Globally, about 25 percent of the population is under 15 years of age and 10 percent is over 65 years of age. Africa has the youngest population worldwide. In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 40 percent of the population is below 15 years, and only three percent are above 65, indicating the low life expectancy in several of the countries. In Europe, on the other hand, a higher share of the population is above 65 years than the population under 15 years. Fertility rates The high share of children and youth in Africa is connected to the high fertility rates on the continent. For instance, South Sudan and Niger have the highest population growth rates globally. However, about 50 percent of the world’s population live in countries with low fertility, where women have less than 2.1 children. Some countries in Europe, like Latvia and Lithuania, have experienced a population decline of one percent, and in the Cook Islands, it is even above two percent. In Europe, the majority of the population was previously working-aged adults with few dependents, but this trend is expected to reverse soon, and it is predicted that by 2050, the older population will outnumber the young in many developed countries. Growing global population As of 2025, there are 8.1 billion people living on the planet, and this is expected to reach more than nine billion before 2040. Moreover, the global population is expected to reach 10 billions around 2060, before slowing and then even falling slightly by 2100. As the population growth rates indicate, a significant share of the population increase will happen in Africa.

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.

Chart and table of World population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

The world's population first reached one billion people in 1803, and reach eight billion in 2023, and will peak at almost 11 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 live 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 decade 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.

The average for 2023 based on 196 countries was 0.51 percent. The highest value was in India: 17.91 percent and the lowest value was in Andorra: 0 percent. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

Over the past 23 years, there were constantly more men than women living on the planet. Of the 8.06 billion people living on the Earth in 2023, 4.05 billion were men and 4.01 billion were women. One-quarter of the world's total population in 2024 was below 15 years.

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

The statistic shows the development of the world population from 1950 to 2050. The world population was around 7.38 billion people in 2015.

The global population

As shown above, the total number of people living on Earth has more than doubled since the 1950s, and continues to increase. A look at the development of the world population since the beginning of the Common Era shows that such a surge in numbers is unprecedented. The first significant rise in population occurred during the 14th century, after the Black Death had killed approximately 25 million people worldwide. Subsequently, the global population increased slowly but steadily until it reached record numbers between 1950 and 2000.

The majority of the global population lives on the Asian continent, as a statistic of the world population by continent shows. In around 100 years, it is estimated that population levels on the African continent will have reached similar levels to those we see in Asia today. As for a forecast of the development of the world population, the figures are estimated to have reached more than 10 billion by the 22nd century.

Growing population numbers pose an increasing risk to the planet, since rocketing numbers equal increased consumption of food and resources. Scientists worry that natural resources, such as oil, and food resources will become scarce, endangering the human race and, even more so, the world’s ecosystem. Nowadays, the number of undernourished / starving people worldwide has decreased slightly, but forecasts paint a darker picture.

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.

Definition:The crude birth rate is the annual number of live births per 1,000 population.Method of measurementThe crude birth rate is generally computed as a ratio. The numerator is the number of live births observed in a population during a reference period and the denominator is the number of person-years lived by the population during the same period. It is expressed as births per 1,000 population. Method of estimation:Data are taken from the most recent UN Population Division's "World Population Prospects". Other possible data sources:Population censusHousehold surveysPreferred data sources:Civil registration with complete coverageExpected frequency of data dissemination:Biennial (Two years)Data collected March 5, 2021 from: https://www.who.int/data/maternal-newborn-child-adolescent-ageing/indicator-explorer-new/mca/crude-birth-rate-(births-per-1000-population)

Chart and table of India population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Abstract

IPUMS-International is an effort to inventory, preserve, harmonize, and disseminate census microdata from around the world. The project has collected the world's largest archive of publicly available census samples. The data are coded and documented consistently across countries and over time to facillitate comparative research. IPUMS-International makes these data available to qualified researchers free of charge through a web dissemination system.

The IPUMS project is a collaboration of the Minnesota Population Center, National Statistical Offices, and international data archives. Major funding is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Additional support is provided by the University of Minnesota Office of the Vice President for Research, the Minnesota Population Center, and Sun Microsystems.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Dwelling

UNITS IDENTIFIED: - Dwellings: No - Households: Yes - Individuals: Yes - Group quarters: Yes

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS: - Group quarters: A collective household is a group of persons that does not live in an ordinary household, but lives in a collective establishment, sharing meal times.

Universe

Residents in France, of any nationality. Does not include French citizens living in other countries, foreign tourists, or people passing through.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Sampling procedure

SAMPLE DESIGN: Systematic manual sorting into lots with different sample units according to target population. Lots divide the population into different samples (1/20,1/5,3/4).

SAMPLE UNIT: Private dwellings and individuals for group quarters and compte a part

SAMPLE FRACTION: 5%

SAMPLE UNIVERSE: The microdata sample includes mainland France and Corsica.

SAMPLE SIZE (person records): 2,487,778

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Separate forms for buildings, group quarters (collective households), group quarters (compte a part), private households, and boats. Four forms for individuals (living in group quarters and private dwellings; two different forms for people compte a part; living in boats).

A collaborative project between SPC, the World Fish Centre and the University of Wollongong has produced the first detailed population estimates of people living close to the coast in the 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). These estimates are stratified into 1, 5, and 10km zones. More information about this dataset: https://sdd.spc.int/mapping-coastal

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the Los Angeles metro area from 1950 to 2025. United Nations population projections are also included through the year 2035.

Abstract

IPUMS-International is an effort to inventory, preserve, harmonize, and disseminate census microdata from around the world. The project has collected the world's largest archive of publicly available census samples. The data are coded and documented consistently across countries and over time to facillitate comparative research. IPUMS-International makes these data available to qualified researchers free of charge through a web dissemination system.

