India's burgeoning population has seen a five-fold increase over the last 100 years and will surpass that of China by 2050.

Projections made by the government show that while India's population grew by 1.4 per cent over the last five years, China saw only a 0.6 per cent population growth for the corresponding period.

India's total population in 2009 was 119.8 crore, China's 134.5 crore and Pakistan's 18 crore. While India's population will increase to 161.38 crore by 2050, that of China will only reach 141.7 crore.

Interestingly, Pakistan's population grew at the highest rate in the sub-continent -- 2.2 per cent over the last five years.