The total population in Pakistan was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 23.9 million people (+10.13 percent). After the tenth consecutive increasing year, the total population is estimated to reach 259.8 million people and therefore a new peak in 2029. Notably, the total population was continuously increasing over the past years.As defined by the International Monetary Fund, the total population of a country consists of all persons falling within the scope of the census.Find more key insights for the total population in countries like Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Nepal.

La población total en Pakistán se estimó en 240.5 millones de personas en 2023, según las últimas cifras del censo y proyecciones de Trading Economics. Los valores actuales, los datos históricos, las previsiones, estadísticas, gráficas y calendario económico - Pakistán - Población.

In 1800, the population of the area of modern-day Pakistan was estimated to be just over 13 million. Population growth in the 19th century would be gradual in the region, rising to just 19 million at the turn of the century. In the early 1800s, the British Empire slowly consolidated power in the region, eventually controlling the region of Pakistan from the mid-19th century onwards, as part of the British Raj. From the 1930s on, the population's growth rate would increase as improvements in healthcare (particularly vaccination) and sanitation would lead to lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy. Independence In 1947, the Muslim-majority country of Pakistan gained independence from Britain, and split from the Hindu-majority country of India. In the next few years, upwards of ten million people migrated between the two nations, during a period that was blemished by widespread atrocities on both sides. Throughout this time, the region of Bangladesh was also a part Pakistan (as it also had a Muslim majority), known as East Pakistan; internal disputes between the two regions were persistent for over two decades, until 1971, when a short but bloody civil war resulted in Bangladesh's independence. Political disputes between Pakistan and India also created tension in the first few decades of independence, even boiling over into some relatively small-scale conflicts, although there was some economic progress and improvements in quality of life for Pakistan's citizens. The late 20th century was also characterized by several attempts to become democratic, but with intermittent periods of military rule. Between independence and the end of the century, Pakistan's population had grown more than four times in total. Pakistan today Since 2008, Pakistan has been a functioning democracy, with an emerging economy and increasing international prominence. Despite the emergence of a successful middle-class, this is prosperity is not reflected in all areas of the population as almost a quarter still live in poverty, and Pakistan ranks in the bottom 20% of countries according to the Human Development Index. In 2020, Pakistan is thought to have a total population of over 220 million people, making it the fifth-most populous country in the world.

Pakistan PK: Population: Total data was reported at 197,015,955.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 193,203,476.000 Person for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 103,031,662.500 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 197,015,955.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 44,908,293.000 Person in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.; ; (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision. (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Sum; Relevance to gender indicator: disaggregating the population composition by gender will help a country in projecting its demand for social services on a gender basis.

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

Population ages 0-14, male (% of male population) in Pakistan was reported at 37.29 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Population ages 0-14, male (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

The population density in Pakistan increased by 5.5 inhabitants per square kilometer (+1.77 percent) in 2022. With 316.13 inhabitants per square kilometer, the population density thereby reached its highest value in the observed period. Notably, the population density continuously increased over the last years.Population density refers to the number of people living in a certain country or area, given as an average per square kilometer. It is calculated by dividing the total midyear population by the total land area.Find more key insights for the population density in countries like India and Sri Lanka.

Pakistan PK: Population: Growth data was reported at 1.954 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.999 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Growth data is updated yearly, averaging 2.565 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.360 % in 1983 and a record low of 1.954 % in 2017. Pakistan PK: Population: Growth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. 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.; ; Derived from total population. Population source: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision, (2) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (3) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (4) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Reprot (various years), (5) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database, and (6) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme.; Weighted average;

WorldPop produces different types of gridded population count datasets, depending on the methods used and end application. Please make sure you have read our Mapping Populations overview page before choosing and downloading a dataset.


Bespoke methods used to produce datasets for specific individual countries are available through the WorldPop Open Population Repository (WOPR) link below. These are 100m resolution gridded population estimates using customized methods ("bottom-up" and/or "top-down") developed for the latest data available from each country. They can also be visualised and explored through the woprVision App.
The remaining datasets in the links below are produced using the "top-down" method, with either the unconstrained or constrained top-down disaggregation method used. Please make sure you read the Top-down estimation modelling overview page to decide on which datasets best meet your needs. Datasets are available to download in Geotiff and ASCII XYZ format at a resolution of 3 and 30 arc-seconds (approximately 100m and 1km at the equator, respectively):

- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020.
- Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019)
-Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020 UN adjusted ( 1km resolution ): Consistent 1km resolution population count datasets created using unconstrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for each year 2000-2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).
-Unconstrained global mosaics 2000-2020 ( 1km resolution ): Mosaiced 1km resolution versions of the "Unconstrained individual countries 2000-2020" datasets.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020.
-Constrained individual countries 2020 UN adjusted ( 100m resolution ): Consistent 100m resolution population count datasets created using constrained top-down methods for all countries of the World for 2020 and adjusted to match United Nations national population estimates (UN 2019).

