Until the 1800s, population growth was incredibly slow on a global level. The global population was estimated to have been around 188 million people in the year 1CE, and did not reach one billion until around 1803. However, since the 1800s, a phenomenon known as the demographic transition has seen population growth skyrocket, reaching eight billion people in 2023, and this is expected to peak at over 10 billion in the 2080s.

The world's population first reached one billion people in 1805, and reached eight billion in 2022, and will peak at almost 10.2 billion by the end of the century. Although it took thousands of years to reach one billion people, it did so at the beginning of a phenomenon known as the demographic transition; from this point onwards, population growth has skyrocketed, and since the 1960s the population has increased by one billion people every 12 to 15 years. The demographic transition sees a sharp drop in mortality due to factors such as vaccination, sanitation, and improved food supply; the population boom that follows is due to increased survival rates among children and higher life expectancy among the general population; and fertility then drops in response to this population growth. Regional differences The demographic transition is a global phenomenon, but it has taken place at different times across the world. The industrialized countries of Europe and North America were the first to go through this process, followed by some states in the Western Pacific. Latin America's population then began growing at the turn of the 20th century, but the most significant period of global population growth occurred as Asia progressed in the late-1900s. As of the early 21st century, almost two-thirds of the world's population lives in Asia, although this is set to change significantly in the coming decades. Future growth The growth of Africa's population, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, will have the largest impact on global demographics in this century. From 2000 to 2100, it is expected that Africa's population will have increased by a factor of almost five. It overtook Europe in size in the late 1990s, and overtook the Americas a few years later. In contrast to Africa, Europe's population is now in decline, as birth rates are consistently below death rates in many countries, especially in the south and east, resulting in natural population decline. Similarly, the population of the Americas and Asia are expected to go into decline in the second half of this century, and only Oceania's population will still be growing alongside Africa. By 2100, the world's population will have over three billion more than today, with the vast majority of this concentrated in Africa. Demographers predict that climate change is exacerbating many of the challenges that currently hinder progress in Africa, such as political and food instability; if Africa's transition is prolonged, then it may result in further population growth that would place a strain on the region's resources, however, curbing this growth earlier would alleviate some of the pressure created by climate change.

Between 1800 and 2021, the total population of each continent experienced consistent growth, however as growth rates varied by region, population distribution has fluctuated. In the early 19th century, almost 70 percent of the world's population lived in Asia, while fewer than 10 percent lived in Africa. By the end of this century, it is believed that Asia's share will fall to roughly 45 percent, while Africa's will be on course to reach 40 percent. 19th and 20th centuries Fewer than 2.5 percent of the world's population lived in the Americas in 1800, however the demographic transition, along with waves of migration, would see this share rise to almost 10 percent a century later, peaking at almost 14 percent in the 1960s. Europe's share of the global population also grew in the 19th century, to roughly a quarter in 1900, but fell thereafter and saw the largest relative decline during the 20th century. Asia, which has consistently been the world's most populous continent, saw its population share drop by the mid-1900s, but it has been around 60 percent since the 1970s. It is important to note that the world population has grown from approximately one to eight billion people between 1800 and the 2020s, and that declines in population distribution before 2020 have resulted from different growth rates across the continents. 21st century Africa's population share remained fairly constant throughout this time, fluctuating between 7.5 and 10 percent until the late-1900s, but it is set to see the largest change over the 21st century. As Europe's total population is now falling, and it is estimated that the total populations of Asia and the Americas will fall by the 2050s and 2070s respectively, rapid population growth in Africa will see a significant shift in population distribution. Africa's population is predicted to grow from 1.3 to 3.9 billion people over the next eight decades, and its share of the total population will rise to almost 40 percent. The only other continent whose population will still be growing at this time will be Oceania, although its share of the total population has never been more than 0.7 percent.

More than two thirds of the world population were living in some form of autocracy in 2024. This high share is explained by the fact that around one third of the world population resides in India and China, classified as an electoral autocracy and closed autocracy, respectively. India's falling from an electoral democracy to an electoral autocracy explains why the share of people living in autocracies increased sharply in 2017.

The total population in the United States was estimated at 341.2 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - United States Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Key information about United States population

• The United States population reached 341.2 million people in Dec 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 338.4 million people in Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 341.2 million people in Dec 2024 and a record low of 76.1 million people in Dec 1900

CEIC extends history for annual Population. The Bureau of Economic Analysis provides year-end Population. Population prior to 1947 excludes residents of Alaska and Hawaii. Population prior to 1947 is a Mid-year estimate sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.


