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World Population: Past, Present, and Future
(move and expand the bar at the bottom of the chart to navigate through time)
The chart above illustrates how world population has changed throughout history. View the full tabulated data.
At the dawn of agriculture, about 8000 B.C., the population of the world was approximately 5 million. Over the 8,000-year period up to 1 A.D. it grew to 200 million (some estimate 300 million or even 600, suggesting how imprecise population estimates of early historical periods can be), with a growth rate of under 0.05% per year.
A tremendous change occurred with the industrial revolution: whereas it had taken all of human history until around 1800 for world population to reach one billion, the second billion was achieved in only 130 years (1930), the third billion in 30 years (1960), the fourth billion in 15 years (1974), and the fifth billion in only 13 years (1987).
- During the 20th century alone, the population in the world has grown from 1.65 billion to 6 billion.
- In 1970, there were roughly half as many people in the world as there are now.
- Because of declining growth rates, it will now take over 200 years to double again.
Wonder how big was the world’s population when you were born?
Check out this simple wizard or this more elaborated one to find out.
Sources:
- World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision — United Nations Population Division
- The World at Six Billion, World Population, Year 0 to near stabilization [Pdf file] — United Nations Population Division
Growth Rate
Population in the world is, as of 2022, growing at a rate of around 0.84% per year (down from 1.05% in 2020, 1.08% in 2019, 1.10% in 2018, and 1.12% in 2017). The current population increase is estimated at 67 million people per year.
Annual growth rate reached its peak in the late 1960s, when it was at around 2%. The rate of increase has nearly halved since then, and will continue to decline in the coming years.
World population will therefore continue to grow in the 21st century, but at a much slower rate compared to the recent past. World population has doubled (100% increase) in 40 years from 1959 (3 billion) to 1999 (6 billion). It is now estimated that it will take another nearly 40 years to increase by another 50% to become 9 billion by 2037.
The latest world population projections indicate that world population will reach 10 billion persons in the year 2057.
World Population (2020 and historical)
View the complete population historical table
Year (July 1) |
Population | Yearly % Change |
Yearly Change |
Median Age |
Fertility Rate |
Density (P/Km²) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 7,794,798,739 | 1.05 % | 81,330,639 | 30.9 | 2.47 | 52 |
2019 | 7,713,468,100 | 1.08 % | 82,377,060 | 29.8 | 2.51 | 52 |
2018 | 7,631,091,040 | 1.10 % | 83,232,115 | 29.8 | 2.51 | 51 |
2017 | 7,547,858,925 | 1.12 % | 83,836,876 | 29.8 | 2.51 | 51 |
2016 | 7,464,022,049 | 1.14 % | 84,224,910 | 29.8 | 2.51 | 50 |
2015 | 7,379,797,139 | 1.19 % | 84,594,707 | 30 | 2.52 | 50 |
2010 | 6,956,823,603 | 1.24 % | 82,983,315 | 28 | 2.58 | 47 |
2005 | 6,541,907,027 | 1.26 % | 79,682,641 | 27 | 2.65 | 44 |
2000 | 6,143,493,823 | 1.35 % | 79,856,169 | 26 | 2.78 | 41 |
1995 | 5,744,212,979 | 1.52 % | 83,396,384 | 25 | 3.01 | 39 |
1990 | 5,327,231,061 | 1.81 % | 91,261,864 | 24 | 3.44 | 36 |
1985 | 4,870,921,740 | 1.79 % | 82,583,645 | 23 | 3.59 | 33 |
1980 | 4,458,003,514 | 1.79 % | 75,704,582 | 23 | 3.86 | 30 |
1975 | 4,079,480,606 | 1.97 % | 75,808,712 | 22 | 4.47 | 27 |
1970 | 3,700,437,046 | 2.07 % | 72,170,690 | 22 | 4.93 | 25 |
1965 | 3,339,583,597 | 1.93 % | 60,926,770 | 22 | 5.02 | 22 |
1960 | 3,034,949,748 | 1.82 % | 52,385,962 | 23 | 4.90 | 20 |
1955 | 2,773,019,936 | 1.80 % | 47,317,757 | 23 | 4.97 | 19 |
World Population Forecast (2020-2050)
View population projections for all years (up to 2100)
Year (July 1) |
Population | Yearly % Change |
Yearly Change |
Median Age |
Fertility Rate |
Density (P/Km²) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | 7,794,798,739 | 1.10 % | 83,000,320 | 31 | 2.47 | 52 |
2025 | 8,184,437,460 | 0.98 % | 77,927,744 | 32 | 2.54 | 55 |
2030 | 8,548,487,400 | 0.87 % | 72,809,988 | 33 | 2.62 | 57 |
2035 | 8,887,524,213 | 0.78 % | 67,807,363 | 34 | 2.70 | 60 |
2040 | 9,198,847,240 | 0.69 % | 62,264,605 | 35 | 2.77 | 62 |
2045 | 9,481,803,274 | 0.61 % | 56,591,207 | 35 | 2.85 | 64 |
2050 | 9,735,033,990 | 0.53 % | 50,646,143 | 36 | 2.95 | 65 |
World Population Milestones
10 Billion (2058)
The United Nations projects world population to reach 10 billion in the year 2058.
9 Billion (2037)
World population is expected to reach 9 billion in the year 2037.
8 Billion (2022)
World population has reached 8 billion people on November 15, 2022 according to the United Nations.
7 Billion (2010)
According to the latest revision by the United Nations (released in 2022), world population reached 7 Billion in late 2010 (this was previously estimated as occurring on October 31, 2011). The US Census Bureau made a lower estimate, for which the 7 billion mark was only reached on March 12, 2012.
6 Billion (1998)
According to the latest revision by the United Nations (released in 2022), the 6 billion figure was reached towards the end of 1998 (this was previously estimated as occurring on October 12, 1999, celebrated as the Day of 6 Billion). According to the U.S. Census Bureau instead, the six billion milestone was reached on July 22, 1999, at about 3:49 AM GMT. Yet, according to the U.S. Census, the date and time of when 6 billion was reached will probably change because the already uncertain estimates are constantly being updated.
Previous Milestones
- 5 Billion: 1987
- 4 Billion: 1974
- 3 Billion: 1960
- 2 Billion: 1930
- 1 Billion: 1804
Summary Table
1 — 1804 (1803 years): 0.2 to 1 bil.
1804 — 2022 (218 years): from 1 billion to 8 billion
Year |
1 |
1000 |
1500 |
1650 |
1750 |
1804 |
1850 |
1900 |
1930 |
1950 |
1960 |
1974 |
1980 |
1987 |
1998 |
2010 |
2022 |
2029 |
2037 |
2046 |
2058 |
2100 |
Population |
0.2 |
0.275 |
0.45 |
0.5 |
0.7 |
1 |
1.2 |
1.6 |
2 |
2.55 |
3 |
4 |
4.5 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
8.5 |
9 |
9.5 |
10 |
10.3 |
World Population by Region
# | Region | Population (2020) |
Yearly Change |
Net Change |
Density (P/Km²) |
Land Area (Km²) |
Migrants (net) |
Fert. Rate |
Med. Age |
Urban Pop % |
World Share |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Asia | 4,641,054,775 | 0.86 % | 39,683,577 | 150 | 31,033,131 | -1,729,112 | 2.2 | 32 | 0 % | 59.5 % |
2 | Africa | 1,340,598,147 | 2.49 % | 32,533,952 | 45 | 29,648,481 | -463,024 | 4.4 | 20 | 0 % | 17.2 % |
3 | Europe | 747,636,026 | 0.06 % | 453,275 | 34 | 22,134,900 | 1,361,011 | 1.6 | 43 | 0 % | 9.6 % |
4 | Latin America and the Caribbean | 653,962,331 | 0.9 % | 5,841,374 | 32 | 20,139,378 | -521,499 | 2 | 31 | 0 % | 8.4 % |
5 | Northern America | 368,869,647 | 0.62 % | 2,268,683 | 20 | 18,651,660 | 1,196,400 | 1.8 | 39 | 0 % | 4.7 % |
6 | Oceania | 42,677,813 | 1.31 % | 549,778 | 5 | 8,486,460 | 156,226 | 2.4 | 33 | 0 % | 0.5 % |
World Population Density (people/km2)
Population density map of the world showing not only countries but also many subdivisions (regions, states, provinces). See also: World Map
Courtesy of Junuxx at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
World Population by Religion
According to a recent study (based on the 2010 world population of 6.9 billion) by The Pew Forum, there are:
- 2,173,180,000 Christians (31% of world population), of which 50% are Catholic, 37% Protestant, 12% Orthodox, and 1% other.
- 1,598,510,000 Muslims (23%), of which 87-90% are Sunnis, 10-13% Shia.
- 1,126,500,000 No Religion affiliation (16%): atheists, agnostics and people who
do not identify with any particular religion. One-in-five people (20%) in the United States are religiously unaffiliated. - 1,033,080,000 Hindus (15%), the overwhelming majority (94%) of which live in India.
- 487,540,000 Buddhists (7%), of which half live in China.
- 405,120,000 Folk Religionists (6%): faiths that are closely associated with a particular
group of people, ethnicity or tribe. - 58,110,000 Other Religions (1%): Baha’i faith, Taoism,
Jainism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Tenrikyo, Wicca, Zoroastrianism and many others. - 13,850,000 Jews (0.2%), four-fifths of which live in two countries: United States (41%) and Israel (41%).
