In 2022, India overtook China as the world's most populous country and now has almost 1.46 billion people. China now has the second-largest population in the world, still with just over 1.4 billion inhabitants, however, its population went into decline in 2023. Global population As of 2025, the world's population stands at almost 8.2 billion people and is expected to reach around 10.3 billion people in the 2080s, when it will then go into decline. Due to improved healthcare, sanitation, and general living conditions, the global population continues to increase; mortality rates (particularly among infants and children) are decreasing and the median age of the world population has steadily increased for decades. As for the average life expectancy in industrial and developing countries, the gap has narrowed significantly since the mid-20th century. Asia is the most populous continent on Earth; 11 of the 20 largest countries are located there. It leads the ranking of the global population by continent by far, reporting four times as many inhabitants as Africa. The Demographic Transition The population explosion over the past two centuries is part of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition. Simply put, this transition results from a drastic reduction in mortality, which then leads to a reduction in fertility, and increase in life expectancy; this interim period where death rates are low and birth rates are high is where this population explosion occurs, and population growth can remain high as the population ages. In today's most-developed countries, the transition generally began with industrialization in the 1800s, and growth has now stabilized as birth and mortality rates have re-balanced. Across less-developed countries, the stage of this transition varies; for example, China is at a later stage than India, which accounts for the change in which country is more populous - understanding the demographic transition can help understand the reason why China's population is now going into decline. The least-developed region is Sub-Saharan Africa, where fertility rates remain close to pre-industrial levels in some countries. As these countries transition, they will undergo significant rates of population growth

According to latest figures, the Chinese population decreased by 1.39 million to around 1.408 billion people in 2024. After decades of rapid growth, China arrived at the turning point of its demographic development in 2022, which was earlier than expected. The annual population decrease is estimated to remain at moderate levels until around 2030 but to accelerate thereafter. Population development in China China had for a long time been the country with the largest population worldwide, but according to UN estimates, it has been overtaken by India in 2023. As the population in India is still growing, the country is very likely to remain being home of the largest population on earth in the near future. Due to several mechanisms put into place by the Chinese government as well as changing circumstances in the working and social environment of the Chinese people, population growth has subsided over the past decades, displaying an annual population growth rate of -0.1 percent in 2024. Nevertheless, compared to the world population in total, China held a share of about 17 percent of the overall global population in 2024. China's aging population In terms of demographic developments, the birth control efforts of the Chinese government had considerable effects on the demographic pyramid in China. Upon closer examination of the age distribution, a clear trend of an aging population becomes visible. In order to curb the negative effects of an aging population, the Chinese government abolished the one-child policy in 2015, which had been in effect since 1979, and introduced a three-child policy in May 2021. However, many Chinese parents nowadays are reluctant to have a second or third child, as is the case in most of the developed countries in the world. The number of births in China varied in the years following the abolishment of the one-child policy, but did not increase considerably. Among the reasons most prominent for parents not having more children are the rising living costs and costs for child care, growing work pressure, a growing trend towards self-realization and individualism, and changing social behaviors.

From now until 2100, India and China will remain the most populous countries in the world, however China's population decline has already started, and it is on course to fall by around 50 percent in the 2090s; while India's population decline is projected to begin in the 2060s. Of the 10 most populous countries in the world in 2100, five will be located in Asia, four in Africa, as well as the United States. Rapid growth in Africa Rapid population growth across Africa will see the continent's population grow from around 1.5 billion people in 2024 to 3.8 billion in 2100. Additionally, unlike China or India, population growth in many of these countries is not expected to go into decline, and instead is expected to continue well into the 2100s. Previous estimates had projected these countries' populations would be much higher by 2100 (the 2019 report estimated Nigeria's population would exceed 650 million), yet the increased threat of the climate crisis and persistent instability is delaying demographic development and extending population growth. The U.S. as an outlier Compared to the nine other largest populations in 2100, the United States stands out as it is more demographically advanced, politically stable, and economically stronger. However, while most other so-called "advanced countries" are projected to see their population decline drastically in the coming decades, the U.S. population is projected to continue growing into the 2100s. This will largely be driven by high rates of immigration into the U.S., which will drive growth despite fertility rates being around 1.6 births per woman (below the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman), and the slowing rate of life expectancy. Current projections estimate the U.S. will have a net migration rate over 1.2 million people per year for the remainder of the century.

