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.

Historical chart and dataset showing total population for the world by year from 1950 to 2025.

In 1938, the year before the outbreak of the Second world War, the countries with the largest populations were China, the Soviet Union, and the United States, although the United Kingdom had the largest overall population when it's colonies, dominions, and metropole are combined. Alongside France, these were the five Allied "Great Powers" that emerged victorious from the Second World War. The Axis Powers in the war were led by Germany and Japan in their respective theaters, and their smaller populations were decisive factors in their defeat. Manpower as a resource In the context of the Second World War, a country or territory's population played a vital role in its ability to wage war on such a large scale. Not only were armies able to call upon their people to fight in the war and replenish their forces, but war economies were also dependent on their workforce being able to meet the agricultural, manufacturing, and logistical demands of the war. For the Axis powers, invasions and the annexation of territories were often motivated by the fact that it granted access to valuable resources that would further their own war effort - millions of people living in occupied territories were then forced to gather these resources, or forcibly transported to work in manufacturing in other Axis territories. Similarly, colonial powers were able to use resources taken from their territories to supply their armies, however this often had devastating consequences for the regions from which food was redirected, contributing to numerous food shortages and famines across Africa, Asia, and Europe. Men from annexed or colonized territories were also used in the armies of the war's Great Powers, and in the Axis armies especially. This meant that soldiers often fought alongside their former-enemies. Aftermath The Second World War was the costliest in human history, resulting in the deaths of between 70 and 85 million people. Due to the turmoil and destruction of the war, accurate records for death tolls generally do not exist, therefore pre-war populations (in combination with other statistics), are used to estimate death tolls. The Soviet Union is believed to have lost the largest amount of people during the war, suffering approximately 24 million fatalities by 1945, followed by China at around 20 million people. The Soviet death toll is equal to approximately 14 percent of its pre-war population - the countries with the highest relative death tolls in the war are found in Eastern Europe, due to the intensity of the conflict and the systematic genocide committed in the region during the war.

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.

It is estimated that the Second World War was responsible for the deaths of approximately 3.76 percent of the world's population between 1939 and 1945. In 2022, where the world's population reached eight billion, this would be equal to the death of around 300 million people.

The region that experienced the largest loss of life relative to its population was the South Seas Mandate - these were former-German territories given to the Empire of Japan through the Treaty of Versailles following WWI, and they make up much of the present-day countries of the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, the Northern Mariana Islands (U.S. territory), and Palau. Due to the location and strategic importance of these islands, they were used by the Japanese as launching pads for their attacks on Pearl Harbor and in the South Pacific, while they were also taken as part of the Allies' island-hopping strategy in their counteroffensive against Japan. This came at a heavy cost for the local populations, a large share of whom were Japanese settlers who had moved there in the 1920s and 1930s. Exact figures for both pre-war populations and wartime losses fluctuate by source, however civilian losses in these islands were extremely high as the Japanese defenses resorted to more extreme measures in the war's final phase.

The global population has grown rapidly since 1950, from 2.5 billion to over eight billion in 2023. The age distribution shows that the number of people within all age groups increased over the period, with the two youngest age groups being the largest in 2023. Population growth driven by development in Asia The increasing global population is explained by economic development and a coinciding improvement in living conditions in several parts of the world, particularly in Asia. Improvements in sanitary conditions, rollout of vaccination programs, and better medical treatment brought down death rates around the world. China saw fast economic development from the early 1980s to the late 2010s, going hand in hand with a rapidly increasing population. Furthermore, the population of India has grown rapidly since it gained independence from the British Empire in the late 1940s, now being the largest in the world. Most of the future population growth will happen in Africa The global population is forecast to continue to increase over the coming decades, set to reach over 10 billion people by 2060. Most of this increase is projected to occur on the African continent as many African countries are expected to experience an improvement in living standards. In 2022, over 40 percent of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa were below 15 years old.

Total current population for China in 2025 is 1,424,381,924, a 0.06% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Total population for China in 2024 was <strong>1,425,178,782</strong>, a <strong>1.03% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for China in 2023 was <strong>1,410,710,000</strong>, a <strong>0.1% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for China in 2022 was <strong>1,412,175,000</strong>, a <strong>0.01% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

Chart and table of population level and growth rate for the state of Florida from 1900 to 2024.