The IPUMS project is a collaboration of the Minnesota Population Center, National Statistical Offices, and international data archives. Major funding is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Additional support is provided by the University of Minnesota Office of the Vice President for Research, the Minnesota Population Center, and Sun Microsystems.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Household

UNITS IDENTIFIED: - Dwellings: No - Vacant units: No - Households: Yes - Individuals: Yes - Group quarters: Yes (institutional)

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS: - Dwellings: Not available - Households: An individual or group of people who inhabit part or all of the physical or census building, usually live together, who eat from one kitchen or organize daily needs together as one unit. - Group quarters: A special household includes people living in dormitories, barracks, or institutions in which daily needs are under the responsibility of a foundation or other organization. Also includes groups of people in lodging houses or buildings, where the total number of lodgers is ten or more.

Universe

All population residing in the geographic area of Indonesia regardless of residence status. Diplomats and their families residing in Indonesia were excluded.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Sampling procedure

MICRODATA SOURCE: Statistics Indonesia

SAMPLE DESIGN: Geographically stratified systematic sample (drawn by MPC).

SAMPLE UNIT: Household

SAMPLE FRACTION: 10%

SAMPLE SIZE (person records): 20,112,539

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

L1 questionnaire for buildings and households; L2 questionnaire for permanent residents; and L3 questionnaire for non-permanent residents (boat people, homeless persons, etc).

Chart and table of Hong Kong population from 1950 to 2025. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.

Abstract

IPUMS-International is an effort to inventory, preserve, harmonize, and disseminate census microdata from around the world. The project has collected the world's largest archive of publicly available census samples. The data are coded and documented consistently across countries and over time to facillitate comparative research. IPUMS-International makes these data available to qualified researchers free of charge through a web dissemination system.

The IPUMS project is a collaboration of the Minnesota Population Center, National Statistical Offices, and international data archives. Major funding is provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Demographic and Behavioral Sciences Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Additional support is provided by the University of Minnesota Office of the Vice President for Research, the Minnesota Population Center, and Sun Microsystems.

Geographic coverage

National coverage

Analysis unit

Households

UNITS IDENTIFIED: - Dwellings: No - Vacant units: No - Households: Yes - Individuals: Yes - Group quarters: Yes - Special populations: No

UNIT DESCRIPTIONS: - Dwellings: Building or any construction structures including boat, houseboat, and truck at which a person can live. - Households: A household refers to the living one person or many persons in the same house or the same construction structure. They seek for, consume, and utilize all facilities together for their benefit, regardless of whether they are related or not. - Group quarters: Household which compose of several people living together because of having certain rule or regulation which indicated that those people must live together or needed to stay together for their own benefit. There are two kinds of collective households: institutions and other collective households [also called 'special households' in this sample]

Universe

All Thai nationals residing in Thailand on the census date; foreign civilians who normally reside in Thailand or who temporarily reside in Thailand 3 months or more before the census date; any individual who has normally resided in Thailand but was away for military training, sailing, or temporarily travelling abroad; and Thai civil/military/diplomatic officers and their families who normally have their offices in foreign countries.

Kind of data

Census/enumeration data [cen]

Sampling procedure

MICRODATA SOURCE: National Statistical Office

SAMPLE DESIGN: A stratified two-stage sample was adopted. 5 strata were Bangkok and the four regions (Central, North, Northeastern, South), and each stratum was divided into municipal areas and non-municipal areas. Then, the sample was selected in two stages. In stage one, a number of sample enumeration districts (EDs) were selected systematically in each sub-stratum with sampling fraction of 1 in 20. In stage two, a sample of households was selected systematically from each sample ED as follows. For private households, one-fifth of households in each ED were selected. For collective households, one-fifth of special households and one fiftth of institutional households were selected in each sub-stratum (municipal and non-municipal areas.

SAMPLE UNIT: Household

SAMPLE FRACTION: 1%

SAMPLE SIZE (person records): 604,519

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

The population was enumerated with Form 2, which consists of three parts. Part 1 identifies the location of the household. Part 2 contains questions on population including questions on demography (S1-S16) and questions on detail of population (L17-L27). Part 3 contains housing questions that are asked of the sample private households only. Note: (i) Only Part 1 and questions on demography (S1-S16) of Part 2 in Form 2 were asked of the private households that have not been selected as sample households. (ii) For the private households that have been selected as sample private households (20%), all questions in Form 2 were asked. (iii) All collective households were enumerated using Form 2 on Part 1 (location of household) and Part 2 (questions on demography and on details of population), but questions on housing were not asked.

Brazil BR: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data was reported at 14.897 % in 2016. This stayed constant from the previous number of 14.897 % for 2014. Brazil BR: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data is updated yearly, averaging 21.511 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.740 % in 2000 and a record low of 14.897 % in 2016. Brazil BR: Population Living in Slums: % of Urban Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Brazil – Table BR.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population living in slums is the proportion of the urban population living in slum households. A slum household is defined as a group of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, housing durability, and security of tenure, as adopted in the Millennium Development Goal Target 7.D. The successor, the Sustainable Development Goal 11.1.1, considers inadequate housing (housing affordability) to complement the above definition of slums/informal settlements.;United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT);Weighted average;

United States US: Rural Population: % of Total Population data was reported at 17.942 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 18.138 % for 2016. United States US: Rural Population: % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 24.985 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.004 % in 1960 and a record low of 17.942 % in 2017. United States US: Rural Population: % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on the United Nations Population Division's World Urbanization Prospects: 2018 Revision.; Weighted average;