Quote Originally Posted by Tribesman
1950:

Soviet Union: 280 million inhabitants
Pakistan: 35 million

2000:

Russia: 150 million
Pakistan 150 million

Interesting , but what is the population of all of the states that were part of the soviet Union in 1950 ?
Some 280 million, like it says.

To be fair, the big drop in population is of course owing to what you hint at: the break-up of the Soviet Union. I don't have exact figures ready, but on top of my head the population of Russia proper has been stable at about 150 million for most of the period.

And since this is partly about immigaration , how many of those former soviet citizens have emigrated to Europe/America/Australia or Israel since the end of the Union .
Dunno, but numbered in millions, not tens of millions.

The main point is, that in 1945, Pakistan was a backward province of an English colony. Russia / the SU a victorious world power. Central Asia was controlled by Moscow, the unchallenged, nuclear armed, undisputed champion and economic power horse of central Eurasia.
Is it at all unlikely that in 2050 Central Asia will look to Islamabad (what's in a name?) as the undisputed leader of the region? That Pakistan will be the unchallenged, nuclear armed economic power horse of the region?
No, I don't think so.

We can all have a good laugh at generals who describe the contemporary world in terms of Goths, Romans and collapsing Empires. But history has shown that these things do happen. They are happening.



edit to add , Louis...
Algeria: 10 million, of which 10% French
France: 50 million, 1% Algerian

shoudn't that be Algeria :10 million and they are all French?
Well the Algerians certainly didn't seem to think so.