Band 9: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The bar chart shows the percentage of the total world population in 4 countries in 1950 and 2002, and projections for 2050. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words.

The provided bar chart illustrates the percentage of the world’s total population in four countries – India, China, the USA, and Japan – across three different years: 1950, 2002, and projected for 2050.

Overall, the data shows that China and India consistently hold the largest shares of the global population, while the USA and Japan have much smaller percentages. A notable trend is the projected decline in the population share of all countries except India, which is expected to see a significant increase.

In 1950, China had the highest share at approximately 22.5%, followed by India at 15%. By 2002, China’s share slightly decreased to just below 20%, while India’s rose to about 17%, narrowing the gap between the two. The projections for 2050 indicate a dramatic shift, with India’s share predicted to climb to nearly 20%, surpassing China, which is expected to drop to around 15%.

In contrast, the USA and Japan represent a much smaller portion of the world’s population throughout the period. In 1950, the USA had around 7% of the population, which decreased to approximately 5% in 2002 and is projected to remain at a similar level in 2050. Japan’s share was the smallest of the four, at 4% in 1950, falling to just 2.5% in 2002, with a projected further decrease to less than 1% by 2050.