World Population by Country
# | Country (or dependency) | Population (2020) |
Yearly Change |
Net Change |
Density (P/Km²) |
Land Area (Km²) |
Migrants (net) |
Fert. Rate |
Med. Age |
Urban Pop % |
World Share |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 1,439,323,776 | 0.39 % | 5,540,090 | 153 | 9,388,211 | -348,399 | 1.69 | 38 | 60.8 % | 18.5 % |
2 | India | 1,380,004,385 | 0.99 % | 13,586,631 | 464 | 2,973,190 | -532,687 | 2.2402 | 28 | 35 % | 17.7 % |
3 | United States | 331,002,651 | 0.59 % | 1,937,734 | 36 | 9,147,420 | 954,806 | 1.7764 | 38 | 82.8 % | 4.2 % |
4 | Indonesia | 273,523,615 | 1.07 % | 2,898,047 | 151 | 1,811,570 | -98,955 | 2.3195 | 30 | 56.4 % | 3.5 % |
5 | Pakistan | 220,892,340 | 2 % | 4,327,022 | 287 | 770,880 | -233,379 | 3.55 | 23 | 35.1 % | 2.8 % |
6 | Brazil | 212,559,417 | 0.72 % | 1,509,890 | 25 | 8,358,140 | 21,200 | 1.74 | 33 | 87.6 % | 2.7 % |
7 | Nigeria | 206,139,589 | 2.58 % | 5,175,990 | 226 | 910,770 | -60,000 | 5.4168 | 18 | 52 % | 2.6 % |
8 | Bangladesh | 164,689,383 | 1.01 % | 1,643,222 | 1,265 | 130,170 | -369,501 | 2.052 | 28 | 39.4 % | 2.1 % |
9 | Russia | 145,934,462 | 0.04 % | 62,206 | 9 | 16,376,870 | 182,456 | 1.8205 | 40 | 73.7 % | 1.9 % |
10 | Mexico | 128,932,753 | 1.06 % | 1,357,224 | 66 | 1,943,950 | -60,000 | 2.14 | 29 | 83.8 % | 1.7 % |
11 | Japan | 126,476,461 | -0.3 % | -383,840 | 347 | 364,555 | 71,560 | 1.3697 | 48 | 91.8 % | 1.6 % |
12 | Ethiopia | 114,963,588 | 2.57 % | 2,884,858 | 115 | 1,000,000 | 30,000 | 4.3 | 19 | 21.3 % | 1.5 % |
13 | Philippines | 109,581,078 | 1.35 % | 1,464,463 | 368 | 298,170 | -67,152 | 2.58 | 26 | 47.5 % | 1.4 % |
14 | Egypt | 102,334,404 | 1.94 % | 1,946,331 | 103 | 995,450 | -38,033 | 3.33 | 25 | 43 % | 1.3 % |
15 | Vietnam | 97,338,579 | 0.91 % | 876,473 | 314 | 310,070 | -80,000 | 2.0556 | 32 | 37.7 % | 1.2 % |
16 | DR Congo | 89,561,403 | 3.19 % | 2,770,836 | 40 | 2,267,050 | 23,861 | 5.9635 | 17 | 45.6 % | 1.1 % |
17 | Turkey | 84,339,067 | 1.09 % | 909,452 | 110 | 769,630 | 283,922 | 2.08 | 32 | 75.7 % | 1.1 % |
18 | Iran | 83,992,949 | 1.3 % | 1,079,043 | 52 | 1,628,550 | -55,000 | 2.15 | 32 | 75.5 % | 1.1 % |
19 | Germany | 83,783,942 | 0.32 % | 266,897 | 240 | 348,560 | 543,822 | 1.586 | 46 | 76.3 % | 1.1 % |
20 | Thailand | 69,799,978 | 0.25 % | 174,396 | 137 | 510,890 | 19,444 | 1.5346 | 40 | 51.1 % | 0.9 % |
21 | United Kingdom | 67,886,011 | 0.53 % | 355,839 | 281 | 241,930 | 260,650 | 1.75 | 40 | 83.2 % | 0.9 % |
22 | France | 65,273,511 | 0.22 % | 143,783 | 119 | 547,557 | 36,527 | 1.8523 | 42 | 81.5 % | 0.8 % |
23 | Italy | 60,461,826 | -0.15 % | -88,249 | 206 | 294,140 | 148,943 | 1.33 | 47 | 69.5 % | 0.8 % |
24 | Tanzania | 59,734,218 | 2.98 % | 1,728,755 | 67 | 885,800 | -40,076 | 4.9237 | 18 | 37 % | 0.8 % |
25 | South Africa | 59,308,690 | 1.28 % | 750,420 | 49 | 1,213,090 | 145,405 | 2.4139 | 28 | 66.7 % | 0.8 % |
26 | Myanmar | 54,409,800 | 0.67 % | 364,380 | 83 | 653,290 | -163,313 | 2.17 | 29 | 31.4 % | 0.7 % |
27 | Kenya | 53,771,296 | 2.28 % | 1,197,323 | 94 | 569,140 | -10,000 | 3.52 | 20 | 27.8 % | 0.7 % |
28 | South Korea | 51,269,185 | 0.09 % | 43,877 | 527 | 97,230 | 11,731 | 1.11 | 44 | 81.8 % | 0.7 % |
29 | Colombia | 50,882,891 | 1.08 % | 543,448 | 46 | 1,109,500 | 204,796 | 1.82 | 31 | 80.4 % | 0.7 % |
30 | Spain | 46,754,778 | 0.04 % | 18,002 | 94 | 498,800 | 40,000 | 1.33 | 45 | 80.3 % | 0.6 % |
31 | Uganda | 45,741,007 | 3.32 % | 1,471,413 | 229 | 199,810 | 168,694 | 5.01 | 17 | 25.7 % | 0.6 % |
32 | Argentina | 45,195,774 | 0.93 % | 415,097 | 17 | 2,736,690 | 4,800 | 2.268 | 32 | 92.8 % | 0.6 % |
33 | Algeria | 43,851,044 | 1.85 % | 797,990 | 18 | 2,381,740 | -10,000 | 3.05 | 29 | 72.9 % | 0.6 % |
34 | Sudan | 43,849,260 | 2.42 % | 1,036,022 | 25 | 1,765,048 | -50,000 | 4.4345 | 20 | 35 % | 0.6 % |
35 | Ukraine | 43,733,762 | -0.59 % | -259,876 | 75 | 579,320 | 10,000 | 1.4435 | 41 | 69.4 % | 0.6 % |
36 | Iraq | 40,222,493 | 2.32 % | 912,710 | 93 | 434,320 | 7,834 | 3.682 | 21 | 73.1 % | 0.5 % |
37 | Afghanistan | 38,928,346 | 2.33 % | 886,592 | 60 | 652,860 | -62,920 | 4.5552 | 18 | 25.4 % | 0.5 % |
38 | Poland | 37,846,611 | -0.11 % | -41,157 | 124 | 306,230 | -29,395 | 1.4202 | 42 | 60.2 % | 0.5 % |
39 | Canada | 37,742,154 | 0.89 % | 331,107 | 4 | 9,093,510 | 242,032 | 1.525 | 41 | 81.3 % | 0.5 % |
40 | Morocco | 36,910,560 | 1.2 % | 438,791 | 83 | 446,300 | -51,419 | 2.42 | 30 | 63.8 % | 0.5 % |
41 | Saudi Arabia | 34,813,871 | 1.59 % | 545,343 | 16 | 2,149,690 | 134,979 | 2.34 | 32 | 84 % | 0.4 % |
42 | Uzbekistan | 33,469,203 | 1.48 % | 487,487 | 79 | 425,400 | -8,863 | 2.43 | 28 | 50.1 % | 0.4 % |
43 | Peru | 32,971,854 | 1.42 % | 461,401 | 26 | 1,280,000 | 99,069 | 2.27 | 31 | 79.1 % | 0.4 % |
44 | Angola | 32,866,272 | 3.27 % | 1,040,977 | 26 | 1,246,700 | 6,413 | 5.55 | 17 | 66.7 % | 0.4 % |
45 | Malaysia | 32,365,999 | 1.3 % | 416,222 | 99 | 328,550 | 50,000 | 2.0105 | 30 | 78.4 % | 0.4 % |
46 | Mozambique | 31,255,435 | 2.93 % | 889,399 | 40 | 786,380 | -5,000 | 4.8858 | 18 | 38.3 % | 0.4 % |
47 | Ghana | 31,072,940 | 2.15 % | 655,084 | 137 | 227,540 | -10,000 | 3.8928 | 22 | 56.7 % | 0.4 % |
48 | Yemen | 29,825,964 | 2.28 % | 664,042 | 56 | 527,970 | -30,000 | 3.8372 | 20 | 38.4 % | 0.4 % |
49 | Nepal | 29,136,808 | 1.85 % | 528,098 | 203 | 143,350 | 41,710 | 1.934 | 25 | 21.4 % | 0.4 % |
50 | Venezuela | 28,435,940 | -0.28 % | -79,889 | 32 | 882,050 | -653,249 | 2.283 | 30 | N.A. | 0.4 % |
51 | Madagascar | 27,691,018 | 2.68 % | 721,711 | 48 | 581,795 | -1,500 | 4.1085 | 20 | 38.5 % | 0.4 % |
52 | Cameroon | 26,545,863 | 2.59 % | 669,483 | 56 | 472,710 | -4,800 | 4.603 | 19 | 56.3 % | 0.3 % |
53 | Côte d’Ivoire | 26,378,274 | 2.57 % | 661,730 | 83 | 318,000 | -8,000 | 4.68 | 19 | 51.3 % | 0.3 % |
54 | North Korea | 25,778,816 | 0.44 % | 112,655 | 214 | 120,410 | -5,403 | 1.91 | 35 | 62.5 % | 0.3 % |
55 | Australia | 25,499,884 | 1.18 % | 296,686 | 3 | 7,682,300 | 158,246 | 1.8316 | 38 | 85.9 % | 0.3 % |
56 | Niger | 24,206,644 | 3.84 % | 895,929 | 19 | 1,266,700 | 4,000 | 6.95 | 15 | 16.5 % | 0.3 % |
57 | Taiwan | 23,816,775 | 0.18 % | 42,899 | 673 | 35,410 | 30,001 | 1.15 | 42 | 78.9 % | 0.3 % |
58 | Sri Lanka | 21,413,249 | 0.42 % | 89,516 | 341 | 62,710 | -97,986 | 2.2102 | 34 | 18.4 % | 0.3 % |
59 | Burkina Faso | 20,903,273 | 2.86 % | 581,895 | 76 | 273,600 | -25,000 | 5.2315 | 18 | 30.6 % | 0.3 % |
60 | Mali | 20,250,833 | 3.02 % | 592,802 | 17 | 1,220,190 | -40,000 | 5.9215 | 16 | 44 % | 0.3 % |
61 | Romania | 19,237,691 | -0.66 % | -126,866 | 84 | 230,170 | -73,999 | 1.6198 | 43 | 54.6 % | 0.2 % |
62 | Malawi | 19,129,952 | 2.69 % | 501,205 | 203 | 94,280 | -16,053 | 4.25 | 18 | 18.5 % | 0.2 % |
63 | Chile | 19,116,201 | 0.87 % | 164,163 | 26 | 743,532 | 111,708 | 1.65 | 35 | 84.8 % | 0.2 % |
64 | Kazakhstan | 18,776,707 | 1.21 % | 225,280 | 7 | 2,699,700 | -18,000 | 2.7638 | 31 | 57.7 % | 0.2 % |
65 | Zambia | 18,383,955 | 2.93 % | 522,925 | 25 | 743,390 | -8,000 | 4.6555 | 18 | 45.3 % | 0.2 % |
66 | Guatemala | 17,915,568 | 1.9 % | 334,096 | 167 | 107,160 | -9,215 | 2.8989 | 23 | 51.8 % | 0.2 % |
67 | Ecuador | 17,643,054 | 1.55 % | 269,392 | 71 | 248,360 | 36,400 | 2.44 | 28 | 63 % | 0.2 % |
68 | Syria | 17,500,658 | 2.52 % | 430,523 | 95 | 183,630 | -427,391 | 2.8398 | 26 | 60 % | 0.2 % |
69 | Netherlands | 17,134,872 | 0.22 % | 37,742 | 508 | 33,720 | 16,000 | 1.66 | 43 | 92.5 % | 0.2 % |
70 | Senegal | 16,743,927 | 2.75 % | 447,563 | 87 | 192,530 | -20,000 | 4.65 | 19 | 49.4 % | 0.2 % |
71 | Cambodia | 16,718,965 | 1.41 % | 232,423 | 95 | 176,520 | -30,000 | 2.5238 | 26 | 24.2 % | 0.2 % |
72 | Chad | 16,425,864 | 3 % | 478,988 | 13 | 1,259,200 | 2,000 | 5.7973 | 17 | 23.3 % | 0.2 % |
73 | Somalia | 15,893,222 | 2.92 % | 450,317 | 25 | 627,340 | -40,000 | 6.12 | 17 | 46.8 % | 0.2 % |
74 | Zimbabwe | 14,862,924 | 1.48 % | 217,456 | 38 | 386,850 | -116,858 | 3.6255 | 19 | 38.4 % | 0.2 % |
