With 356 million 10-24 year-olds, India has the world’s
largest youth population despite having a smaller population than China, a
latest UN report said on Tuesday.
China is second with 269 million young people, followed by
Indonesia (67 million), the U.S. (65 million) and Pakistan (59 million),
Nigeria with 57 million, Brazil with 51 million, and Bangladesh with 48
million, the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) State of the World’s
Population report said.
It said that developing countries with large youth
populations could see their economies soar, provided they invest heavily in
young people’s education and health and protect their rights.
Within this generation are 600 million adolescent girls with
specific needs, challenges and aspirations for the future, the report said.
The report titled ‘The power of 1.8 billion’, said 28 per
cent of India’s population is 10 to 24 year-olds, adding that the youth
population is growing fastest in the poorest nations. Global number of youths
is highest ever.
As the world is home to 1.8 billion young people between the
ages of 10 and 24 year, 9 in 10 of the world’s young population live in less
developed countries.
“Never before have there been so many young people. Never
again is there likely to be such potential for economic and social progress.
How we meet the needs and aspirations of young people will define our common
future,” the report said.