by the United Nations say Pakistan is among six of the 10 largest countries in the world whose population has been projected to exceed 300 million by 2050.

At present, the country’s population has been estimated to be around 190m. By the year 2030 the population would be 244m, and by 2100, Pakistan’s population could be 364m, according to the revised projections made in the report.

Key findings of the ‘World Population Prospects 2015’ released by the UN on Wednesday listed China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and the United States the other five countries to have 300m population by 2050.

Know more: India set to become world's most populous country by 2022

Among the 10 largest countries, five are in Asia and Pakistan is among them. Other countries are Bangladesh, China, India and Indonesia.

During 2015-2050, half of the world’s population growth is expected to be concentrated in nine countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Congo, Ethiopia, Tanzania, US, Indonesia and Uganda.

Within seven years, the population of India is expected to surpass that of China. Currently, China’s population is approximately 1.38 billion compared with 1.31bn of India.

World population continues to grow though more slowly than in the recent past. Ten years ago, it was growing by 1.24 per cent per year. Today, it is growing by 1.18pc per year or approximately an additional 83m people annually.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

Pakistan

6 terrorists killed as attack on Bannu police post thwarted

Amid furore on social media, Cambridge says 'aware' of reports about question paper leak

Law ministry notifies transfer of 3 IHC judges to other high courts

Growup

Jul 31, 2015 06:50am

The rate of Increase of population in Pakistan is much more than India.

Recommend 0

Changez_Khan

Jul 31, 2015 07:05am

Excellent. Can't wait to see 1 Billion mark.

Recommend 0

ROHIT PANDEY

Jul 31, 2015 07:07am

The most potent contraceptive,anti-fertility device, is ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Kick off for that race towards better living standards right away? Has anyone noticed that with China attaining a per capita income of around $7500,there has been a steep fall in fertility, and the government there is thinking about relaxing the one child policy, which was implemented with great rigor ?

Recommend 0

college st.

Jul 31, 2015 07:15am

more labour have no job

Recommend 0

Wahid Iqbal

Jul 31, 2015 07:22am

What is the government doing to manage this huge change in the population? Perhaps another bureaucratic response: set up a Population Management Authority! which will do nothing in practice except wasting financial resources on the salaries of the of the cronies

Recommend 0

shereen

Jul 31, 2015 07:59am

And thats just an estimate.

Recommend 0

Urwah

Jul 31, 2015 08:53am

Well when most Pakistanis are having ten kids each in many parts of Pakistan this will inevitably happen but I think this is not a good thing at all, we're breeding like crazy but are leaving a mess of a country behind. In my own family this pattern of many kids has died down now. I feel people are having less kids now, those that are educated most probably. Roles are also changing, as society is changing at large.

Recommend 0

Aluminite

Jul 31, 2015 09:49am

Truth be told, I expected a much larger figure!!!

Recommend 0

Yakoob

Jul 31, 2015 09:50am

The 'UN' Report on Population Growth for the World seems to be pretty flawed, especially for Pakistan. Somewhat reliable 'CENSUS', took place Pakistan in the Year 1961, when we had some stability in the country. During 1965 war with India, Ayub Khan had stated the Population of Pakistan was 10 Crores (100 millions) i.e. 55 million for East Pakistan (Bangladesh) & 45 millions for West Pakistan. Bangladesh population today is between 130-140 million as their growth is about 2.5%/ year while Pakistan was always 2% or less. How can Pakistan be more than Bangladesh. Pakistan population cannot be more 120 Million, Since 400,000 Children Die at Birth, One in 3 Women Die at Birthing, Two or more children Die Before reaching the age of Five. We Pakistanis are known to Exaggerate a bit. Look forward to views from the Readers.

Recommend 0

Salim

Jul 31, 2015 09:52am

Very alarming, without resource management how this huge population will survive. Population Welfare Departments needs to be activated.

Recommend 0

Dipak Singh

Jul 31, 2015 10:22am

Don't worry nature is also there for equalizing everything..! Nature will not allow anything against acceptance..!

Recommend 0

Sunil

Jul 31, 2015 10:23am

Will beat Indonesia and become number one, most population Islamic country in the world.

