The United Nations Population Fund has released the State of World Population 2019 report.

• India’s population grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 to 1.36 billion.
• India’s population in 2019 stood at 1.36 billion. The population has grown from 942.2 million in 1994 and 541.5 million in 1969.
• In comparison, China’s population stood at 1.42 billion in 2019, growing from 1.23 billion in 1994 and 803.6 million in 1969. China’s population grew at an average annual rate of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2019
• In India, total fertility rate per woman is 2.3 in 2019 dropping from 3.7 in 1994
• The life expectancy at birth in 1969 was 47 years, growing to 60 years in 1994 and 69 years in 2019.
• Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) in the country dropped from 488 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1994 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015.

The report for the first time has published data on women’s ability to make decisions over three key areas: sexual intercourse with their partner, contraception use and health care. The Report Looking ahead to future challenges highlights the threat to women’s and girls’ reproductive rights posed by emergencies caused by conflict or climate disasters.