75 | Guinea | 13,132,795 | 2.83 % | 361,549 | 53 | 245,720 | -4,000 | 4.7384 | 18 | 38.6 % | 0.2 % |
76 | Rwanda | 12,952,218 | 2.58 % | 325,268 | 525 | 24,670 | -9,000 | 4.1 | 20 | 17.6 % | 0.2 % |
77 | Benin | 12,123,200 | 2.73 % | 322,049 | 108 | 112,760 | -2,000 | 4.8675 | 19 | 48.4 % | 0.2 % |
78 | Burundi | 11,890,784 | 3.12 % | 360,204 | 463 | 25,680 | 2,001 | 5.45 | 17 | 13.8 % | 0.2 % |
79 | Tunisia | 11,818,619 | 1.06 % | 123,900 | 76 | 155,360 | -4,000 | 2.2 | 33 | 70.1 % | 0.2 % |
80 | Bolivia | 11,673,021 | 1.39 % | 159,921 | 11 | 1,083,300 | -9,504 | 2.75 | 26 | 69.3 % | 0.1 % |
81 | Belgium | 11,589,623 | 0.44 % | 50,295 | 383 | 30,280 | 48,000 | 1.7148 | 42 | 98.3 % | 0.1 % |
82 | Haiti | 11,402,528 | 1.24 % | 139,451 | 414 | 27,560 | -35,000 | 2.96 | 24 | 56.9 % | 0.1 % |
83 | Cuba | 11,326,616 | -0.06 % | -6,867 | 106 | 106,440 | -14,400 | 1.6166 | 42 | 78.3 % | 0.1 % |
84 | South Sudan | 11,193,725 | 1.19 % | 131,612 | 18 | 610,952 | -174,200 | 4.7359 | 19 | 24.6 % | 0.1 % |
85 | Dominican Republic | 10,847,910 | 1.01 % | 108,952 | 225 | 48,320 | -30,000 | 2.36 | 28 | 84.5 % | 0.1 % |
86 | Czech Republic (Czechia) | 10,708,981 | 0.18 % | 19,772 | 139 | 77,240 | 22,011 | 1.6413 | 43 | 73.5 % | 0.1 % |
87 | Greece | 10,423,054 | -0.48 % | -50,401 | 81 | 128,900 | -16,000 | 1.3024 | 46 | 84.9 % | 0.1 % |
88 | Jordan | 10,203,134 | 1 % | 101,440 | 115 | 88,780 | 10,220 | 2.7723 | 24 | 91.5 % | 0.1 % |
89 | Portugal | 10,196,709 | -0.29 % | -29,478 | 111 | 91,590 | -6,000 | 1.288 | 46 | 66.5 % | 0.1 % |
90 | Azerbaijan | 10,139,177 | 0.91 % | 91,459 | 123 | 82,658 | 1,200 | 2.0835 | 32 | 56.2 % | 0.1 % |
91 | Sweden | 10,099,265 | 0.63 % | 62,886 | 25 | 410,340 | 40,000 | 1.85 | 41 | 88.2 % | 0.1 % |
92 | Honduras | 9,904,607 | 1.63 % | 158,490 | 89 | 111,890 | -6,800 | 2.4872 | 24 | 57.3 % | 0.1 % |
93 | United Arab Emirates | 9,890,402 | 1.23 % | 119,873 | 118 | 83,600 | 40,000 | 1.42 | 33 | 86.4 % | 0.1 % |
94 | Hungary | 9,660,351 | -0.25 % | -24,328 | 107 | 90,530 | 6,000 | 1.4911 | 43 | 71.7 % | 0.1 % |
95 | Tajikistan | 9,537,645 | 2.32 % | 216,627 | 68 | 139,960 | -20,000 | 3.6075 | 22 | 27.3 % | 0.1 % |
96 | Belarus | 9,449,323 | -0.03 % | -3,088 | 47 | 202,910 | 8,730 | 1.7099 | 40 | 79.2 % | 0.1 % |
97 | Austria | 9,006,398 | 0.57 % | 51,296 | 109 | 82,409 | 65,000 | 1.5292 | 43 | 57.3 % | 0.1 % |
98 | Papua New Guinea | 8,947,024 | 1.95 % | 170,915 | 20 | 452,860 | -800 | 3.5883 | 22 | 13.1 % | 0.1 % |
99 | Serbia | 8,737,371 | -0.4 % | -34,864 | 100 | 87,460 | 4,000 | 1.4612 | 42 | 56.2 % | 0.1 % |
100 | Israel | 8,655,535 | 1.6 % | 136,158 | 400 | 21,640 | 10,000 | 3.044 | 30 | 93.2 % | 0.1 % |
101 | Switzerland | 8,654,622 | 0.74 % | 63,257 | 219 | 39,516 | 52,000 | 1.535 | 43 | 74.1 % | 0.1 % |
102 | Togo | 8,278,724 | 2.43 % | 196,358 | 152 | 54,390 | -2,000 | 4.3515 | 19 | 43.3 % | 0.1 % |
103 | Sierra Leone | 7,976,983 | 2.1 % | 163,768 | 111 | 72,180 | -4,200 | 4.319 | 19 | 43.3 % | 0.1 % |
104 | Hong Kong | 7,496,981 | 0.82 % | 60,827 | 7,140 | 1,050 | 29,308 | 1.3262 | 45 | N.A. | 0.1 % |
105 | Laos | 7,275,560 | 1.48 % | 106,105 | 32 | 230,800 | -14,704 | 2.7 | 24 | 35.7 % | 0.1 % |
106 | Paraguay | 7,132,538 | 1.25 % | 87,902 | 18 | 397,300 | -16,556 | 2.4455 | 26 | 61.6 % | 0.1 % |
107 | Bulgaria | 6,948,445 | -0.74 % | -51,674 | 64 | 108,560 | -4,800 | 1.5584 | 45 | 75.6 % | 0.1 % |
108 | Libya | 6,871,292 | 1.38 % | 93,840 | 4 | 1,759,540 | -1,999 | 2.25 | 29 | 78.2 % | 0.1 % |
109 | Lebanon | 6,825,445 | -0.44 % | -30,268 | 667 | 10,230 | -30,012 | 2.09 | 30 | 78.4 % | 0.1 % |
110 | Nicaragua | 6,624,554 | 1.21 % | 79,052 | 55 | 120,340 | -21,272 | 2.42 | 26 | 57.2 % | 0.1 % |
111 | Kyrgyzstan | 6,524,195 | 1.69 % | 108,345 | 34 | 191,800 | -4,000 | 3 | 26 | 35.6 % | 0.1 % |
112 | El Salvador | 6,486,205 | 0.51 % | 32,652 | 313 | 20,720 | -40,539 | 2.0529 | 28 | 73.4 % | 0.1 % |
113 | Turkmenistan | 6,031,200 | 1.5 % | 89,111 | 13 | 469,930 | -5,000 | 2.785 | 27 | 52.5 % | 0.1 % |
114 | Singapore | 5,850,342 | 0.79 % | 46,005 | 8,358 | 700 | 27,028 | 1.209 | 42 | N.A. | 0.1 % |
115 | Denmark | 5,792,202 | 0.35 % | 20,326 | 137 | 42,430 | 15,200 | 1.7621 | 42 | 88.2 % | 0.1 % |
116 | Finland | 5,540,720 | 0.15 % | 8,564 | 18 | 303,890 | 14,000 | 1.53 | 43 | 86.1 % | 0.1 % |
117 | Congo | 5,518,087 | 2.56 % | 137,579 | 16 | 341,500 | -4,000 | 4.45 | 19 | 69.9 % | 0.1 % |
118 | Slovakia | 5,459,642 | 0.05 % | 2,629 | 114 | 48,088 | 1,485 | 1.502 | 41 | 53.7 % | 0.1 % |
119 | Norway | 5,421,241 | 0.79 % | 42,384 | 15 | 365,268 | 28,000 | 1.68 | 40 | 83.4 % | 0.1 % |
120 | Oman | 5,106,626 | 2.65 % | 131,640 | 16 | 309,500 | 87,400 | 2.93 | 31 | 87 % | 0.1 % |
121 | State of Palestine | 5,101,414 | 2.41 % | 119,994 | 847 | 6,020 | -10,563 | 3.6677 | 21 | 80 % | 0.1 % |
122 | Costa Rica | 5,094,118 | 0.92 % | 46,557 | 100 | 51,060 | 4,200 | 1.7639 | 33 | 80 % | 0.1 % |
123 | Liberia | 5,057,681 | 2.44 % | 120,307 | 53 | 96,320 | -5,000 | 4.35 | 19 | 52.6 % | 0.1 % |
124 | Ireland | 4,937,786 | 1.13 % | 55,291 | 72 | 68,890 | 23,604 | 1.8409 | 38 | 63 % | 0.1 % |
125 | Central African Republic | 4,829,767 | 1.78 % | 84,582 | 8 | 622,980 | -40,000 | 4.7541 | 18 | 43 % | 0.1 % |
126 | New Zealand | 4,822,233 | 0.82 % | 39,170 | 18 | 263,310 | 14,881 | 1.9 | 38 | 86.9 % | 0.1 % |
127 | Mauritania | 4,649,658 | 2.74 % | 123,962 | 5 | 1,030,700 | 5,000 | 4.585 | 20 | 56.9 % | 0.1 % |
128 | Panama | 4,314,767 | 1.61 % | 68,328 | 58 | 74,340 | 11,200 | 2.4688 | 30 | 68 % | 0.1 % |
129 | Kuwait | 4,270,571 | 1.51 % | 63,488 | 240 | 17,820 | 39,520 | 2.1 | 37 | N.A. | 0.1 % |
130 | Croatia | 4,105,267 | -0.61 % | -25,037 | 73 | 55,960 | -8,001 | 1.4461 | 44 | 57.7 % | 0.1 % |
131 | Moldova | 4,033,963 | -0.23 % | -9,300 | 123 | 32,850 | -1,387 | 1.2552 | 38 | 42.7 % | 0.1 % |
132 | Georgia | 3,989,167 | -0.19 % | -7,598 | 57 | 69,490 | -10,000 | 2.0615 | 38 | 58.1 % | 0.1 % |
133 | Eritrea | 3,546,421 | 1.41 % | 49,304 | 35 | 101,000 | -39,858 | 4.1 | 19 | 63.3 % | 0 % |
134 | Uruguay | 3,473,730 | 0.35 % | 11,996 | 20 | 175,020 | -3,000 | 1.98 | 36 | 96.1 % | 0 % |
135 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3,280,819 | -0.61 % | -20,181 | 64 | 51,000 | -21,585 | 1.27 | 43 | 52.3 % | 0 % |
136 | Mongolia | 3,278,290 | 1.65 % | 53,123 | 2 | 1,553,560 | -852 | 2.9023 | 28 | 67.2 % | 0 % |
137 | Armenia | 2,963,243 | 0.19 % | 5,512 | 104 | 28,470 | -4,998 | 1.7559 | 35 | 62.8 % | 0 % |
138 | Jamaica | 2,961,167 | 0.44 % | 12,888 | 273 | 10,830 | -11,332 | 1.991 | 31 | 55.4 % | 0 % |
139 | Qatar | 2,881,053 | 1.73 % | 48,986 | 248 | 11,610 | 40,000 | 1.8805 | 32 | 96.2 % | 0 % |
140 | Albania | 2,877,797 | -0.11 % | -3,120 | 105 | 27,400 | -14,000 | 1.62 | 36 | 63.5 % | 0 % |
141 | Puerto Rico | 2,860,853 | -2.47 % | -72,555 | 323 | 8,870 | -97,986 | 1.22 | 44 | N.A. | 0 % |
142 | Lithuania | 2,722,289 | -1.35 % | -37,338 | 43 | 62,674 | -32,780 | 1.6698 | 45 | 71.3 % | 0 % |
143 | Namibia | 2,540,905 | 1.86 % | 46,375 | 3 | 823,290 | -4,806 | 3.4153 | 22 | 55.2 % | 0 % |
144 | Gambia | 2,416,668 | 2.94 % | 68,962 | 239 | 10,120 | -3,087 | 5.25 | 18 | 59.4 % | 0 % |
145 | Botswana | 2,351,627 | 2.08 % | 47,930 | 4 | 566,730 | 3,000 | 2.8944 | 24 | 72.8 % | 0 % |
146 | Gabon | 2,225,734 | 2.45 % | 53,155 | 9 | 257,670 | 3,260 | 4 | 23 | 87.1 % | 0 % |
147 | Lesotho | 2,142,249 | 0.8 % | 16,981 | 71 | 30,360 | -10,047 | 3.1641 | 24 | 31.5 % | 0 % |
148 | North Macedonia | 2,083,374 | -0 % | -85 | 83 | 25,220 | -1,000 | 1.5 | 39 | 58.6 % | 0 % |
149 | Slovenia | 2,078,938 | 0.01 % | 284 | 103 | 20,140 | 2,000 | 1.6 | 45 | 55.2 % | 0 % |
150 | Guinea-Bissau | 1,968,001 | 2.45 % | 47,079 | 70 | 28,120 | -1,399 | 4.51 | 19 | 44.9 % | 0 % |
151 | Latvia | 1,886,198 | -1.08 % | -20,545 | 30 | 62,200 | -14,837 | 1.7167 | 44 | 68.6 % | 0 % |
152 | Bahrain | 1,701,575 | 3.68 % | 60,403 | 2,239 | 760 | 47,800 | 1.9982 | 32 | 89.3 % | 0 % |
