World Population’s Scary Trend

Our neighbor, Carl Jacobson, came back from Australia the other day, and talked about a conference he was attending where many big world issues were discussed. In particular, he was talking about Indonesia, and how its moderate Muslim population / leadership is important for the future peace of the world, and needs to be an integral part of US/world foreign policy.

It made me look up some population statistics in the new Economist World in Figures book.

Indonesia, as of 2004, is the fourth largest population in the world (222 Million). Yes, it is largely a Muslim population. Moderate Muslim.

But watch this.

At No. 6 and No. 7 are Pakistan (157 Million) and Bangladesh (150 Million), two minuscule, extremely poor nations, both off-shoots of India’s disastrous freedom at midnight in 1947. Products of Jinnah’s ambitions, and Gandhi’s dropping the ball. Products, of course, of the divide and conquer policy of the British that has created so many political disasters around the world.

And both are hot beds of Islamic fundamentalism. Extremism.

Pakistan’s outlook is even scarier. It is headed to the No. 4 slot, with a population north of 300 Million in 2050.

They are also incredibly poor countries with a population density that is equally scary. Bangladesh spans an area of 144,000 Sq. Km, while Pakistan spans 804,000 Sq. Km. Bangladesh’s GDP is $56 Billion, and Pakistan’s GDP is $96 Billion.

In the middle sits relatively moderate and peaceful India, on whom the onus of keeping these two time-bombs in check rests. India spans 3.3 Million Sq. Km, and is going to, by 2050, become the world’s most populated country, itself a dubious distinction. It is highly likely that by then, India would also become a developed country. That would certainly be a great distinction.

But India would need to pull these two countries along, somehow, or else, we would have a grossly unbalanced equation, and a lot of 9/11-esque disasters. Suicide bombers are much easier to lure out of poor, uneducated, dismal conditions!