The region of present-day China has historically been the most populous region in the world; however, its population development has fluctuated throughout history. In 2022, China was overtaken as the most populous country in the world, and current projections suggest its population is heading for a rapid decline in the coming decades. Transitions of power lead to mortality The source suggests that conflict, and the diseases brought with it, were the major obstacles to population growth throughout most of the Common Era, particularly during transitions of power between various dynasties and rulers. It estimates that the total population fell by approximately 30 million people during the 14th century due to the impact of Mongol invasions, which inflicted heavy losses on the northern population through conflict, enslavement, food instability, and the introduction of bubonic plague. Between 1850 and 1870, the total population fell once more, by more than 50 million people, through further conflict, famine and disease; the most notable of these was the Taiping Rebellion, although the Miao an Panthay Rebellions, and the Dungan Revolt, also had large death tolls. The third plague pandemic also originated in Yunnan in 1855, which killed approximately two million people in China. 20th and 21st centuries There were additional conflicts at the turn of the 20th century, which had significant geopolitical consequences for China, but did not result in the same high levels of mortality seen previously. It was not until the overlapping Chinese Civil War (1927-1949) and Second World War (1937-1945) where the death tolls reached approximately 10 and 20 million respectively. Additionally, as China attempted to industrialize during the Great Leap Forward (1958-1962), economic and agricultural mismanagement resulted in the deaths of tens of millions (possibly as many as 55 million) in less than four years, during the Great Chinese Famine. This mortality is not observable on the given dataset, due to the rapidity of China's demographic transition over the entire period; this saw improvements in healthcare, sanitation, and infrastructure result in sweeping changes across the population. The early 2020s marked some significant milestones in China's demographics, where it was overtaken by India as the world's most populous country, and its population also went into decline. Current projections suggest that China is heading for a "demographic disaster", as its rapidly aging population is placing significant burdens on China's economy, government, and society. In stark contrast to the restrictive "one-child policy" of the past, the government has introduced a series of pro-fertility incentives for couples to have larger families, although the impact of these policies are yet to materialize. If these current projections come true, then China's population may be around half its current size by the end of the century.

India population growth rate for 2023 was 0.88%, a 0.09% increase from 2022.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>India population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>0.79%</strong>, a <strong>0.03% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>India population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>0.82%</strong>, a <strong>0.15% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>India population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>0.97%</strong>, a <strong>0.07% decline</strong> from 2019.</li>
</ul>Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage . Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.

The statistic shows the total population of India from 2019 to 2029. In 2023, the estimated total population in India amounted to approximately 1.43 billion people.

Total population in India

India currently has the second-largest population in the world and is projected to overtake top-ranking China within forty years. Its residents comprise more than one-seventh of the entire world’s population, and despite a slowly decreasing fertility rate (which still exceeds the replacement rate and keeps the median age of the population relatively low), an increasing life expectancy adds to an expanding population. In comparison with other countries whose populations are decreasing, such as Japan, India has a relatively small share of aged population, which indicates the probability of lower death rates and higher retention of the existing population.

With a land mass of less than half that of the United States and a population almost four times greater, India has recognized potential problems of its growing population. Government attempts to implement family planning programs have achieved varying degrees of success. Initiatives such as sterilization programs in the 1970s have been blamed for creating general antipathy to family planning, but the combined efforts of various family planning and contraception programs have helped halve fertility rates since the 1960s. The population growth rate has correspondingly shrunk as well, but has not yet reached less than one percent growth per year.

As home to thousands of ethnic groups, hundreds of languages, and numerous religions, a cohesive and broadly-supported effort to reduce population growth is difficult to create. Despite that, India is one country to watch in coming years. It is also a growing economic power; among other measures, its GDP per capita was expected to triple between 2003 and 2013 and was listed as the third-ranked country for its share of the global gross domestic product.

