This statistic shows the 20 countries with the highest population growth rate in 2024. In SouthSudan, the population grew by about 4.65 percent compared to the previous year, making it the country with the highest population growth rate in 2024. The global population Today, the global population amounts to around 7 billion people, i.e. the total number of living humans on Earth. More than half of the global population is living in Asia, while one quarter of the global population resides in Africa. High fertility rates in Africa and Asia, a decline in the mortality rates and an increase in the median age of the world population all contribute to the global population growth. Statistics show that the global population is subject to increase by almost 4 billion people by 2100. The global population growth is a direct result of people living longer because of better living conditions and a healthier nutrition. Three out of five of the most populous countries in the world are located in Asia. Ultimately the highest population growth rate is also found there, the country with the highest population growth rate is Syria. This could be due to a low infant mortality rate in Syria or the ever -expanding tourism sector.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for High Income Countries (SPPOPGROWHIC) from 1961 to 2024 about income, population, and rate.

The population in Africa was forecast to expand annually by an average of **** percent between 2020 and 2025. Over 20 countries might grow above this rate, with Niger leading by an annual population change of *** percent in the mentioned period. Angola was expected to follow, with an average population growth of **** percent annually. Overall, Africa has recorded a faster population growth compared to other world regions. The continent's population almost doubled in the last 25 years.

Historical chart and dataset showing World population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Middle East and North Africa (SPPOPGROWMNA) from 1961 to 2023 about North Africa, Middle East, population, and rate.

All the African countries registered a positive population growth in 2023, except for Seychelles and Mauritius. Niger had the highest population growth rate at nearly *** percent compared to the previous year. The Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Mali, Somalia, and Angola followed, recording over ***** percent growth each. The African population has been increasing considerably in the last decades and is expected to nearly double by 2050. This is due to several factors, including the rising life expectancy and the high fertility rates registered on the continent.

An analytical overview of countries experiencing rising population growth rates, examining contributing factors and global implications.

ABOUT

The Global Population Growth Dataset provides a comprehensive record of population trends across various countries over multiple decades. It includes detailed information such as the country name, ISO3 country code, year-wise population data, population growth, and growth rate. This dataset is valuable for researchers, demographers, policymakers, and data analysts interested in studying population dynamics, demographic trends, and economic development.

Key features of the dataset:

✅ Covers multiple countries and regions worldwide
✅ Includes historical and recent population data
✅ Provides year-wise population growth and growth rate (%)
✅ Categorizes data by country and decade for better trend analysis

This dataset serves as a crucial resource for analyzing global population trends, understanding demographic shifts, and supporting socio-economic research and policy-making.

FILE INFORMATION

The dataset consists of structured records related to country-wise population data, compiled from official sources. Each file contains information on yearly population figures, growth trends, and country-specific data. The structured format makes it useful for researchers, economists, and data scientists studying demographic patterns and changes. The file type is CSV.

COLUMNS DESCRIPTION

• Country – The name of the country.
• ISO3 – The three-letter ISO code of the country.
• Year – The year corresponding to the population data, useful for trend analysis.
• Population – The total population of the country for the given year.
• Population Growth – The absolute increase in population compared to the previous year.
• Growth Rate (%) – The percentage change in population compared to the previous year.
• Decade – The decade classification (e.g., 1990s, 2000s) for grouping long-term trends.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Least Developed Countries (SPPOPGROWLDC) from 1961 to 2024 about population and rate.

In the Cook Islands in 2024, the population decreased by about 2.24 percent compared to the previous year, making it the country with the highest population decline rate in 2024. Of the 20 countries with the highest rate of population decline, the majority are island nations, where emigration rates are high (especially to Australia, New Zealand, and the United States), or they are located in Eastern Europe, which suffers from a combination of high emigration rates and low birth rates.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Low Income Countries (SPPOPGROWLIC) from 1961 to 2023 about income, population, and rate.

United States - Population Growth for Least Developed Countries was 2.31266 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population Growth for Least Developed Countries reached a record high of 2.78101 in January of 1992 and a record low of 2.29092 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population Growth for Least Developed Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

The European countries which saw the greatest population growth in 2025 were Gibraltar, Kosovo and Iceland. Overall, Europe's population declined by 3.3 percent in 2025, with this varying by region from a 0.19 percent decline in northern Europe to 4.6 percent in southern Europe. All the countries which saw the largest declines in their population in 2025 were central and eastern European countries.

Since 2000, Russia has consistently had the lowest population growth rate of the BRICS countries, and it even experienced a population decline throughout most of the 2000s, and again in the late 2010s. For Brazil, China, and India, population growth has gradually fallen over time, as their demographic development progresses. South Africa has had the highest population growth rate since 2010, as its population recovered from the initial impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, before it started falling as birth rates fall more in line with death rates.

United States - Population Growth for High Income Countries was 0.53329 % Chg. at Annual Rate in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, United States - Population Growth for High Income Countries reached a record high of 1.45087 in January of 1960 and a record low of -0.17394 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for United States - Population Growth for High Income Countries - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Historical chart and dataset showing Pakistan population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Developing Countries in Europe and Central Asia (SPPOPGROWECA) from 1961 to 2024 about Central Asia, Europe, population, and rate.

China population growth rate for 2023 was -0.10%, a 0.09% decline from 2022.

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

<li>China population growth rate for 2022 was <strong>-0.01%</strong>, a <strong>0.1% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>China population growth rate for 2021 was <strong>0.09%</strong>, a <strong>0.15% decline</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>China population growth rate for 2020 was <strong>0.24%</strong>, a <strong>0.12% 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 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.

Graph and download economic data for Population Growth for Low and Middle Income Countries (SPPOPGROWLMY) from 1961 to 2024 about income, population, and rate.