Demographic perspectives on China and India
Adlakha, A.; Banister, J.
Journal of Biosocial Science 27(2): 163-178
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9320 PMID: 7738079 DOI: 10.1017/s0021932000022677Document Number: 288538
This paper compares levels and trends of population growth rates, age and sex composition, mortality, and fertility including family planning practices in the world's two most populous countries, China and India. Both countries are undergoing demographic transition but China is nearer than India to achieving a stationary population. Fertility in China has declined below replacement level while in India it is nearly one and a half children per woman above replacement level. Both countries have achieved large reductions in mortality but life expectancy at birth in China is currently about 10 years longer than in India. Both countries have young populations but China will precede India in the aging of population structure during the 21st century. China and India practise selective neglect of female children and both have far more males than females in their populations. China and India have had family planning programmes for decades and there has been some fertility reduction in all age groups of women. As the two countries together comprise almost half of the population of the developing countries, demographic needs in these countries are important in any assessment of world population changes and prospects.