Imagine if India had never been divided and the subcontinent had remained together. Not only would the course of history have been different, but the world’s most populous country would probably have been undivided India, not China. The question arises: In that situation, what would have been the population, what would have been the population density, and where would have been India’s power on the global stage compared to China? The statistics make this hypothetical situation even more interesting. Let’s find out.
What does the concept of undivided India mean?
The concept of undivided India refers to a geographical and cultural area that includes not only today’s India, but also Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Historically, the entire region remained united for a long time, but political changes in the 20th century divided it into separate countries.
If all these countries were still together today…
If this entire region were a single country today, its total population would be estimated at about 1.9 to 2.1 billion, or about 190 to 210 crore. The current population of India is about 143 crores. This number increases significantly by adding the population of approximately 24 to 25 crores of Pakistan and approximately 17 crores of Bangladesh. Apart from this, the combined population of Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bhutan and Maldives is about 15 to 20 crores.
How much bigger would it have been than China in terms of population?
Today, China’s population is estimated to be approximately 1.42 billion, or 142 crores. If we look at the concept of undivided India in terms of numbers, it would have been a country with about 60 to 70 crore more people than China. That is, in terms of population, undivided India would have been the largest country in the world, and China would have come second. This comparison clearly shows that the global balance would have looked very different on the basis of population alone.
Area will increase, density will decrease
The total area of undivided India would be about 7.1 million square kilometres, which is almost double the area of today’s India. This will have a direct impact on population density. Today, India has an average of 415 people per square kilometre, but if India had been undivided, this figure would have dropped to around 260 to 270 people per square kilometre. This means that despite the greater population, there would be less pressure on the land.
Economic and strategic impact
A larger population doesn’t just mean more people; This also means a larger market, a larger workforce and a larger consumer base. An undivided India would have created a huge domestic market, the impact of which would have been clearly visible in global trade. Moreover, the high number of youth would have given it an important demographic dividend. On the other hand, an undivided India would have emerged as a rising young power compared to the challenge of an aging population that China is currently facing.
Would everything have been easy?
It is not necessary that such a large population will bring only benefits. The challenges of governance, distribution of resources, equitable development and social diversity would have been much more complex. However, it is certain that on the basis of population and land area, an undivided India would have been counted among the most influential countries in the world.