153 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,402,985 | 3.47 % | 46,999 | 50 | 28,050 | 16,000 | 4.5543 | 22 | 73.3 % | 0 % |
154 | Trinidad and Tobago | 1,399,488 | 0.32 % | 4,515 | 273 | 5,130 | -800 | 1.7299 | 36 | 52.4 % | 0 % |
155 | Estonia | 1,326,535 | 0.07 % | 887 | 31 | 42,390 | 3,911 | 1.5878 | 42 | 67.9 % | 0 % |
156 | Timor-Leste | 1,318,445 | 1.96 % | 25,326 | 89 | 14,870 | -5,385 | 4.1 | 21 | 32.8 % | 0 % |
157 | Mauritius | 1,271,768 | 0.17 % | 2,100 | 626 | 2,030 | 0 | 1.3885 | 37 | 40.8 % | 0 % |
158 | Cyprus | 1,207,359 | 0.73 % | 8,784 | 131 | 9,240 | 5,000 | 1.3375 | 37 | 66.8 % | 0 % |
159 | Eswatini | 1,160,164 | 1.05 % | 12,034 | 67 | 17,200 | -8,353 | 3.0257 | 21 | 30 % | 0 % |
160 | Djibouti | 988,000 | 1.48 % | 14,440 | 43 | 23,180 | 900 | 2.7577 | 27 | 79 % | 0 % |
161 | Fiji | 896,445 | 0.73 % | 6,492 | 49 | 18,270 | -6,202 | 2.7874 | 28 | 59.1 % | 0 % |
162 | Réunion | 895,312 | 0.72 % | 6,385 | 358 | 2,500 | -1,256 | 2.2735 | 36 | 99.8 % | 0 % |
163 | Comoros | 869,601 | 2.2 % | 18,715 | 467 | 1,861 | -2,000 | 4.2365 | 20 | 29.4 % | 0 % |
164 | Guyana | 786,552 | 0.48 % | 3,786 | 4 | 196,850 | -6,000 | 2.4728 | 27 | 26.9 % | 0 % |
165 | Bhutan | 771,608 | 1.12 % | 8,516 | 20 | 38,117 | 320 | 2 | 28 | 45.8 % | 0 % |
166 | Solomon Islands | 686,884 | 2.55 % | 17,061 | 25 | 27,990 | -1,600 | 4.435 | 20 | 23.2 % | 0 % |
167 | Macao | 649,335 | 1.39 % | 8,890 | 21,645 | 30 | 5,000 | 1.2 | 39 | N.A. | 0 % |
168 | Montenegro | 628,066 | 0.01 % | 79 | 47 | 13,450 | -480 | 1.7506 | 39 | 67.6 % | 0 % |
169 | Luxembourg | 625,978 | 1.66 % | 10,249 | 242 | 2,590 | 9,741 | 1.45 | 40 | 88.2 % | 0 % |
170 | Western Sahara | 597,339 | 2.55 % | 14,876 | 2 | 266,000 | 5,582 | 2.4149 | 28 | 86.8 % | 0 % |
171 | Suriname | 586,632 | 0.9 % | 5,260 | 4 | 156,000 | -1,000 | 2.4298 | 29 | 65.1 % | 0 % |
172 | Cabo Verde | 555,987 | 1.1 % | 6,052 | 138 | 4,030 | -1,342 | 2.2885 | 28 | 68 % | 0 % |
173 | Micronesia | 548,914 | 1 % | 5,428 | 784 | 700 | -2,957 | 2.858000189 | 27 | 68.2 % | 0 % |
174 | Maldives | 540,544 | 1.81 % | 9,591 | 1,802 | 300 | 11,370 | 1.88 | 30 | 34.5 % | 0 % |
175 | Malta | 441,543 | 0.27 % | 1,171 | 1,380 | 320 | 900 | 1.45 | 43 | 93.2 % | 0 % |
176 | Brunei | 437,479 | 0.97 % | 4,194 | 83 | 5,270 | 0 | 1.8482 | 32 | 79.5 % | 0 % |
177 | Guadeloupe | 400,124 | 0.02 % | 68 | 237 | 1,690 | -1,440 | 2.17 | 44 | N.A. | 0 % |
178 | Belize | 397,628 | 1.86 % | 7,275 | 17 | 22,810 | 1,200 | 2.32 | 25 | 46.1 % | 0 % |
179 | Bahamas | 393,244 | 0.97 % | 3,762 | 39 | 10,010 | 1,000 | 1.76 | 32 | 86.1 % | 0 % |
180 | Martinique | 375,265 | -0.08 % | -289 | 354 | 1,060 | -960 | 1.88 | 47 | 91.6 % | 0 % |
181 | Iceland | 341,243 | 0.65 % | 2,212 | 3 | 100,250 | 380 | 1.77 | 37 | 94.4 % | 0 % |
182 | Vanuatu | 307,145 | 2.42 % | 7,263 | 25 | 12,190 | 120 | 3.8 | 21 | 24.4 % | 0 % |
183 | French Guiana | 298,682 | 2.7 % | 7,850 | 4 | 82,200 | 1,200 | 3.36 | 25 | 87.3 % | 0 % |
184 | Barbados | 287,375 | 0.12 % | 350 | 668 | 430 | -79 | 1.62 | 40 | 31.2 % | 0 % |
185 | New Caledonia | 285,498 | 0.97 % | 2,748 | 16 | 18,280 | 502 | 1.97 | 34 | 71.9 % | 0 % |
186 | French Polynesia | 280,908 | 0.58 % | 1,621 | 77 | 3,660 | -1,000 | 1.95 | 34 | 64.1 % | 0 % |
187 | Mayotte | 272,815 | 2.5 % | 6,665 | 728 | 375 | 0 | 3.7289 | 20 | 45.8 % | 0 % |
188 | Sao Tome & Principe | 219,159 | 1.91 % | 4,103 | 228 | 960 | -1,680 | 4.35 | 19 | 74 % | 0 % |
189 | Samoa | 198,414 | 0.67 % | 1,317 | 70 | 2,830 | -2,803 | 3.9029 | 22 | 18 % | 0 % |
190 | Saint Lucia | 183,627 | 0.46 % | 837 | 301 | 610 | 0 | 1.4442 | 34 | 18.6 % | 0 % |
191 | Channel Islands | 173,863 | 0.93 % | 1,604 | 915 | 190 | 1,351 | 1.502 | 43 | 29.8 % | 0 % |
192 | Guam | 168,775 | 0.89 % | 1,481 | 313 | 540 | -506 | 2.3193 | 31 | 94.9 % | 0 % |
193 | Curaçao | 164,093 | 0.41 % | 669 | 370 | 444 | 515 | 1.76 | 42 | 88.7 % | 0 % |
194 | Kiribati | 119,449 | 1.57 % | 1,843 | 147 | 810 | -800 | 3.5836 | 23 | 57 % | 0 % |
195 | Grenada | 112,523 | 0.46 % | 520 | 331 | 340 | -200 | 2.0732 | 32 | 35.5 % | 0 % |
196 | St. Vincent & Grenadines | 110,940 | 0.32 % | 351 | 284 | 390 | -200 | 1.9019 | 33 | 52.9 % | 0 % |
197 | Aruba | 106,766 | 0.43 % | 452 | 593 | 180 | 201 | 1.9 | 41 | 43.6 % | 0 % |
198 | Tonga | 105,695 | 1.15 % | 1,201 | 147 | 720 | -800 | 3.5763 | 22 | 24.3 % | 0 % |
199 | U.S. Virgin Islands | 104,425 | -0.15 % | -153 | 298 | 350 | -451 | 2.0458 | 43 | 96.3 % | 0 % |
200 | Seychelles | 98,347 | 0.62 % | 608 | 214 | 460 | -200 | 2.46 | 34 | 56.2 % | 0 % |
201 | Antigua and Barbuda | 97,929 | 0.84 % | 811 | 223 | 440 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 26.2 % | 0 % |
202 | Isle of Man | 85,033 | 0.53 % | 449 | 149 | 570 | N.A. | N.A. | 53.4 % | 0 % | |
203 | Andorra | 77,265 | 0.16 % | 123 | 164 | 470 | N.A. | N.A. | 87.8 % | 0 % | |
204 | Dominica | 71,986 | 0.25 % | 178 | 96 | 750 | N.A. | N.A. | 74.1 % | 0 % | |
205 | Cayman Islands | 65,722 | 1.19 % | 774 | 274 | 240 | N.A. | N.A. | 97.2 % | 0 % | |
206 | Bermuda | 62,278 | -0.36 % | -228 | 1,246 | 50 | N.A. | N.A. | 97.4 % | 0 % | |
207 | Marshall Islands | 59,190 | 0.68 % | 399 | 329 | 180 | N.A. | N.A. | 70 % | 0 % | |
208 | Northern Mariana Islands | 57,559 | 0.6 % | 343 | 125 | 460 | N.A. | N.A. | 88.3 % | 0 % | |
209 | Greenland | 56,770 | 0.17 % | 98 | 0 | 410,450 | N.A. | N.A. | 87.3 % | 0 % | |
210 | American Samoa | 55,191 | -0.22 % | -121 | 276 | 200 | N.A. | N.A. | 88.1 % | 0 % | |
211 | Saint Kitts & Nevis | 53,199 | 0.71 % | 376 | 205 | 260 | N.A. | N.A. | 32.9 % | 0 % | |
212 | Faeroe Islands | 48,863 | 0.38 % | 185 | 35 | 1,396 | N.A. | N.A. | 43.3 % | 0 % | |
213 | Sint Maarten | 42,876 | 1.15 % | 488 | 1,261 | 34 | N.A. | N.A. | 96.5 % | 0 % | |
214 | Monaco | 39,242 | 0.71 % | 278 | 26,337 | 1 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | |
215 | Turks and Caicos | 38,717 | 1.38 % | 526 | 41 | 950 | N.A. | N.A. | 89.3 % | 0 % | |
216 | Saint Martin | 38,666 | 1.75 % | 664 | 730 | 53 | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | 0 % | |
217 | Liechtenstein | 38,128 | 0.29 % | 109 | 238 | 160 | N.A. | N.A. | 14.6 % | 0 % | |
218 | San Marino | 33,931 | 0.21 % | 71 | 566 | 60 | N.A. | N.A. | 97.1 % | 0 % | |
219 | Gibraltar | 33,691 | -0.03 % | -10 | 3,369 | 10 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | |
220 | British Virgin Islands | 30,231 | 0.67 % | 201 | 202 | 150 | N.A. | N.A. | 52.4 % | 0 % | |
221 | Caribbean Netherlands | 26,223 | 0.94 % | 244 | 80 | 328 | N.A. | N.A. | 75 % | 0 % | |
222 | Palau | 18,094 | 0.48 % | 86 | 39 | 460 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | |
223 | Cook Islands | 17,564 | 0.09 % | 16 | 73 | 240 | N.A. | N.A. | 75.3 % | 0 % | |
224 | Anguilla | 15,003 | 0.9 % | 134 | 167 | 90 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | |
225 | Tuvalu | 11,792 | 1.25 % | 146 | 393 | 30 | N.A. | N.A. | 62.4 % | 0 % | |
226 | Wallis & Futuna | 11,239 | -1.69 % | -193 | 80 | 140 | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | 0 % | |
227 | Nauru | 10,824 | 0.63 % | 68 | 541 | 20 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | |
228 | Saint Barthelemy | 9,877 | 0.3 % | 30 | 470 | 21 | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | 0 % | |
229 | Saint Helena | 6,077 | 0.3 % | 18 | 16 | 390 | N.A. | N.A. | 27.2 % | 0 % | |
230 | Saint Pierre & Miquelon | 5,794 | -0.48 % | -28 | 25 | 230 | N.A. | N.A. | 99.8 % | 0 % | |
231 | Montserrat | 4,992 | 0.06 % | 3 | 50 | 100 | N.A. | N.A. | 9.6 % | 0 % | |
232 | Falkland Islands | 3,480 | 3.05 % | 103 | 0 | 12,170 | N.A. | N.A. | 66 % | 0 % | |
233 | Niue | 1,626 | 0.68 % | 11 | 6 | 260 | N.A. | N.A. | 46.4 % | 0 % | |
234 | Tokelau | 1,357 | 1.27 % | 17 | 136 | 10 | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % | 0 % | |
235 | Holy See | 801 | 0.25 % | 2 | 2,003 | 0 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 0 % |
How many people have ever lived on earth?