The graph shows the population growth in China from 2000 to 2024. In 2024, the Chinese population decreased by about 0.1 percent or 1.39 million to around 1.408 billion people. Declining population growth in China Due to strict birth control measures by the Chinese government as well as changing family and work situations of the Chinese people, population growth has subsided over the past decades. Although the gradual abolition of the one-child policy from 2014 on led to temporarily higher birth figures, growth rates further decreased in recent years. As of 2024, leading countries in population growth could almost exclusively be found on the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula. Nevertheless, as of mid 2024, Asia ranked first by a wide margin among the continents in terms of absolute population. Future development of Chinese population The Chinese population reached a maximum of 1,412.6 million people in 2021 but decreased by 850,000 in 2022 and another 2.08 million in 2023. Until 2022, China had still ranked the world’s most populous country, but it was overtaken by India in 2023. Apart from the population decrease, a clear growth trend in Chinese cities is visible. By 2024, around 67 percent of Chinese people lived in urban areas, compared to merely 36 percent in 2000.

India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data was reported at 22.100 NA in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.400 NA for 2015. India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 30.500 NA from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2016, with 47 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 38.900 NA in 1971 and a record low of 22.100 NA in 2016. India Vital Statistics: Birth Rate: per 1000 Population: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Census of India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.GAH001: Vital Statistics.

Explore the Saudi Arabia World Development Indicators dataset , including key indicators such as Access to clean fuels, Adjusted net enrollment rate, CO2 emissions, and more. Find valuable insights and trends for Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, China, and India.