Further information about United States population data

• In the latest reports, United States Unemployment Rate dropped to 4.1 % in Dec 2024
• Monthly earnings of the United States population was 4,896.7 USD in Dec 2024
• United States Labour Force Participation Rate dropped to 62.2 % in Dec 2024

The earliest point where scientists can make reasonable estimates for the population of global regions is around 10,000 years before the Common Era (or 12,000 years ago). Estimates suggest that Asia has consistently been the most populated continent, and the least populated continent has generally been Oceania (although it was more heavily populated than areas such as North America in very early years). Population growth was very slow, but an increase can be observed between most of the given time periods. There were, however, dips in population due to pandemics, the most notable of these being the impact of plague in Eurasia in the 14th century, and the impact of European contact with the indigenous populations of the Americas after 1492, where it took almost four centuries for the population of Latin America to return to its pre-1500 level. The world's population first reached one billion people in 1803, which also coincided with a spike in population growth, due to the onset of the demographic transition. This wave of growth first spread across the most industrially developed countries in the 19th century, and the correlation between demographic development and industrial or economic maturity continued until today, with Africa being the final major region to begin its transition in the late-1900s.

Map containing historical census data from 1900 - 2000 throughout the western United States at the county level. Data includes total population, population density, and percent population change by decade for each county. Population data was obtained from the US Census Bureau and joined to 1:2,000,000 scale National Atlas counties shapefile.

United States Population: All Ages data was reported at 325,719.000 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 323,406.000 Person th for 2016. United States Population: All Ages data is updated yearly, averaging 176,356.000 Person th from Jun 1900 (Median) to 2017, with 118 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 325,719.000 Person th in 2017 and a record low of 76,094.000 Person th in 1900. United States Population: All Ages data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G002: Population by Age. Series Remarks Population data for the years 1900 to 1949 exclude the population residing in Alaska and Hawaii. Population data for the years 1940 to 1979 cover the resident population plus Armed Forces overseas. Population data for all other years cover only the resident population.

The Anthropogenic Biomes of the World, Version 2: 2000 data set describes anthropogenic transformations within the terrestrial biosphere caused by sustained direct human interaction with ecosystems, including agriculture and urbanization c. 2000. Potential natural vegetation, biomes, such as tropical rainforests or grasslands, are based on global vegetation patterns related to climate and geology. Anthropogenic transformation within each biome is approximated using population density, agricultural intensity (cropland and pasture) and urbanization. This data set is part of a time series for the years 1700, 1800, 1900, and 2000 that provides global patterns of historical transformation of the terrestrial biosphere during the Industrial Revolution.

Key information about Japan population

• The Japan population reached 123.7 million people in Dec 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 124.3 million people in Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 128.1 million people in Dec 2010 and a record low of 43.4 million people in Dec 1899

CEIC extends history for annual Population. Statistical Bureau provides year-end Population. Population prior to 1955 is an estimate for October 1st.


Further information about Japan population data

• In the latest reports, Japan Unemployment Rate increased to 2.5 % in Oct 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Japan population was 1,957.4 USD in Oct 2024
• Japan Labour Force Participation Rate remained the same rate at 63.5 % in Oct 2024

This data collection contains information about average population 1891-1900 and number of married couples, live births, illegitimate births, deaths, emigrants and immigrants during the period 1891 to 1900.

Population Census: North: Para data was reported at 8,121,025.000 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,581,051.000 Person for 2010. Population Census: North: Para data is updated yearly, averaging 3,507,312.000 Person from Jul 1900 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8,121,025.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 445,356.000 Person in 1900. Population Census: North: Para data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.GAC008: Population Census: by State.

In the past four centuries, the population of the Thirteen Colonies and United States of America has grown from a recorded 350 people around the Jamestown colony in Virginia in 1610, to an estimated 346 million in 2025. While the fertility rate has now dropped well below replacement level, and the population is on track to go into a natural decline in the 2040s, projected high net immigration rates mean the population will continue growing well into the next century, crossing the 400 million mark in the 2070s. Indigenous population Early population figures for the Thirteen Colonies and United States come with certain caveats. Official records excluded the indigenous population, and they generally remained excluded until the late 1800s. In 1500, in the first decade of European colonization of the Americas, the native population living within the modern U.S. borders was believed to be around 1.9 million people. The spread of Old World diseases, such as smallpox, measles, and influenza, to biologically defenseless populations in the New World then wreaked havoc across the continent, often wiping out large portions of the population in areas that had not yet made contact with Europeans. By the time of Jamestown's founding in 1607, it is believed the native population within current U.S. borders had dropped by almost 60 percent. As the U.S. expanded, indigenous populations were largely still excluded from population figures as they were driven westward, however taxpaying Natives were included in the census from 1870 to 1890, before all were included thereafter. It should be noted that estimates for indigenous populations in the Americas vary significantly by source and time period. Migration and expansion fuels population growth The arrival of European settlers and African slaves was the key driver of population growth in North America in the 17th century. Settlers from Britain were the dominant group in the Thirteen Colonies, before settlers from elsewhere in Europe, particularly Germany and Ireland, made a large impact in the mid-19th century. By the end of the 19th century, improvements in transport technology and increasing economic opportunities saw migration to the United States increase further, particularly from southern and Eastern Europe, and in the first decade of the 1900s the number of migrants to the U.S. exceeded one million people in some years. It is also estimated that almost 400,000 African slaves were transported directly across the Atlantic to mainland North America between 1500 and 1866 (although the importation of slaves was abolished in 1808). Blacks made up a much larger share of the population before slavery's abolition. Twentieth and twenty-first century The U.S. population has grown steadily since 1900, reaching one hundred million in the 1910s, two hundred million in the 1960s, and three hundred million in 2007. Since WWII, the U.S. has established itself as the world's foremost superpower, with the world's largest economy, and most powerful military. This growth in prosperity has been accompanied by increases in living standards, particularly through medical advances, infrastructure improvements, clean water accessibility. These have all contributed to higher infant and child survival rates, as well as an increase in life expectancy (doubling from roughly 40 to 80 years in the past 150 years), which have also played a large part in population growth. As fertility rates decline and increases in life expectancy slows, migration remains the largest factor in population growth. Since the 1960s, Latin America has now become the most common origin for migrants in the U.S., while immigration rates from Asia have also increased significantly. It remains to be seen how immigration restrictions of the current administration affect long-term population projections for the United States.