It was written during the 1970s that 75% of the people who had ever been born were alive at that moment. This was grossly false.
Assuming that we start counting from about 50,000 B.C., the time when modern Homo sapiens appeared on the earth (and not from 700,000 B.C. when the ancestors of Homo sapiens appeared, or several million years ago when hominids were present), taking into account that all population data are a rough estimate, and assuming a constant growth rate applied to each period up to modern times, it has been estimated that a total of approximately 106 billion people have been born since the dawn of the human species, making the population currently alive roughly 6% of all people who have ever lived on planet Earth.
Others have estimated the number of human beings who have ever lived to be anywhere from 45 billion to 125 billion, with most estimates falling into the range of 90 to 110 billion humans.
World Population clock: sources and methodology
The world population counter displayed on Worldometer takes into consideration data from two major sources: the United Nations and the U.S. Census Bureau.
- The United Nations Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs every two years calculates, updates, and publishes estimates of total population in its World Population Prospects series. These population estimates and projections provide the standard and consistent set of population figures that are used throughout the United Nations system.
The World Population Prospect: the 2022 Revision provides the most recent data available (released in July of 2022). Estimates and projected world population and country specific populations are given from 1950 through 2100 and are released every two years. Worldometer, as it is common practice, utilizes the medium fertility estimates.
Data underlying the population estimates are national and sub national census data and data on births, deaths, and migrants available from national sources and publications, as well as from questionnaires. For all countries, census and registration data are evaluated and, if necessary, adjusted for incompleteness by the Population Division as part of its preparations of the official United Nations population estimates and projections.
- The International Programs Center at the U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division also develops estimates and projections based on analysis of available data (based on census, survey, and administrative information) on population, fertility, mortality, and migration for each country or area of the world. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, world population reached 7 billion on March 12, 2012.
For most countries adjustment of the data is necessary to correct for errors, omissions, and inconsistencies in the data. Finally, since most recent data for a single country is often at least two years old, the current world population figure is necessarily a projection of past data based on assumed trends. As new data become available, assumptions and data are reevaluated and past conclusions and current figures may be modified.
For information about how these estimates and projections are made by the U.S. Census Bureau, see the Population Estimates and Projections Methodology.
Why Worldometer’s Population Clock is the most accurate
The above world population clock is based on the latest estimates released in July of 2022 by the United Nations. It will show the same number wherever you are in the world and whatever time you set on your PC.
Visitors around the world visiting a PC clock based counter, instead, will see different numbers depending on where they are located. This is the case with other world population clocks — such as the one hosted on a United Nations website, reaching 8 billion in 24 different instances (one per hour) on November 15, 2022, when each local time zone reached 12:10:08. Similarly, in 2011, the clocks on a UN website and on National Geographic — showed 7 billion whenever the visitor’s locally set PC clocks reached 4:21:10 AM on October 31, 2011.
Obviously, the UN data is based on estimates and can’t be 100% accurate, so in all honesty nobody can possibly say with any degree of certainty on which day world population reached 7 billion (or any other exact number), let alone at what time. But once an estimate is made (based on the best data and analysis available), the world population clock should be showing the same number at any given time anywhere around the world.
8,075,561,331 |
Current population |
4,074,566,398 |
Current male population (50.5%) |
4,000,994,932 |
Current female population (49.5%) |
44,209,475 |
Births year to date |
296,583 |
Births today |
17,270,969 |
Deaths year to date |
115,864 |
Deaths today |
0 |
Net migration year to date |
0 |
Net migration today |
26,938,506 |
Population growth year to date |
180,719 |
Population growth today |
14-04-2023 17:41:20
Contents
- Top 5 death causes clock
- World population clock
- Top 20 countries
- Population in 2023
- Demographics in 2022
- Population density
- Global religions
- Global age structure
- Global life expectancy
- Global literacy
- World historical population
- Population projection
Top 5 death causes in the World
today | This year | |
---|---|---|
Coronary artery disease | ||
Connecting . . . |
15.51 % |
Connecting . . . |
Stroke | ||
Connecting . . . |
11.06 % |
Connecting . . . |
Lower respiratory tract infection | ||
Connecting . . . |
5.65 % |
Connecting . . . |
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | ||
Connecting . . . |
5.62 % |
Connecting . . . |
Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers | ||
Connecting . . . |
3.00 % |
Connecting . . . |
Source: deathmeters.info
World population — is the total number of humans currently living in the World.
As of today, the total population of the world is around 8.08 billion people.
The first billion was reached around 1800 and in just 200 years we reached 7 billion.
According to Population Division of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs , these are the main milestones:
- 1 billion — 1804
- 2 billion — 1927 (in 123 years)
- 3 billion — 1960 (in 33 years)
- 4 billion — 1974 (in 14 years)
- 5 billion — 1987 (in 13 years)
- 6 billion — October 12, 1999 (in 12 years)
- 7 billion — October 31, 2011 (in 12 years)
World population is expected to reach 8 billion people in 2023 according to our estimates.
Currently, the world population is increasing by more than 90 million per year.
The Global sex ratio is 1.018. It means that we have slightly more men then women.
The median age of the world’s population is estimated to be 31 years in 2020 (30.3 and 31.8 for male and female accordingly)
.
More than 70% of the world population live in 20 most populous countries of the world. There are just 2 countries in the world with a population more than 1 billion people: China and India. About 36 % of the World population live just in these two countries. Despite the fact that China is curently the most populous country in the world, India’s population growths much faster. And in 2023 India is expected to become the most populous country in the world.
More than half of the world’s population identify with a religious group. The biggest groups are: Christianity (32%) and Islam (24%).
Top 20 most populous countries (14-04-2023)
1 | China | 1,461,045,393 | 18.09% | |
2 | India | 1,430,834,954 | 17.72% | |
3 | United States of America (USA) | 338,267,913 | 4.19% | |
4 | Indonesia | 283,666,973 | 3.51% | |
5 | Pakistan | 234,214,437 | 2.90% | |
6 | Nigeria | 221,948,529 | 2.75% | |
7 | Brazil | 218,202,414 | 2.70% | |
8 | Bangladesh | 170,417,652 | 2.11% | |
9 | Russian Federation | 146,099,960 | 1.81% | |
10 | Mexico | 134,109,402 | 1.66% | |
11 | Japan | 126,177,445 | 1.56% | |
12 | Ethiopia | 123,239,007 | 1.53% | |
13 | Philippines | 114,606,638 | 1.42% | |
14 | Egypt | 108,813,493 | 1.35% | |
15 | Vietnam | 100,511,819 | 1.24% | |
16 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 97,685,698 | 1.21% | |
17 | Turkey | 88,615,502 | 1.10% | |
18 | Iran | 86,975,836 | 1.08% | |
19 | Germany | 83,824,319 | 1.04% | |
20 | Thailand | 70,579,666 | 0.87% |
This list includes 20 most populous countries in the World. Approximately 5.64 billion people live in these twenty countries, or around 70% of the world’s population.
See also: Full List of countries and dependent territories of the World by population
World population 2023
The population of the world is projected to increase by 100,752,643 people in 2023 and reach 8,147,701,961 in the end of the year. The natural increase is expected to be positive, as the number of births will exceed the number of deaths by 100,254,836.
Population change rates in 2023
According to our estimations, daily change rates of world population in 2023 will be the following:
- 447,586 live births average per day (18,649.42 in an hour)
- 172,915 deaths average per day (7,204.80 in an hour)
The population of World will be increasing by 276,035 persons daily in 2023.
Demographics of the World 2022
As of 1 January 2023, the population of the world was estimated to be 8,046,949,318.
This is an increase of 1.24 % (98,830,797 people) compared to population of 7,948,118,521 the year before.
In 2022 the natural increase was positive, as the number of births exceeded the number of deaths by 98,415,064.
Below are the key figures for the world population in 2022:
- 160,747,971 live births
- 62,332,907 deaths
- 4,060,130,059 males as of 31 December 2022
- 3,986,819,259 females as of 31 December 2022
- 4,345,352,632 people live in urban areas (54 % of total world population)
- 3,701,596,686 people live in rural areas (46 % of total world population)
Growth Rate 1952 — 2023
World population density
The world population density is 59.1 people per square kilometer (153.1 per mi2) as of April 2023.
This number is calculated using 8,046,949,318 people as the world population and 136,120,354 km2 (52,556,368 mi2)as Earth’s total area.
This is the sum of land and water areas within international boundaries and coastlines of all the countries in the world.
Since the Earth’s total area is about 510 million square kilometers, the world population density can be calculated in several ways:
- 15.8 people/km2 (40.9/mi2) — the Earth’s total area (including land and water) is 510,072,000 km2 (196,939,921 mi2).
- 53.5 people/km2 (138.5/mi2) — the Earth’s land area.
This includes all continental and island land area as well as Antarctica. The area in that case is 150,461,685 km2 (58,093,588 mi2). - 59.1 people/km2 (153.1/mi2) —
sum of land and water areas within international boundaries and coastlines of all the countries in the world. The area in that case is 136,120,354 km2 (52,556,368 mi2).
See also:
List of countries by surface area and density by United Nations Statistics Division
Map and list of the world by density of population at worldstat.info
Religion of the World
Religion | Number of followers | Percentage of total population |
---|---|---|
Christianity | 2,549,761,536 | 31.7 % |
Islam | 2,013,192,037 | 25.0 % |
Religiously Unaffiliated | 1,221,465,803 | 15.2 % |
Hinduism | 1,198,451,609 | 14.9 % |
Buddhism | 529,055,084 | 6.6 % |
Folk or traditional religions | 451,759,687 | 5.6 % |
Other | 68,003,229 | 0.8 % |
Judaism | 15,260,333 | 0.2 % |
Source: Pew Research Center. The Global Religious Landscape
.
Number of followers estimated by Countrymeters
( January 1 2023).
Global age structure
As of the beginning of 2023 according to our estimates the world had the following population age distribution:
— percentage of population under 15 | |
— percentage of population between 15 and 64 years old | |
— percentage of population 65+ |
In absolute figures (estimate):
- 2,084,569,466 young people under 15 years old (
1,077,744,528 males / 1,006,828,378 females) - 5,081,333,771 persons between 15 and 64 years old (
2,569,398,787 males / 2,511,954,917 females) - 590,141,646 persons above 64 years old (
261,787,349 males / 328,342,163 females)
We prepared a simplified model of the population distribution pyramid which is broken down into 3 main age groups.
The groups are the same as we used above: population under 15, between 15 and 64 and population which is over 65 year old.
65+ |
15-64 |
0-14 |
male | female |
As we can see the World population pyramid has an expanding type. This type of pyramid is common for developing countries with declining fertility rate but still high birth and death rates.
World life expectancy
Life expectancy at birth is one of the most important demographic indicator.
It shows the number of years a newborn infant would live assuming that birth and death rates will remain at the same level during the whole lifetime.
According to Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations,
life expectancy at birth for the world as a whole increased from 65 years in 1990-1995 to 70 years in 2010-2015.
