Population Dynamics in South Asia: A Comparative Analysis of Seven Countries, 2016 – 2024
Acceptance: 04/09/2026
Published: 08/10/2026
Abstract
Population change remains one of the most consequential forces shaping economic development, social welfare, and environmental sustainability across Asia. This study presents a comparative analysis of population dynamics and population policy performance in seven South Asian countries, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Maldives, and Nepal, over the period 2016 to 2024. Using a mixed-methods design that combines secondary demographic data (total population, birth and death rates, infant mortality, and total fertility rate) with a qualitative review of national population-policy frameworks, the study examines how differing demographic trajectories have shaped, and been shaped by, policy responses. GIS-based choropleth mapping is used to visualize the spatial distribution of population change across the region for 2016, 2020, and 2024. The results confirm that South Asia is not demographically uniform. Pakistan continues to record high fertility (TFR of 3.6 in 2024) and rapid population growth, whereas India, Bangladesh, and Nepal are progressing through a substantial demographic transition marked by steady declines in both fertility and mortality. Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives, by contrast, have already entered a post-transition phase, with below-replacement fertility and the early signs of population ageing. Because these patterns differ so widely across the region, a single, uniform population policy would not work well for all the countries. Each country need a specific policy for demographic transition. The study concludes with a set of country-specific and regional policy recommendations built around a human-centered approach to population management.
Keynote: Population Dynamics; Demographic Transition; South Asia; Total Fertility Rate; Population Policy; Comparative Study
Author Name:
K. Nishanthi ; H. H. C. U. M. Perera ; D. M. S. Jeewamali
Pages:
303-310
DOI Number:
10.5281/zenodo.23243469
Country:
Srilanka
Orcid:
https://orcid.org/0000-0000-0000-0000
Full Article
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Writer Name
K. Nishanthi ; H. H. C. U. M. Perera ; D. M. S. Jeewamali
Pages
303-310
DOI Numbers
10.5281/zenodo.23243469
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