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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Julian Borger in Washington

Why India overtaking China as most populous country is more than symbolic

India to surpass China composite picture
India and China both face dilemmas as their populations grow and shrink respectively. Composite: Guardian Design/NurPhoto/REX/Shutterstock/Getty Images/Reuters

On the day India surpasses China as the world’s most populous nation, the change for both countries will be psychological and symbolic.

China will still be the greater economic power, the one challenging the United States for full superpower status, but it will no longer be able to call itself the largest nation by sheer numbers.

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