Although wide disparities persist such that the average length of life in Africa in 2010-2015, for example,
is 12 years shorter than the global average and 21 years shorter than in Northern America — see figure below.
Figure: Life expectancy at birth by major areas
Global literacy
According to our estimates 4,894,412,455 persons or 86.3% of adult population (aged 15 years and above) in the world
are able to read and write.
Accordingly about 777,070,761 adults are illiterate.
Literacy rate for adult male population is 89.96% (2,546,850,112 persons). 284,336,024 are illiterate.
Literacy rate for adult female population is 82.65% (2,347,562,343 persons). 492,734,737 are illiterate.
Youth literacy rates are 92.81% and 90.13% for males and females accordingly.
The overall youth literacy rate is 91.51%. Youth literacy rate definition covers the population between the ages of 15 to 24 years.
Source: The estimation data for section «World
population literacy» is based on the latest data published by UNESCO Institute for Statistics (retrieved March 13, 2016)
.
World historical population (1951 — 2023)
The data is given as of 1st of January of an year.
World population history
Year | Population | Growth Rate |
---|---|---|
1951 | 2,560,406,604 | N/A % |
1952 | 2,607,553,997 | 1.84 % |
1953 | 2,654,405,334 | 1.80 % |
1954 | 2,701,399,657 | 1.77 % |
1955 | 2,749,108,690 | 1.77 % |
1956 | 2,797,843,787 | 1.77 % |
1957 | 2,848,060,613 | 1.79 % |
1958 | 2,899,688,319 | 1.81 % |
1959 | 2,952,829,301 | 1.83 % |
1960 | 3,008,337,351 | 1.88 % |
1961 | 3,064,572,222 | 1.87 % |
1962 | 3,122,342,316 | 1.89 % |
1963 | 3,181,956,882 | 1.91 % |
1964 | 3,243,686,348 | 1.94 % |
1965 | 3,308,102,778 | 1.99 % |
1966 | 3,375,113,774 | 2.03 % |
1967 | 3,444,745,982 | 2.06 % |
1968 | 3,516,519,814 | 2.08 % |
1969 | 3,590,108,316 | 2.09 % |
1970 | 3,664,557,571 | 2.07 % |
1971 | 3,739,627,183 | 2.05 % |
1972 | 3,815,162,572 | 2.02 % |
1973 | 3,891,308,177 | 2.00 % |
1974 | 3,967,410,338 | 1.96 % |
1975 | 4,043,288,795 | 1.91 % |
1976 | 4,118,650,244 | 1.86 % |
1977 | 4,193,794,699 | 1.82 % |
1978 | 4,268,758,390 | 1.79 % |
1979 | 4,344,292,968 | 1.77 % |
1980 | 4,420,957,100 | 1.76 % |
1981 | 4,499,346,118 | 1.77 % |
1982 | 4,579,073,550 | 1.77 % |
1983 | 4,660,399,347 | 1.78 % |
1984 | 4,743,637,344 | 1.79 % |
1985 | 4,829,473,423 | 1.81 % |
1986 | 4,917,794,826 | 1.83 % |
1987 | 5,008,635,951 | 1.85 % |
1988 | 5,100,973,495 | 1.84 % |
1989 | 5,193,588,212 | 1.82 % |
1990 | 5,284,512,394 | 1.75 % |
1991 | 5,372,958,607 | 1.67 % |
1992 | 5,458,709,589 | 1.60 % |
1993 | 5,542,505,600 | 1.54 % |
1994 | 5,624,649,220 | 1.48 % |
1995 | 5,705,987,737 | 1.45 % |
1996 | 5,786,776,201 | 1.42 % |
1997 | 5,867,328,462 | 1.39 % |
1998 | 5,947,157,474 | 1.36 % |
1999 | 6,026,548,295 | 1.33 % |
2000 | 6,105,725,477 | 1.31 % |
2001 | 6,185,028,231 | 1.30 % |
2002 | 6,264,168,230 | 1.28 % |
2003 | 6,343,448,736 | 1.27 % |
2004 | 6,423,033,915 | 1.25 % |
2005 | 6,503,507,778 | 1.25 % |
2006 | 6,584,702,481 | 1.25 % |
2007 | 6,666,737,393 | 1.25 % |
2008 | 6,749,422,837 | 1.24 % |
2009 | 6,832,961,603 | 1.24 % |
2010 | 6,916,843,009 | 1.23 % |
2011 | 7,001,071,861 | 1.22 % |
2012 | 7,085,473,969 | 1.21 % |
2013 | 7,170,293,122 | 1.20 % |
2014 | 7,255,029,148 | 1.18 % |
2015 | 7,339,619,737 | 1.17 % |
2016 | 7,423,834,158 | 1.15 % |
2017 | 7,507,990,494 | 1.13 % |
2018 | 7,591,515,998 | 1.11 % |
2019 | 7,674,314,922 | 1.09 % |
2020 | 7,756,041,003 | 1.06 % |
2021 | 7,851,163,856 | 1.23 % |
2022 | 7,948,118,521 | 1.23 % |
2023 | 8,046,949,318 | 1.24 % |
The data is given as of 1st of January of an year.
Population projection (2020-2100)
Year | Population | Growth Rate |
---|---|---|
2020 | 7,797,322,395 | -3.10 % |
2025 | 8,187,482,626 | 5.00 % |
2030 | 8,553,090,972 | 4.47 % |
2035 | 8,894,594,868 | 3.99 % |
2040 | 9,212,224,932 | 3.57 % |
2045 | 9,506,070,389 | 3.19 % |
2050 | 9,773,651,653 | 2.81 % |
2055 | 10,012,946,343 | 2.45 % |
2060 | 10,224,315,824 | 2.11 % |
2065 | 10,411,449,013 | 1.83 % |
2070 | 10,577,408,925 | 1.59 % |
2075 | 10,723,432,838 | 1.38 % |
2080 | 10,850,084,849 | 1.18 % |
2085 | 10,958,838,946 | 1.00 % |
2090 | 11,051,228,331 | 0.84 % |
2095 | 11,127,099,242 | 0.69 % |
2100 | 11,185,333,718 | 0.52 % |
The data is given as of 1st of July of an year (medium fertility variant).
Source : United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Population Division
World population growth from 10,000 BCE to 2021[1]
High, medium, and low projections of the future human world population[2]
In demographics, the world population is the total number of humans currently living. It was estimated by the United Nations to have exceeded eight billion in mid-November 2022. It took over 200,000 years of human prehistory and history for the human population to reach one billion and only 219 years more to reach 8 billion.[3]
The human population experienced continuous growth following the Great Famine of 1315–1317 and the end of the Black Death in 1350, when it was nearly 370,000,000.[4] The highest global population growth rates, with increases of over 1.8% per year, occurred between 1955 and 1975, peaking at 2.1% between 1965 and 1970.[5] The growth rate declined to 1.1% between 2015 and 2020 and is projected to decline further in the 21st century.[6] The global population is still increasing, but there is significant uncertainty about its long-term trajectory due to changing fertility and mortality rates.[7] The UN Department of Economics and Social Affairs projects between 9 and 10 billion people by 2050 and gives an 80% confidence interval of 10–12 billion by the end of the 21st century,[2] with a growth rate by then of zero. Other demographers predict that the human population will begin to decline in the second half of the 21st century.[8]
The total number of births globally is currently (2015–2020) 140 million/year, which is projected to peak during the period 2040–2045 at 141 million/year and then decline slowly to 126 million/year by 2100.[9] The total number of deaths is currently 57 million/year and is projected to grow steadily to 121 million/year by 2100.[10]
The median age of human beings as of 2020 is 31 years.[11]
History
Visual comparison of the world population in past and present
Estimates of world population by their nature are an aspect of modernity, possible only since the Age of Discovery. Early estimates for the population of the world[12] date to the 17th century: William Petty, in 1682, estimated the world population at 320 million (current estimates ranging close to twice this number); by the late 18th century, estimates ranged close to one billion (consistent with current estimates).[13] More refined estimates, broken down by continents, were published in the first half of the 19th century, at 600 million to 1 billion in the early 1800s and 800 million to 1 billion in the 1840s.[14]
It is difficult for estimates to be better than rough approximations, as even current population estimates are fraught with uncertainties from 3% to 5%.[15]
Ancient and post-classical history
Estimates of the population of the world at the time agriculture emerged in around 10,000 BC have ranged between 1 million and 15 million.[16][17] Even earlier, genetic evidence suggests humans may have gone through a population bottleneck of between 1,000 and 10,000 people about 70,000 BC, according to the now largely discredited Toba catastrophe theory. By contrast, it is estimated that around 50–60 million people lived in the combined eastern and western Roman Empire in the 4th century AD.[18]
The Plague of Justinian caused Europe’s population to drop by around 50% between the 6th and 8th centuries AD.[19] The population of Europe was more than 70 million in 1340.[20] From 1340 to 1400, the world’s population fell from an estimated 443 million to 350–375 million,[21] with the Indian subcontinent suffering the most tremendous loss and Europe suffering the Black Death pandemic;[22] it took 200 years for European population figures to recover.[23] The population of China decreased from 123 million in 1200 to 65 million in 1393,[24] presumably from a combination of Mongol invasions, famine, and plague.[25]
Starting in AD 2, the Han dynasty of ancient China kept consistent family registers to properly assess the poll taxes and labor service duties of each household.[26] In that year, the population of Western Han was recorded as 57,671,400 individuals in 12,366,470 households, decreasing to 47,566,772 individuals in 9,348,227 households by AD 146, towards the end of the Han dynasty.[26] From 200 to 400, the world population fell from an estimated 257 million to 206 million, with China suffering the greatest loss.[22] At the founding of the Ming dynasty in 1368, China’s population was reported to be close to 60 million; toward the end of the dynasty in 1644, it may have approached 150 million.[27] England’s population reached an estimated 5.6 million in 1650, up from an estimated 2.6 million in 1500.[28] New crops that were brought to Asia and Europe from the Americas by Portuguese and Spanish colonists in the 16th century are believed to have contributed to population growth.[29][30][31] Since their introduction to Africa by Portuguese traders in the 16th century,[32] maize and cassava have similarly replaced traditional African crops as the most important staple food crops grown on the continent.[33]
The pre-Columbian population of the Americas is uncertain; historian David Henige called it «the most unanswerable question in the world.»[34] By the end of the 20th century, scholarly consensus favored an estimate of roughly 55 million people, but numbers from various sources have ranged from 10 million to 100 million.[35] Encounters between European explorers and populations in the rest of the world often introduced local epidemics of extraordinary virulence.[36] According to the most extreme scholarly claims, as many as 90% of the Native American population of the New World died of Old World diseases such as smallpox, measles, and influenza.[37] Over the centuries, the Europeans had developed high degrees of immunity to these diseases, while the indigenous peoples had no such immunity.[38]
Modern history
Map showing urban areas with at least one million inhabitants in 2006. Only 3% of the world’s population lived in urban areas in 1800; this proportion had risen to 47% by 2000, and reached 50.5% by 2010.[39] By 2050, the proportion may reach 70%.[40]
During the European Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions, the life expectancy of children increased dramatically.[41] The percentage of the children born in London who died before the age of five decreased from 74.5% in 1730–1749 to 31.8% in 1810–1829.[42][43] Between 1700 and 1900, Europe’s population increased from about 100 million to over 400 million.[44] Altogether, the areas populated by people of European descent comprised 36% of the world’s population in 1900.[45]
Population growth in the Western world became more rapid after the introduction of vaccination and other improvements in medicine and sanitation.[46] Improved material conditions led to the population of Britain increasing from 10 million to 40 million in the 19th century.[47] The population of the United Kingdom reached 60 million in 2006.[48] The United States saw its population grow from around 5.3 million in 1800 to 106 million in 1920, exceeding 307 million in 2010.[49]
The first half of the 20th century in Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union was marked by a succession of major wars, famines and other disasters which caused large-scale population losses (approximately 60 million excess deaths).[50][51] After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia’s population declined significantly – from 150 million in 1991 to 143 million in 2012[52] – but by 2013 this decline appeared to have halted.[53]