Recommend 0

Jack

Jul 31, 2015 10:29am

This is going to hurt our economy in the long run. We will end up becoming overpopulated like India and will struggle to give our citizens the utilities to have a happy life. The government does not make investment in EDUCATION and HEALTH, and massive investment in ENERGY is needed to sustain such a large population. I wonder if any of our leaders understand the problems we will have or have the vision or even an interest to address this !!

Recommend 0

ramsay

Jul 31, 2015 10:31am

Oh wow, both the neighbors running parallel to the post. Population boom without economic boom, will be doomsday!! In India, at least we have the younger folk, sticking to just 1 or 2 children. Unfortunately, religious sentiments play a role in controlling population in this part of the world, but people need to realize, that resources are not UNLimited in an any country, least of all in Pakistan and India - so better late than sorry.

Recommend 0

M.Malik

Jul 31, 2015 10:53am

Nature taking its course!

Recommend 0

EuroStar77

Jul 31, 2015 10:54am

Pakistan's population overtook Brazil's a couple of years ago when Brazil's was 196 and Pakistan's was 198 million (source: Pew Research). Today Pakistan's population is estimated to be 210 million pluss. Previous UN projection on Pakistan placed the population in 2050 at 350 million people. Question: did the government or NGO succeed in population reduction program? Where there even such programs in place?

Recommend 0

basilbenz

Jul 31, 2015 10:57am

@ Ramsey Even in Pakistan, younger folks are sticking to 1-2 children in major cities, in rural areas that is not the case though.

Recommend 0

Jul 31, 2015 11:08am

Its petty that Pakistan could not implement its population control polices bcs of internal religious groups and especially bcs of public lust for having more than one sons.

Recommend 0

Pak zindabad

Jul 31, 2015 11:18am

Because people in Pakistan are uneducated the educated people don't have 6 or 10 kids. People in Pakistan are taking Islam the wrong way and keeping their children uneducated and having 50 children from 4 wives. Government is not doing anything about banning second marriage.

Recommend 0

Pak zindabad

Jul 31, 2015 11:20am

Ban second marriage and enforce only 2 kids policy now because it will slowly take effect I'm Pakistan because Pakistan is democracy government can't force military on people to have two kids like China did.

Recommend 0

Faisal Bajwa

Jul 31, 2015 11:43am

If we can boost our per capita income to 10000$, we could be a 3 trillion $ economy by 2050.

Recommend 0

Azmeen

Jul 31, 2015 11:57am

A bad news for the country. Solution lies in public awareness, education and socioeconomic development.

Recommend 0

Ramesh Nakhwa

Jul 31, 2015 12:09pm

Quality is more imporatant than quantity. US population is 300 Million and they control literally half the worlds assets.

Recommend 0

harish-bhai

Jul 31, 2015 12:11pm

Increase in population is not the problem but if the opportunities for people in areas of education, jobs, medical, health care and housing are the same old story then new and young peoples' life will also be same old story ! China can only do so much my friends!!

Recommend 0

Ramesh Nakhwa

Jul 31, 2015 12:13pm

@ramsay I see many couples in India with one child and many couples without children, out of choice.

Recommend 0

Ramesh Nakhwa

Jul 31, 2015 12:19pm

@Faisal Bajwa In India we know, because of the huge population even great strides in GDP keep the per capita income at the lower end. India is at 3500 USD per capita plus almost a similar amount for the black economy so around USD 7000 per capita. By 2020 this will breach 10,000 USD. I do not know what the per capita is for Pakistan.

Recommend 0

gopa

Jul 31, 2015 12:26pm

@Azmeen It is still one billion less than India. Nothing to worry.

Recommend 0

Indian

Jul 31, 2015 12:41pm

Very good news for India & Pakistan!! Now both can enjoy with huge population, untill our people not able to think better for their future generation. People would not have enough food to eat forget about other basic things.

Recommend 0

Salman

Jul 31, 2015 03:42pm

Wrong statistics.............. they might have not taken expatriates in their calculations...........

Recommend 0

shahwas

Aug 01, 2015 04:18am

Will becom3 even worse place to live

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Taptap Send, Arshad Nadeem partner to highlight Pakistan’s unsung champions

The initiative comes at a time when cricket continues to dominate national attention, often overshadowing achievements in other sports.

NexGen Auto (Nishat Group) to Introduce iCAUR in Pakistan

As one of Pakistan’s leading business groups, Nishat Group operates across key sectors including textiles, cement, banking, insurance, power and agriculture.