Indicator, Access to clean fuels and technologies for cooking, rural (% of rural population), Access to electricity (% of population), Adjusted net enrollment rate, primary, female (% of primary school age children), Adjusted net national income (annual % growth), Adjusted savings: education expenditure (% of GNI), Adjusted savings: mineral depletion (current US$), Adjusted savings: natural resources depletion (% of GNI), Adjusted savings: net national savings (current US$), Adolescents out of school (% of lower secondary school age), Adolescents out of school, female (% of female lower secondary school age), Age dependency ratio (% of working-age population), Agricultural methane emissions (% of total), Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added per worker (constant 2015 US$), Alternative and nuclear energy (% of total energy use), Annualized average growth rate in per capita real survey mean consumption or income, total population (%), Arms exports (SIPRI trend indicator values), Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), Average working hours of children, working only, ages 7-14 (hours per week), Average working hours of children, working only, male, ages 7-14 (hours per week), Cause of death, by injury (% of total), Cereal yield (kg per hectare), Changes in inventories (current US$), Chemicals (% of value added in manufacturing), Child employment in agriculture (% of economically active children ages 7-14), Child employment in manufacturing, female (% of female economically active children ages 7-14), Child employment in manufacturing, male (% of male economically active children ages 7-14), Child employment in services (% of economically active children ages 7-14), Child employment in services, female (% of female economically active children ages 7-14), Children (ages 0-14) newly infected with HIV, Children in employment, study and work (% of children in employment, ages 7-14), Children in employment, unpaid family workers (% of children in employment, ages 7-14), Children in employment, wage workers (% of children in employment, ages 7-14), Children out of school, primary, Children out of school, primary, male, Claims on other sectors of the domestic economy (annual growth as % of broad money), CO2 emissions (kg per 2015 US$ of GDP), CO2 emissions (kt), CO2 emissions from other sectors, excluding residential buildings and commercial and public services (% of total fuel combustion), CO2 emissions from transport (% of total fuel combustion), Communications, computer, etc. (% of service exports, BoP), Condom use, population ages 15-24, female (% of females ages 15-24), Container port traffic (TEU: 20 foot equivalent units), Contraceptive prevalence, any method (% of married women ages 15-49), Control of Corruption: Estimate, Control of Corruption: Percentile Rank, Upper Bound of 90% Confidence Interval, Control of Corruption: Standard Error, Coverage of social insurance programs in 4th quintile (% of population), CPIA building human resources rating (1=low to 6=high), CPIA debt policy rating (1=low to 6=high), CPIA policies for social inclusion/equity cluster average (1=low to 6=high), CPIA public sector management and institutions cluster average (1=low to 6=high), CPIA quality of budgetary and financial management rating (1=low to 6=high), CPIA transparency, accountability, and corruption in the public sector rating (1=low to 6=high), Current education expenditure, secondary (% of total expenditure in secondary public institutions), DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$), Deposit interest rate (%), Depth of credit information index (0=low to 8=high), Diarrhea treatment (% of children under 5 who received ORS packet), Discrepancy in expenditure estimate of GDP (current LCU), Domestic private health expenditure per capita, PPP (current international $), Droughts, floods, extreme temperatures (% of population, average 1990-2009), Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative), Educational attainment, at least Bachelor's or equivalent, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative), Educational attainment, at least completed lower secondary, population 25+, female (%) (cumulative), Educational attainment, at least completed primary, population 25+ years, total (%) (cumulative), Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population 25+, male (%) (cumulative), Educational attainment, at least Master's or equivalent, population 25+, total (%) (cumulative), Electricity production from coal sources (% of total), Electricity production from nuclear sources (% of total), Employers, total (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate), Employment in industry (% of total employment) (modeled ILO estimate), Employment in services, female (% of female employment) (modeled ILO estimate), Employment to population ratio, 15+, male (%) (modeled ILO estimate), Employment to population ratio, ages 15-24, total (%) (national estimate), Energy use (kg of oil equivalent per capita), Export unit value index (2015 = 100), Exports of goods and services (% of GDP), Exports of goods, services and primary income (BoP, current US$), External debt stocks (% of GNI), External health expenditure (% of current health expenditure), Female primary school age children out-of-school (%), Female share of employment in senior and middle management (%), Final consumption expenditure (constant 2015 US$), Firms expected to give gifts in meetings with tax officials (% of firms), Firms experiencing losses due to theft and vandalism (% of firms), Firms formally registered when operations started (% of firms), Fixed broadband subscriptions, Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people), Foreign direct investment, net outflows (% of GDP), Forest area (% of land area), Forest area (sq. km), Forest rents (% of GDP), GDP growth (annual %), GDP per capita (constant LCU), GDP per unit of energy use (PPP $ per kg of oil equivalent), GDP, PPP (constant 2017 international $), General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), GHG net emissions/removals by LUCF (Mt of CO2 equivalent), GNI growth (annual %), GNI per capita (constant LCU), GNI, PPP (current international $), Goods and services expense (current LCU), Government Effectiveness: Percentile Rank, Government Effectiveness: Percentile Rank, Lower Bound of 90% Confidence Interval, Government Effectiveness: Standard Error, Gross capital formation (annual % growth), Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), Gross capital formation (current LCU), Gross fixed capital formation, private sector (% of GDP), Gross intake ratio in first grade of primary education, male (% of relevant age group), Gross intake ratio in first grade of primary education, total (% of relevant age group), Gross national expenditure (current LCU), Gross national expenditure (current US$), Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (constant LCU), Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure (current US$), Households and NPISHs Final consumption expenditure, PPP (constant 2017 international $), Households and NPISHs final consumption expenditure: linked series (current LCU), Human capital index (HCI) (scale 0-1), Human capital index (HCI), male (scale 0-1), Immunization, DPT (% of children ages 12-23 months), Import value index (2015 = 100), Imports of goods and services (% of GDP), Incidence of HIV, ages 15-24 (per 1,000 uninfected population ages 15-24), Incidence of HIV, all (per 1,000 uninfected population), Income share held by highest 20%, Income share held by lowest 20%, Income share held by third 20%, Individuals using the Internet (% of population), Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), Informal payments to public officials (% of firms), Intentional homicides, male (per 100,000 male), Interest payments (% of expense), Interest rate spread (lending rate minus deposit rate, %), Internally displaced persons, new displacement associated with conflict and violence (number of cases), International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$), International tourism, expenditures for travel items (current US$), Investment in energy with private participation (current US$), Labor force participation rate for ages 15-24, female (%) (modeled ILO estimate), Development

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Abstract

The third wave of the Asian Barometer survey (ABS) conducted in 2010 and the database contains nine countries and regions in East Asia - the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Mongolia, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. The ABS is an applied research program on public opinion on political values, democracy, and governance around the region. The regional network encompasses research teams from 13 East Asian political systems and 5 South Asian countries. Together, this regional survey network covers virtually all major political systems in the region, systems that have experienced different trajectories of regime evolution and are currently at different stages of political transition.