Many countries in the developing world have experienced extremely rapid population growth since the early 20th century, due to economic development and improvements in public health. China’s population rose from approximately 430 million in 1850 to 580 million in 1953,[54] and now stands at over 1.3 billion. The population of the Indian subcontinent, which was about 125 million in 1750, increased to 389 million in 1941;[55] today, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are collectively home to about 1.63 billion people.[56] Java, an island in Indonesia, had about 5 million inhabitants in 1815; it had a population of over 139 million in 2020.[57] In just one hundred years, the population of Brazil decupled (x10), from about 17 million in 1900, or about 1% of the world population in that year, to about 176 million in 2000, or almost 3% of the global population in the very early 21st century. Mexico’s population grew from 13.6 million in 1900 to about 112 million in 2010.[58][59] Between the 1920s and 2000s, Kenya’s population grew from 2.9 million to 37 million.[60]
Milestones by the billions
Population | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1804 | 1930 | 1960 | 1974 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | 2022 | 2037 | 2057 |
Years elapsed | 200,000+ | 126 | 30 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 15 | 20 |
The UN estimated that the world population reached one billion for the first time in 1804. It was another 123 years before it reached two billion in 1927, but it took only 33 years to reach three billion in 1960.[62] Thereafter, it took 14 years for the global population to reach four billion in 1974, 13 years to reach five billion in 1987, 12 years to reach six billion in 1999 and, according to the United States Census Bureau, 13 years to reach seven billion in March 2012.[63] The United Nations, however, estimated that the world population reached seven billion in October 2011.[64][65][66]
According to the UN, the global population reached eight billion in November 2022,[67] but because the growth rate is slowing, it will take another 15 years to reach around 9 billion by 2037 and 20 years to reach 10 billion by 2057.[68] Alternative scenarios for 2050 range from a low of 7.4 billion to a high of more than 10.6 billion.[69] Projected figures vary depending on underlying statistical assumptions and the variables used in projection calculations, especially the fertility and mortality variables. Long-range predictions to 2150 range from a population decline to 3.2 billion in the «low scenario», to «high scenarios» of 24.8 billion.[69] One extreme scenario predicted a massive increase to 256 billion by 2150, assuming the global fertility rate remained at its 1995 level of 3.04 children per woman; however, by 2010 the global fertility rate had declined to 2.52.[70][71]
There is no estimation for the exact day or month the world’s population surpassed one or two billion. The points at which it reached three and four billion were not officially noted, but the International Database of the United States Census Bureau placed them in July 1959 and April 1974 respectively. The United Nations did determine, and commemorate, the «Day of 5 Billion» on 11 July 1987, and the «Day of 6 Billion» on 12 October 1999. The Population Division of the United Nations declared the «Day of Seven Billion» to be 31 October 2011.[72] The United Nations marked the birth of the eight billionth person on 15 November 2022.[73][67]
Global demographics
-
>80
-
77.5–80
-
75–77.5
-
72.5–75
-
70–72.5
-
67.5–70
-
65–67.5
-
60–65
-
55–60
-
50–55
2015 map showing average life expectancy by country in years. In 2015, the World Health Organization estimated the average global life expectancy as 71.4 years.[74]
As of 2012, the global sex ratio is approximately 1.01 males to 1 female.[75] Approximately 26.3% of the global population is aged under 15, while 65.9% is aged 15–64 and 7.9% is aged 65 or over.[75] The median age of the world’s population is estimated to be 31 years in 2020,[11] and is expected to rise to 37.9 years by 2050.[76]
According to the World Health Organization, the global average life expectancy is 73.3 years as of 2020, with women living an average of 75.9 years and men approximately 70.8 years.[77] In 2010, the global fertility rate was estimated at 2.44 children per woman.[78] In June 2012, British researchers calculated the total weight of Earth’s human population as approximately 287 million tonnes (630 billion pounds), with the average person weighing around 62 kilograms (137 lb).[79]
The IMF estimated nominal 2021 gross world product at US$94.94 trillion, giving an annual global per capita figure of around US$12,290.[80] Around 9.3% of the world population live in extreme poverty, subsisting on less than US$1.9 per day;[81] around 8.9% are malnourished.[82] 87% of the world’s over-15s are considered literate.[83] As of April 2022, there were about 5 billion global Internet users, constituting 63% of the world population.[84]
The Han Chinese are the world’s largest single ethnic group, constituting over 19% of the global population in 2011.[85] The world’s most-spoken languages are English (1.132B), Mandarin Chinese (1.117B), Hindi (615M), Spanish (534M) and French (280M). More than three billion people speak an Indo-European language, which is the largest language family by number of speakers. Standard Arabic is a language with no native speakers, but the total number of speakers is estimated at 274 million people.[86]
The largest religious categories in the world as of 2020 are estimated as follows: Christianity (31%), Islam (25%), Unaffiliated (16%) and Hinduism (15%).[87]
Population by region
Six of the Earth’s seven continents are permanently inhabited on a large scale.
Asia is the most populous continent, with its 4.64 billion inhabitants accounting for 60% of the world population. The world’s two most populated countries, China and India, together constitute about 36% of the world’s population.
Africa is the second most populated continent, with around 1.34 billion people, or 17% of the world’s population.
Europe’s 747 million people make up 10% of the world’s population as of 2020,
while the Latin American and Caribbean regions are home to around 653 million (8%). Northern America, primarily consisting of the United States and Canada, has a population of around 368 million (5%),
and Oceania, the least populated region, has about 42 million inhabitants (0.5%).[88] Antarctica only has a very small, fluctuating population of about 1200 people based mainly in polar science stations.[89]
Region | Density (inhabitants/km2) |
Population (millions) |
Most populous country | Most populous city (metropolitan area) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Asia | 104.1 | 4,641 | 1,411,778,000 – China[note 1] | 13,515,000 – Tokyo Metropolis (37,400,000 – Greater Tokyo Area) |
Africa | 44.4 | 1,340 | 0,211,401,000 – Nigeria | 09,500,000 – Cairo (20,076,000 – Greater Cairo) |
Europe | 73.4 | 747 | 0,146,171,000 – Russia, approx. 110 million in Europe | 13,200,000 – Moscow (20,004,000 – Moscow metropolitan area) |
Latin America | 24.1 | 653 | 0,214,103,000 – Brazil | 12,252,000 – São Paulo City (21,650,000 – São Paulo Metro Area) |
Northern America[note 2] | 14.9 | 368 | 0,332,909,000 – United States | 08,804,000 – New York City (23,582,649 – New York metropolitan area[90]) |
Oceania | 5 | 42 | 0,025,917,000 – Australia | 05,367,000 – Sydney |
Antarctica | ~0 | 0.004[89] | N/A[note 3] | 00,001,258 – McMurdo Station |
Largest populations by country
Cartogram showing the distribution of the world population, each square represents half a million people.
A map of world population in 2019
1901 to 2021 population graph of the five countries with the highest current populations
10 most populous countries
Rank | Country / Dependency | Population | Percentage of the world |
Date | Source (official or from the United Nations) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | China | 1,412,600,000 | 17.6% | 31 Dec 2021 | National annual estimate[91] |
2 | India | 1,373,761,000 | 17.1% | 1 Mar 2022 | Annual national estimate[92] |
3 | United States | 333,894,776 | 4.16% | 14 Apr 2023 | National population clock[93] |
4 | Indonesia | 275,773,800 | 3.44% | 1 Jul 2022 | National annual estimate[94] |
5 | Pakistan | 229,488,994 | 2.86% | 1 Jul 2022 | UN projection[95] |
6 | Nigeria | 216,746,934 | 2.70% | 1 Jul 2022 | UN projection[95] |
7 | Brazil | 216,016,267 | 2.69% | 14 Apr 2023 | National population clock[96] |
8 | Bangladesh | 168,220,000 | 2.10% | 1 Jul 2020 | Annual Population Estimate[97] |
9 | Russia | 147,190,000 | 1.83% | 1 Oct 2021 | 2021 preliminary census results[98] |
10 | Mexico | 128,271,248 | 1.60% | 31 Mar 2022 | National quarterly estimate[99] |
Approximately 4.5 billion people live in these ten countries, representing around 56% of the world’s population as of July 2022.
The UN estimates that by 2023 India will have overtaken China in having the largest population.[100][101]
# | Most populous countries | 2000 | 2015 | 2030[A] | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | China[B] | 1,270 | 1,376 | 1,416 | |
2 | India | 1,053 | 1,311 | 1,528 | |
3 | United States | 283 | 322 | 356 | |
4 | Indonesia | 212 | 258 | 295 | |
5 | Pakistan | 136 | 208 | 245 | |
6 | Brazil | 176 | 206 | 228 | |
7 | Nigeria | 123 | 182 | 263 | |
8 | Bangladesh | 131 | 161 | 186 | |
9 | Russia | 146 | 146 | 149 | |
10 | Mexico | 103 | 127 | 148 | |
World total | 6,127 | 7,349 | 8,501 | ||
Notes:
|
Most densely populated countries
The tables below list the world’s most densely populated countries, both in absolute terms and in comparison to their total populations, as of November 2022. All areas and populations are from The World Factbook, unless otherwise noted.
Population density (people per km2) map of the world in 2020. Red areas denote regions of highest population density
Rank | Country | Population | Area (km2) |
Density (pop/km2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Singapore | 5,921,231 | 719 | 8,235 |
2 | Bangladesh | 165,650,475 | 148,460 | 1,116 |
3 |
Palestine[104] |
5,223,000 | 6,025 | 867 |
4 | Taiwan | 23,580,712 | 35,980 | 655 |
5 | South Korea | 51,844,834 | 99,720 | 520 |
6 | Lebanon | 5,296,814 | 10,400 | 509 |
7 | Rwanda | 13,173,730 | 26,338 | 500 |
8 | Burundi | 12,696,478 | 27,830 | 456 |
9 | India | 1,389,637,446 | 3,287,263 | 423 |
10 | Netherlands | 17,400,824 | 41,543 | 419 |
Rank | Country | Population | Area (km2) |
Density (pop/km2) |
Population trend[citation needed] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | India | 1,389,637,446 | 3,287,263 | 423 | Growing |
2 | Pakistan | 242,923,845 | 796,095 | 305 | Rapidly growing |
3 | Bangladesh | 165,650,475 | 148,460 | 1,116 | Growing |
4 | Japan | 124,214,766 | 377,915 | 329 | Declining[105] |
5 | Philippines | 114,597,229 | 300,000 | 382 | Growing |
6 | Vietnam | 103,808,319 | 331,210 | 313 | Growing |
7 | United Kingdom | 67,791,400 | 243,610 | 278 | Growing |
8 | South Korea | 51,844,834 | 99,720 | 520 | Steady |
9 | Taiwan | 23,580,712 | 35,980 | 655 | Steady |
10 | Sri Lanka | 23,187,516 | 65,610 | 353 | Growing |
Fluctuation
Estimates of population evolution in different continents between 1950 and 2050, according to the United Nations. The vertical axis is logarithmic and is in millions of people.
Population size fluctuates at differing rates in differing regions. Nonetheless, population growth has been the long-standing trend on all inhabited continents, as well as in most individual states. During the 20th century, the global population saw its greatest increase in known history, rising from about 1.6 billion in 1900 to over 6 billion in 2000[106] as the whole world entered the early phases of what has come to be called the «demographic transition». Some of the key factors contributing to this increase included the lessening of the mortality rate in many countries by improved sanitation and medical advances, and a massive increase in agricultural productivity attributed to the Green Revolution.[107][108] By 2000, there were approximately ten times as many people on Earth as there had been in 1700.