Older datasets produced for specific individual countries and continents, using a set of tailored geospatial inputs and differing "top-down" methods and time periods are still available for download here: Individual countries and Whole Continent.

Data for earlier dates is available directly from WorldPop.

WorldPop (www.worldpop.org - School of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Southampton; Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville; Departement de Geographie, Universite de Namur) and Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), Columbia University (2018). Global High Resolution Population Denominators Project - Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (OPP1134076). https://dx.doi.org/10.5258/SOTON/WP00645

Population ages 0-14, female (% of female population) in Pakistan was reported at 36.78 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Population ages 0-14, female (% of total) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

In 2023, the annual population growth in Pakistan increased by 0.1 percentage points (+5.29 percent) compared to 2022. With 1.96 percent, the population growth thereby reached its highest value in the observed period. Population growth deals with the annual change in total population, and is affected by factors such as fertility, mortality, and migration.Find more key insights for the annual population growth in countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal.

Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Aged 15-64 data was reported at 58,522,116.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 57,304,127.000 Person for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Aged 15-64 data is updated yearly, averaging 26,241,577.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58,522,116.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 11,379,088.000 Person in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population: Female: Aged 15-64 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Female population between the ages 15 to 64. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.; ; World Bank staff estimates using the World Bank's total population and age/sex distributions of the United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum; Relevance to gender indicator: Knowing how many girls, adolescents and women there are in a population helps a country in determining its provision of services.

This statistic shows the share of children in the total population in Pakistan from 2009 to 2018. In 2018, the share of children amounted to approximately 35 percent of the population, indicating no change since 2011.

Population ages 20-24, female (% of female population) in Pakistan was reported at 9.2794 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Pakistan - Population ages 20-24, female (% of female population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on March of 2025.

This statistic shows the age structure in Pakistan from 2013 to 2023. In 2023, about 36.14 percent of Pakistan's total population were aged 0 to 14 years.

The median age in Pakistan grew to almost 20 years in 2020, meaning that half of the population was older than that, half younger. This figure was lowest in between 1975 and 2000 but is projected to rise to 37.3 years by 2100. The meaning of age structure Pakistan has one of the largest populations worldwide, and this statistic presents the median age of that group. This suggests that millions of Pakistanis are too young to work and in need of education. At the same time, the rising life expectancy suggests that the median age will shift upward in the future in a way not predicted by the source. This could be due to different interpretations of infant mortality and other factors by differing sources. Economic implications Having a younger workforce can be a challenge for an economy in the short run. If the country can educate the youth, short-term spending can pay off when those youth become more productive workers. This investment can be costly, however, and Pakistan may not be able to finance this spending if its national debt is too high. The success of the youth depends largely on the country’s fiscal priorities, and this success will shape the country’s outcomes in the medium term.

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. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.

Pakistan PK: Population in Urban Agglomerations of More Than 1 Million: as % of Total Population data was reported at 20.975 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 20.753 % for 2016. Pakistan PK: Population in Urban Agglomerations of More Than 1 Million: as % of Total Population data is updated yearly, averaging 16.622 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 20.975 % in 2017 and a record low of 11.522 % in 1960. Pakistan PK: Population in Urban Agglomerations of More Than 1 Million: as % of Total Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Pakistan – Table PK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population in urban agglomerations of more than one million is the percentage of a country's population living in metropolitan areas that in 2018 had a population of more than one million people.; ; United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects.; Weighted average;

Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata.

DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted.

REGION: Africa

SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator)

PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84

UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square

MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743.

FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org)

FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available.

Pakistan data available from WorldPop here.

In 2023, the share of urban population in Pakistan remained nearly unchanged at around 38.04 percent. Still, the share reached its highest value in the observed period in 2023. A population may be defined as urban depending on the size (population or area) or population density of the village, town, or city. The urbanization rate then refers to the share of the total population who live in an urban setting. International comparisons may be inconsistent due to differing parameters for what constitutes an urban center.Find more key insights for the share of urban population in countries like Bhutan and Afghanistan.