Total current population for Russia in 2025 is 143,494,210, a 0.32% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Total population for Russia in 2024 was <strong>143,957,079</strong>, a <strong>0.09% increase</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for Russia in 2023 was <strong>143,826,130</strong>, a <strong>0.28% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for Russia in 2022 was <strong>144,236,933</strong>, a <strong>0.35% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

The worldwide Jewish population experienced a marked decline during the 20th century due to the murder of six million Jewish people during the Holocaust, the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War II. While there were almost 17 million Jewish people alive before the Holocaust, or the Shoah as it is known in Hebrew, after the war this was only around 11.5 million people. By using several different fertility scenarios, demographers have been able to reconstruct what the Jewish population would be in modern times if the genocide of Jewish people had not happened. In scenarios where there was a low or very low fertility rate, the Jewish population in 2000 would be in the range of 26 to 33 million people, double what it was in reality. In a scenario where the population growth rate was the same as that observed in the Jewish population after WWII, which was extremely low, the global Jewish population would have risen to over 20 million people.

Total current population for Japan in 2025 is 121,960,408, a 0.55% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Total population for Japan in 2024 was <strong>122,631,432</strong>, a <strong>1.51% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for Japan in 2023 was <strong>124,516,650</strong>, a <strong>0.49% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for Japan in 2022 was <strong>125,124,989</strong>, a <strong>0.44% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

Total current population for Italy in 2025 is 58,518,843, a 0.3% decline from 2024.

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

<li>Total population for Italy in 2024 was <strong>58,697,744</strong>, a <strong>0.29% decline</strong> from 2023.</li>
<li>Total population for Italy in 2023 was <strong>58,870,762</strong>, a <strong>0.28% decline</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>Total population for Italy in 2022 was <strong>59,037,474</strong>, a <strong>0.34% decline</strong> from 2021.</li>
</ul>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.

Historical chart and dataset showing total population for the United States by year from 1950 to 2025.

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.

Peru Census Population: Urban: Junín data was reported at 884,928.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 752,337.000 Person for 2007. Peru Census Population: Urban: Junín data is updated yearly, averaging 510,662.000 Person from Jun 1940 (Median) to 2017, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 884,928.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 137,776.000 Person in 1940. Peru Census Population: Urban: Junín data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.G003: Population: Census by Department.

Peru Census Population: Ica data was reported at 850,765.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 711,932.000 Person for 2007. Peru Census Population: Ica data is updated yearly, averaging 433,897.000 Person from Jun 1940 (Median) to 2017, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 850,765.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 140,898.000 Person in 1940. Peru Census Population: Ica data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.G003: Population: Census by Department.

Due to the devastating impact of the Second World War on the Soviet population, the total population in 1950 was almost 15.5 million fewer than in 1940, which is a decrease of eight percent. In Russia (RSFSR), the largest of the Soviet states, the population difference was almost nine million people; also eight percent. It would take until 1955 for the populations of either the USSR or Russia to reach their pre-war levels, which was a decade after the conflict had ended. Urbanization Despite this drop in total population, industrialization and urbanization saw a significant change in the USSR's population distribution between the given years. The Soviet urban population increased by 6.3 million, or ten percent, between 1940 and 1950; 5.8 million of this was in Russia, which was a 15 percent increase. In contrast, the Soviet Union's rural population dropped by 21.8 million (a 17 percent change), 14.5 million of which in Russia (a decrease of 20 percent). In terms of overall population, the urban population of the USSR rose from 33 to 39 percent between 1940 and 1950, and from 34 to 43 percent in Russia. By 1955, 44 percent of the Soviet population, and 49 percent of the Russian population, lived in an urban setting.

Peru Census Population: Lima data was reported at 9,485,405.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 8,445,211.000 Person for 2007. Peru Census Population: Lima data is updated yearly, averaging 4,745,877.000 Person from Jun 1940 (Median) to 2017, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 9,485,405.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 828,298.000 Person in 1940. Peru Census Population: Lima data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.G003: Population: Census by Department.

Peru Census Population: Amazonas data was reported at 379,384.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 375,993.000 Person for 2007. Peru Census Population: Amazonas data is updated yearly, averaging 254,560.000 Person from Jun 1940 (Median) to 2017, with 7 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 379,384.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 65,137.000 Person in 1940. Peru Census Population: Amazonas data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Peru – Table PE.G003: Population: Census by Department.

Brazil Population Census: Rural data was reported at 29,829,995.000 Person in 2010. This records a decrease from the previous number of 31,845,211.000 Person for 2000. Brazil Population Census: Rural data is updated yearly, averaging 34,497,995.500 Person from Jul 1940 (Median) to 2010, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 41,037,586.000 Person in 1970 and a record low of 28,356,133.000 Person in 1940. Brazil Population Census: Rural data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Socio and Demographic – Table BR.GAC001: Population Census.