The mission and task of each national research team are to administer survey instruments to compile the required micro-level data under a common research framework and research methodology to ensure that the data is reliable and comparable on the issues of citizens' attitudes and values toward politics, power, reform, and democracy in Asia.

The Asian Barometer Survey is headquartered in Taipei and co-hosted by the Institute of Political Science, Academia Sinica and The Institute for the Advanced Studies of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Taiwan University.

Geographic coverage

13 East Asian political systems: Japan, Mongolia, South Koreas, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia; 5 South Asian countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal

Analysis unit

-Individuals

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Compared with surveys carried out within a single nation, cross-nation survey involves an extra layer of difficulty and complexity in terms of survey management, research design, and database modeling for the purpose of data preservation and easy analysis. To facilitate the progress of the Asian Barometer Surveys, the survey methodology and database subproject is formed as an important protocol specifically aiming at overseeing and coordinating survey research designs, database modeling, and data release.

As a network of Global Barometer Surveys, Asian Barometer Survey requires all country teams to comply with the research protocols which Global Barometer network has developed, tested, and proved practical methods for conducting comparative survey research on public attitudes.

Research Protocols:

• National probability samples that give every citizen in each country an equal chance of being selected for interview. Whether using census household lists or a multistage area approach, the method for selecting sampling units is always randomized. The samples may be stratified, or weights applied, to ensure coverage of rural areas and minority populations in their correct proportions. As such, Asian Barometer samples represent the adult, voting-age population in each country surveyed.

A model Asian Barometer Survey has a sample size of 1,200 respondents, which allows a minimum confidence interval of plus or minus 3 percent at 95 percent probability.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

A standard questionnaire instrument containing a core module of identical or functionally equivalent questions. Wherever possible, theoretical concepts are measured with multiple items in order to enable testing for construct validity. The wording of items is determined by balancing various criteria, including: the research themes emphasized in the survey, the comprehensibility of the item to lay respondents, and the proven effectiveness of the item when tested in previous surveys.

Survey Topics: 1.Economic Evaluations: What is the economic condition of the nation and your family: now, over the last five years, and in the next five years? 2.Trust in institutions: How trustworthy are public institutions, including government branches, the media, the military, and NGOs. 3.Social Capital: Membership in private and public groups, the frequency and degree of group participation, trust in others, and influence of guanxi. 4.Political Participatio: Voting in elections, national and local, country-specific voting patterns, and active participation in the political process as well as demonstrations and strikes. Contact with government and elected officials, political organizations, NGOs and media. 5.Electoral Mobilization: Personal connections with officials, candidates, and political parties; influence on voter choice. 6.Psychological Involvement and Partisanship: Interest in political news coverage, impact of government policies on daily life, and party allegiance. 7.Traditionalism: Importance of consensus and family, role of the elderly, face, and woman in theworkplace. 8.Democratic Legitimacy and Preference for Democracy: Democratic ranking of present and previous regime, and expected ranking in the next five years; satisfaction with how democracy works, suitability of democracy; comparisons between current and previous regimes, especially corruption; democracy and economic development, political competition, national unity, social problems, military government, and technocracy. 9.Efficacy, Citizen Empowerment, System Responsiveness: Accessibility of political system: does a political elite prevent access and reduce the ability of people to influence the government. 10.Democratic vs. Authoritarian Values: Level of education and political equality, government leadership and superiority, separation of executive and judiciary. 11.Cleavage: Ownership of state-owned enterprises, national authority over local decisions, cultural insulation, community and the individual. 12.Belief in Procedural Norms of Democracy: Respect of procedures by political leaders: compromise, tolerance of opposing and minority views. 13.Social-Economic Background Variables: Gender, age, marital status, education level, years of formal education, religion and religiosity, household, income, language and ethnicity. 14.Interview Record: Gender, age, class, and language of the interviewer, people present at the interview; did the respondent: refuse, display impatience, and cooperate; the language or dialect spoken in interview, and was an interpreter present.

Cleaning operations

Quality checks are enforced at every stage of data conversion to ensure that information from paper returns is edited, coded, and entered correctly for purposes of computer analysis. Machine readable data are generated by trained data entry operators and a minimum of 20 percent of the data is entered twice by independent teams for purposes of cross-checking. Data cleaning involves checks for illegal and logically inconsistent values.