Brazil Population Census: Total data was reported at 203,080,756.000 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 190,755,799.000 Person for 2010. Brazil Population Census: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 121,150,573.000 Person from Jul 1900 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 203,080,756.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 17,438,434.000 Person in 1900. Brazil Population Census: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.GAC001: Population Census.

Key information about Russia population

• The Russia population reached 146.0 million people in Dec 2024, compared with the previously reported figure of 146.2 million people in Dec 2023
• The data reached an all-time high of 148.6 million people in Dec 1992 and a record low of 101.4 million people in Dec 1949

Federal State Statistics Service provides year-end Population.


Further information about Russia population data

• In the latest reports, Russia Unemployment Rate remained the same at 2.4 % in Jul 2024
• Monthly earnings of the Russia population was 900.8 USD in Oct 2024
• Russia Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 68.4 % in Feb 2024

Population Census: South data was reported at 29,937,706.000 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 27,386,891.000 Person for 2010. Population Census: South data is updated yearly, averaging 19,380,126.000 Person from Jul 1900 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29,937,706.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 1,796,495.000 Person in 1900. Population Census: South data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.GAC005: Population Census: by Region.

Prepared by ICPSR under a project to automate major portions of the Statistique Generale de la France, this is a collection of demographic, social, education, economic, population, and vital statistics data for France, 1833-1925. This conversion project is a continuation of one conducted in 1972, for which a similar data collection was created, SOCIAL, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND EDUCATIONAL DATA FOR FRANCE, 1801-1897 (ICPSR 0048). The project to collect and prepare these data was sponsored by two French and two American groups: ICPSR and the Center for Western European Studies at the University of Michigan, and the Fourth and Sixth Sections of the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes and Conseil National de la Recherches Scientifique in France. Both collections include data recorded at the departement, arrondissement, chef-lieu, and ville level. In this collection, materials from the vital statistics series were prepared for selected years rather than for each year in the period from 1900-1925. The years that were chosen clustered around the quinquennial censuses and also included (because of the violent demographic dislocations produced by World War I) each year in the 1914-1919 period. In addition, some vital statistics for the nineteenth century (1836-1850, 1880, and 1892) obtained from fugitive published volumes that could not be located during the course of the 1972 project were prepared. The 136 datasets in this collection contain: (1) French population, economic, and social data obtained from the quenquennial censuses of 1901, 1906, 1911, and 1921, that detail the composition of the population by categories of age, sex, nativity, marital status, religion, place of residence, and occupation, (2) industrial census data for the years 1861-1896, (3) data on primary education in France for 1833, 1901, and 1906, as well as data on secondary and higher education in France for the years 1836-1850, 1880, and 1892, and (4) data from a separate series of annual vital statistics (Mouvement de la Population) that cover the years 1836-1850, 1892, and 1900-1925, citing births, deaths, and marriages in the nation.

Population Census: Southeast: Rio de Janeiro data was reported at 16,055,174.000 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 15,989,929.000 Person for 2010. Population Census: Southeast: Rio de Janeiro data is updated yearly, averaging 11,489,797.000 Person from Jul 1900 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 16,055,174.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 1,737,478.000 Person in 1900. Population Census: Southeast: Rio de Janeiro data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.GAC008: Population Census: by State.

Population Census: Southeast data was reported at 84,840,113.000 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 80,364,410.000 Person for 2010. Population Census: Southeast data is updated yearly, averaging 52,580,527.000 Person from Jul 1900 (Median) to 2022, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84,840,113.000 Person in 2022 and a record low of 7,824,011.000 Person in 1900. Population Census: Southeast data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.GAC005: Population Census: by Region.