It is estimated that more than 8 billion people live on Earth and the population is likely to hit more than 9 billion by 2050. Approximately 55 percent of Earth’s human population currently live in areas classified as urban. That number is expected to grow by 2050 to 68 percent, according to the United Nations (UN).The largest cities in the world include Tōkyō, Japan; New Delhi, India; Shanghai, China; México City, Mexico; and São Paulo, Brazil. Each of these cities classifies as a megacity, a city with more than 10 million people. The UN estimates the world will have 43 megacities by 2030.Most cities' populations are growing as people move in for greater economic, educational, and healthcare opportunities. But not all cities are expanding. Those cities whose populations are declining may be experiencing declining fertility rates (the number of births is lower than the number of deaths), shrinking economies, emigration, or have experienced a natural disaster that resulted in fatalities or forced people to leave the region.This Global Cities map layer contains data published in 2018 by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). It shows urban agglomerations. The UN DESA defines an urban agglomeration as a continuous area where population is classified at urban levels (by the country in which the city resides) regardless of what local government systems manage the area. Since not all places record data the same way, some populations may be calculated using the city population as defined by its boundary and the metropolitan area. If a reliable estimate for the urban agglomeration was unable to be determined, the population of the city or metropolitan area is used.Data Citation: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision. Statistical Papers - United Nations (ser. A), Population and Vital Statistics Report, 2019, https://doi.org/10.18356/b9e995fe-en.

In 2023, it is estimated that the BRICS countries have a combined population of 3.25 billion people, which is over 40 percent of the world population. The majority of these people live in either China or India, which have a population of more than 1.4 billion people each, while the other three countries have a combined population of just under 420 million. Comparisons Although the BRICS countries are considered the five foremost emerging economies, they are all at various stages of the demographic transition and have different levels of population development. For all of modern history, China has had the world's largest population, but rapidly dropping fertility and birth rates in recent decades mean that its population growth has slowed. In contrast, India's population growth remains much higher, and it is expected to overtake China in the next few years to become the world's most populous country. The fastest growing population in the BRICS bloc, however, is that of South Africa, which is at the earliest stage of demographic development. Russia, is the only BRICS country whose population is currently in decline, and it has been experiencing a consistent natural decline for most of the past three decades. Growing populations = growing opportunities Between 2000 and 2026, the populations of the BRICS countries is expected to grow by 625 million people, and the majority of this will be in India and China. As the economies of these two countries grow, so too do living standards and disposable income; this has resulted in the world's two most populous countries emerging as two of the most profitable markets in the world. China, sometimes called the "world's factory" has seen a rapid growth in its middle class, increased potential of its low-tier market, and its manufacturing sector is now transitioning to the production of more technologically advanced and high-end goods to meet its domestic demand.

The statistic shows the 30 largest countries in the world by area. Russia is the largest country by far, with a total area of about 17 million square kilometers.

Population of Russia

Despite its large area, Russia - nowadays the largest country in the world - has a relatively small total population. However, its population is still rather large in numbers in comparison to those of other countries. In mid-2014, it was ranked ninth on a list of countries with the largest population, a ranking led by China with a population of over 1.37 billion people. In 2015, the estimated total population of Russia amounted to around 146 million people. The aforementioned low population density in Russia is a result of its vast landmass; in 2014, there were only around 8.78 inhabitants per square kilometer living in the country. Most of the Russian population lives in the nation’s capital and largest city, Moscow: In 2015, over 12 million people lived in the metropolis.

In 1800, the population of the region of present-day India was approximately 169 million. The population would grow gradually throughout the 19th century, rising to over 240 million by 1900. Population growth would begin to increase in the 1920s, as a result of falling mortality rates, due to improvements in health, sanitation and infrastructure. However, the population of India would see it’s largest rate of growth in the years following the country’s independence from the British Empire in 1948, where the population would rise from 358 million to over one billion by the turn of the century, making India the second country to pass the billion person milestone. While the rate of growth has slowed somewhat as India begins a demographics shift, the country’s population has continued to grow dramatically throughout the 21st century, and in 2020, India is estimated to have a population of just under 1.4 billion, well over a billion more people than one century previously. Today, approximately 18% of the Earth’s population lives in India, and it is estimated that India will overtake China to become the most populous country in the world within the next five years.

As of February 2025, China ranked first among the countries with the most internet users worldwide. The world's most populated country had 1.11 billion internet users, more than triple the third-ranked United States, with just around 322 million internet users. Overall, all BRIC markets had over two billion internet users, accounting for four of the ten countries with more than 100 million internet users. Worldwide internet usage As of October 2024, there were more than five billion internet users worldwide. There are, however, stark differences in user distribution according to region. Eastern Asia is home to 1.34 billion internet users, while African and Middle Eastern regions had lower user figures. Moreover, the urban areas showed a higher percentage of internet access than rural areas. Internet use in China China ranks first in the list of countries with the most internet users. Due to its ongoing and fast-paced economic development and a cultural inclination towards technology, more than a billion of the estimated 1.4 billion population in China are online. As of the third quarter of 2023, around 87 percent of Chinese internet users stated using WeChat, the most popular social network in the country. On average, Chinese internet users spent five hours and 33 minutes online daily.

There are approximately 8.16 billion people living in the world today, a figure that shows a dramatic increase since the beginning of the Common Era. Since the 1970s, the global population has also more than doubled in size. It is estimated that the world's population will reach and surpass 10 billion people by 2060 and plateau at around 10.3 billion in the 2080s, before it then begins to fall. Asia When it comes to number of inhabitants per continent, Asia is the most populous continent in the world by a significant margin, with roughly 60 percent of the world's population living there. Similar to other global regions, a quarter of inhabitants in Asia are under 15 years of age. The most populous nations in the world are India and China respectively; each inhabit more than three times the amount of people than the third-ranked United States. 10 of the 20 most populous countries in the world are found in Asia. Africa Interestingly, the top 20 countries with highest population growth rate are mainly countries in Africa. This is due to the present stage of Sub-Saharan Africa's demographic transition, where mortality rates are falling significantly, although fertility rates are yet to drop and match this. As much of Asia is nearing the end of its demographic transition, population growth is predicted to be much slower in this century than in the previous; in contrast, Africa's population is expected to reach almost four billion by the year 2100. Unlike demographic transitions in other continents, Africa's population development is being influenced by climate change on a scale unseen by most other global regions. Rising temperatures are exacerbating challenges such as poor sanitation, lack of infrastructure, and political instability, which have historically hindered societal progress. It remains to be seen how Africa and the world at large adapts to this crisis as it continues to cause drought, desertification, natural disasters, and climate migration across the region.

In the middle of 2023, about 60 percent of the global population was living in Asia.The total world population amounted to 8.1 billion people on the planet. In other words 4.7 billion people were living in Asia as of 2023. Global populationDue to medical advances, better living conditions and the increase of agricultural productivity, the world population increased rapidly over the past century, and is expected to continue to grow. After reaching eight billion in 2023, the global population is estimated to pass 10 billion by 2060. Africa expected to drive population increase Most of the future population increase is expected to happen in Africa. The countries with the highest population growth rate in 2024 were mostly African countries. While around 1.47 billion people live on the continent as of 2024, this is forecast to grow to 3.9 billion by 2100. This is underlined by the fact that most of the countries wit the highest population growth rate are found in Africa. The growing population, in combination with climate change, puts increasing pressure on the world's resources.

Whereas the population is expected to decrease somewhat until 2100 in Asia, Europe, and South America, it is predicted to grow significantly in Africa. While there were 1.5 billion inhabitants on the continent at the beginning of 2024, the number of inhabitants is expected to reach 3.8 billion by 2100. In total, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10.4 billion by 2100. Worldwide population In the United States, the total population is expected to steadily increase over the next couple of years. In 2024, Asia held over half of the global population and is expected to have the highest number of people living in urban areas in 2050. Asia is home to the two most populous countries, India and China, both with a population of over one billion people. However, the small country of Monaco had the highest population density worldwide in 2021. Effects of overpopulation Alongside the growing worldwide population, there are negative effects of overpopulation. The increasing population puts a higher pressure on existing resources and contributes to pollution. As the population grows, the demand for food grows, which requires more water, which in turn takes away from the freshwater available. Concurrently, food needs to be transported through different mechanisms, which contributes to air pollution. Not every resource is renewable, meaning the world is using up limited resources that will eventually run out. Furthermore, more species will become extinct which harms the ecosystem and food chain. Overpopulation was considered to be one of the most important environmental issues worldwide in 2020.

In 2024, around **** million babies were born in China. The number of births has increased slightly from **** million in the previous year, but is much lower than the ***** million births recorded in 2016. Demographic development in China In 2022, the Chinese population decreased for the first time in decades, and population decline is expected to accelerate in the upcoming years. To curb the negative effects of an aging population, the Chinese government decided in 2013 to gradually relax the so called one-child-policy, which had been in effect since 1979. From 2016 onwards, parents in China were allowed to have two children in general. However, as the recent figures of births per year reveal, this policy change had only short-term effects on the general birth rate: the number of births slightly increased from 2014 onwards, but then started to fell again in 2018. In 2024, China was the second most populous country in the world, overtaken by India that year. China’s aging population The Chinese society is aging rapidly and facing a serious demographic shift towards older age groups. The median age of China’s population has increased massively from about ** years in 1970 to **** years in 2020 and is projected to rise continuously until 2080. In 2020, approximately **** percent of the Chinese were 60 years and older, a figure that is forecast to rise as high as ** percent by 2060. This shift in demographic development will increase social and elderly support expenditure of the society as a whole. One measure for this social imbalance is the old-age dependency ratio, measuring the relationship between economic dependent older age groups and the working-age population. The old-age dependency ratio in China is expected to soar to ** percent in 2060, implying that by then three working-age persons will have to support two elderly persons.

Based on a comparison of coronavirus deaths in 210 countries relative to their population, Peru had the most losses to COVID-19 up until July 13, 2022. As of the same date, the virus had infected over 557.8 million people worldwide, and the number of deaths had totaled more than 6.3 million. Note, however, that COVID-19 test rates can vary per country. Additionally, big differences show up between countries when combining the number of deaths against confirmed COVID-19 cases. The source seemingly does not differentiate between "the Wuhan strain" (2019-nCOV) of COVID-19, "the Kent mutation" (B.1.1.7) that appeared in the UK in late 2020, the 2021 Delta variant (B.1.617.2) from India or the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) from South Africa.

The difficulties of death figures

This table aims to provide a complete picture on the topic, but it very much relies on data that has become more difficult to compare. As the coronavirus pandemic developed across the world, countries already used different methods to count fatalities, and they sometimes changed them during the course of the pandemic. On April 16, for example, the Chinese city of Wuhan added a 50 percent increase in their death figures to account for community deaths. These deaths occurred outside of hospitals and went unaccounted for so far. The state of New York did something similar two days before, revising their figures with 3,700 new deaths as they started to include “assumed” coronavirus victims. The United Kingdom started counting deaths in care homes and private households on April 29, adjusting their number with about 5,000 new deaths (which were corrected lowered again by the same amount on August 18). This makes an already difficult comparison even more difficult. Belgium, for example, counts suspected coronavirus deaths in their figures, whereas other countries have not done that (yet). This means two things. First, it could have a big impact on both current as well as future figures. On April 16 already, UK health experts stated that if their numbers were corrected for community deaths like in Wuhan, the UK number would change from 205 to “above 300”. This is exactly what happened two weeks later. Second, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly which countries already have “revised” numbers (like Belgium, Wuhan or New York) and which ones do not. One work-around could be to look at (freely accessible) timelines that track the reported daily increase of deaths in certain countries. Several of these are available on our platform, such as for Belgium, Italy and Sweden. A sudden large increase might be an indicator that the domestic sources changed their methodology.

Where are these numbers coming from?

The numbers shown here were collected by Johns Hopkins University, a source that manually checks the data with domestic health authorities. For the majority of countries, this is from national authorities. In some cases, like China, the United States, Canada or Australia, city reports or other various state authorities were consulted. In this statistic, these separately reported numbers were put together. For more information or other freely accessible content, please visit our dedicated Facts and Figures page.