However, this rapid growth did not last. During the period 2000–2005, the United Nations estimates that the world’s population was growing at an annual rate of 1.3% (equivalent to around 80 million people), down from a peak of 2.1% during the period 1965–1970.[6] Globally, although the population growth rate has been steadily declining from its peak in 1968,[109] growth still remains high in Sub-Saharan Africa.[110]
In fact, during the 2010s, Japan and some countries in Europe began to reduce in population, due to sub-replacement fertility rates.[105]
In 2019, the United Nations reported that the rate of population growth continues to decline due to the ongoing global demographic transition. If this trend continues, the rate of growth may diminish to zero by 2100, concurrent with a world population plateau of 10.9 billion.[6][68] However, this is only one of many estimates published by the UN; in 2009, UN population projections for 2050 ranged between around 8 billion and 10.5 billion.[111] An alternative scenario is given by the statistician Jorgen Randers, who argues that traditional projections insufficiently take into account the downward impact of global urbanization on fertility. Randers’ «most likely scenario» reveals a peak in the world population in the early 2040s at about 8.1 billion people, followed by decline.[112] Adrian Raftery, a University of Washington professor of statistics and of sociology, states that «there’s a 70 percent probability the world population will not stabilize this century. Population, which had sort of fallen off the world’s agenda, remains a very important issue.»[113]
-
Estimated world population figures, 10,000 BC–AD 2000
-
Estimated world population figures, 10,000 BC–AD 2000 (in log y scale)
-
World population figures, 1950–2017
Annual population growth
Year | Population | Yearly growth | Density (pop/km2) |
Urban population | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% | Number | Number | % | |||
1951 | 2,584,034,261 | 1.88% | 47,603,112 | 17 | 775,067,697 | 30% |
1952 | 2,630,861,562 | 1.81% | 46,827,301 | 18 | 799,282,533 | 30% |
1953 | 2,677,608,960 | 1.78% | 46,747,398 | 18 | 824,289,989 | 31% |
1954 | 2,724,846,741 | 1.76% | 47,237,781 | 18 | 850,179,106 | 31% |
1955 | 2,773,019,936 | 1.77% | 48,173,195 | 19 | 877,008,842 | 32% |
1956 | 2,822,443,282 | 1.78% | 49,423,346 | 19 | 904,685,164 | 32% |
1957 | 2,873,306,090 | 1.80% | 50,862,808 | 19 | 933,113,168 | 32% |
1958 | 2,925,686,705 | 1.82% | 52,380,615 | 20 | 962,537,113 | 33% |
1959 | 2,979,576,185 | 1.84% | 53,889,480 | 20 | 992,820,546 | 33% |
1960 | 3,034,949,748 | 1.86% | 55,373,563 | 20 | 1,023,845,517 | 34% |
1961 | 3,091,843,507 | 1.87% | 56,893,759 | 21 | 1,055,435,648 | 34% |
1962 | 3,150,420,795 | 1.89% | 58,577,288 | 21 | 1,088,376,703 | 35% |
1963 | 3,211,001,009 | 1.92% | 60,580,214 | 22 | 1,122,561,940 | 35% |
1964 | 3,273,978,338 | 1.96% | 62,977,329 | 22 | 1,157,813,355 | 35% |
1965 | 3,339,583,597 | 2.00% | 65,605,259 | 22 | 1,188,469,224 | 36% |
1966 | 3,407,922,630 | 2.05% | 68,339,033 | 23 | 1,219,993,032 | 36% |
1967 | 3,478,769,962 | 2.08% | 70,847,332 | 23 | 1,252,566,565 | 36% |
1968 | 3,551,599,127 | 2.09% | 72,829,165 | 24 | 1,285,933,432 | 36% |
1969 | 3,625,680,627 | 2.09% | 74,081,500 | 24 | 1,319,833,474 | 36% |
1970 | 3,700,437,046 | 2.06% | 74,756,419 | 25 | 1,354,215,496 | 37% |
1971 | 3,775,759,617 | 2.04% | 75,322,571 | 25 | 1,388,834,099 | 37% |
1972 | 3,851,650,245 | 2.01% | 75,890,628 | 26 | 1,424,734,781 | 37% |
1973 | 3,927,780,238 | 1.98% | 76,129,993 | 26 | 1,462,178,370 | 37% |
1974 | 4,003,794,172 | 1.94% | 76,013,934 | 27 | 1,501,134,655 | 37% |
1975 | 4,079,480,606 | 1.89% | 75,686,434 | 27 | 1,538,624,994 | 38% |
1976 | 4,154,666,864 | 1.84% | 75,186,258 | 28 | 1,577,376,141 | 38% |
1977 | 4,229,506,060 | 1.80% | 74,839,196 | 28 | 1,616,419,308 | 38% |
1978 | 4,304,533,501 | 1.77% | 75,027,441 | 29 | 1,659,306,117 | 39% |
1979 | 4,380,506,100 | 1.76% | 75,972,599 | 29 | 1,706,021,638 | 39% |
1980 | 4,458,003,514 | 1.77% | 77,497,414 | 30 | 1,754,201,029 | 39% |
1981 | 4,536,996,762 | 1.77% | 78,993,248 | 30 | 1,804,215,203 | 40% |
1982 | 4,617,386,542 | 1.77% | 80,389,780 | 31 | 1,854,134,229 | 40% |
1983 | 4,699,569,304 | 1.78% | 82,182,762 | 32 | 1,903,822,436 | 41% |
1984 | 4,784,011,621 | 1.80% | 84,442,317 | 32 | 1,955,106,433 | 41% |
1985 | 4,870,921,740 | 1.82% | 86,910,119 | 33 | 2,007,939,063 | 41% |
1986 | 4,960,567,912 | 1.84% | 89,646,172 | 33 | 2,062,604,394 | 42% |
1987 | 5,052,522,147 | 1.85% | 91,954,235 | 34 | 2,118,882,551 | 42% |
1988 | 5,145,426,008 | 1.84% | 92,903,861 | 35 | 2,176,126,537 | 42% |
1989 | 5,237,441,558 | 1.79% | 92,015,550 | 35 | 2,233,140,502 | 43% |
1990 | 5,327,231,061 | 1.71% | 89,789,503 | 36 | 2,290,228,096 | 43% |
1991 | 5,414,289,444 | 1.63% | 87,058,383 | 36 | 2,347,462,336 | 43% |
1992 | 5,498,919,809 | 1.56% | 84,630,365 | 37 | 2,404,337,297 | 44% |
1993 | 5,581,597,546 | 1.50% | 82,677,737 | 37 | 2,461,223,528 | 44% |
1994 | 5,663,150,427 | 1.46% | 81,552,881 | 38 | 2,518,254,111 | 44% |
1995 | 5,744,212,979 | 1.43% | 81,062,552 | 39 | 2,575,505,235 | 45% |
1996 | 5,824,891,951 | 1.40% | 80,678,972 | 39 | 2,632,941,583 | 45% |
1997 | 5,905,045,788 | 1.38% | 80,153,837 | 40 | 2,690,813,541 | 46% |
1998 | 5,984,793,942 | 1.35% | 79,748,154 | 40 | 2,749,213,598 | 46% |
1999 | 6,064,239,055 | 1.33% | 79,445,113 | 41 | 2,808,231,655 | 46% |
2000 | 6,143,494,000 | 1.31% | 79,255,000 | 41 | 2,868,308,000 | 46% |
2001 | 6,222,627,000 | 1.29% | 79,133,000 | 42 | 2,933,079,000 | 47% |
2002 | 6,301,773,000 | 1.27% | 79,147,000 | 42 | 3,001,808,000 | 47% |
2003 | 6,381,185,000 | 1.26% | 79,412,000 | 43 | 3,071,744,000 | 48% |
2004 | 6,461,159,000 | 1.25% | 79,974,000 | 43 | 3,143,045,000 | 48% |
2005 | 6,541,907,000 | 1.25% | 80,748,000 | 44 | 3,215,906,000 | 49% |
2006 | 6,623,518,000 | 1.25% | 81,611,000 | 44 | 3,289,446,000 | 50% |
2007 | 6,705,947,000 | 1.24% | 82,429,000 | 45 | 3,363,610,000 | 50% |
2008 | 6,789,089,000 | 1.24% | 83,142,000 | 46 | 3,439,719,000 | 50% |
2009 | 6,872,767,000 | 1.23% | 83,678,000 | 47 | 3,516,830,000 | 51% |
2010 | 6,956,824,000 | 1.22% | 84,057,000 | 47 | 3,594,868,000 | 51% |
2011 | 7,041,194,000 | 1.21% | 84,371,000 | 47 | 3,671,424,000 | 52% |
2012 | 7,125,828,000 | 1.20% | 84,634,000 | 48 | 3,747,843,000 | 52% |
2013 | 7,210,582,000 | 1.19% | 84,754,000 | 48 | 3,824,990,000 | 53% |
2014 | 7,295,291,000 | 1.17% | 84,709,000 | 49 | 3,902,832,000 | 53% |
2015 | 7,379,797,000 | 1.16% | 84,506,000 | 50 | 3,981,498,000 | 54% |
2016 | 7,464,022,000 | 1.14% | 84,225,000 | 50 | 4,060,653,000 | 54% |
2017 | 7,547,859,000 | 1.12% | 83,837,000 | 51 | 4,140,189,000 | 55% |
2018 | 7,631,091,000 | 1.10% | 83,232,000 | 51 | 4,219,817,000 | 55% |
2019 | 7,713,468,000 | 1.08% | 82,377,000 | 52 | 4,299,439,000 | 56% |
2020 | 7,795,000,000 | 1.05% | 81,331,000 | 52 | 4,378,900,000 | 56% |
Population growth by region
The table below shows historical and predicted regional population figures in millions.[115][116][117] The availability of historical population figures varies by region.
Region | 1500 | 1600 | 1700 | 1750 | 1800 | 1850 | 1900 | 1950 | 1999 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2050 | 2150 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
World | 585 | 660 | 710 | 791 | 978 | 1,262 | 1,650 | 2,521 | 6,008 | 6,707 | 6,896 | 7,052 | 9,725 | 9,746 |
Africa | 86 | 114 | 106 | 106 | 107 | 111 | 133 | 221 | 783 | 973 | 1,022 | 1,052 | 2,478 | 2,308 |
Asia | 282 | 350 | 411 | 502 | 635 | 809 | 947 | 1,402 | 3,700 | 4,054 | 4,164 | 4,250 | 5,267 | 5,561 |
Europe | 168 | 170 | 178 | 190 | 203 | 276 | 408 | 547 | 675 | 732 | 738 | 740 | 734 | 517 |
Latin America[Note 1] | 40 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 24 | 38 | 74 | 167 | 508 | 577 | 590 | 603 | 784 | 912 |
Northern America[Note 1] | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 26 | 82 | 172 | 312 | 337 | 345 | 351 | 433 | 398 |
Oceania | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 30 | 34 | 37 | 38 | 57 | 51 |
Region | 1500 | 1600 | 1700 | 1750 | 1800 | 1850 | 1900 | 1950 | 1999 | 2008 | 2010 | 2012 | 2050 | 2150 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa | 14.7 | 17.3 | 14.9 | 13.4 | 10.9 | 8.8 | 8.1 | 8.8 | 13.0 | 14.5 | 14.8 | 15.2 | 25.5 | 23.7 |
Asia | 48.2 | 53.0 | 57.9 | 63.5 | 64.9 | 64.1 | 57.4 | 55.6 | 61.6 | 60.4 | 60.4 | 60.3 | 54.2 | 57.1 |
Europe | 28.7 | 25.8 | 25.1 | 20.6 | 20.8 | 21.9 | 24.7 | 21.7 | 11.2 | 10.9 | 10.7 | 10.5 | 7.6 | 5.3 |
Latin America[Note 1] | 6.8 | 3.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 8.5 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.6 | 8.1 | 9.4 |
Northern America[Note 1] | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 5.0 | 6.8 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 4.1 |
Oceania | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 |
Past population
The following table gives estimates, in millions, of population in the past. The data for 1750 to 1900 are from the UN report «The World at Six Billion»[121] whereas the data from 1950 to 2015 are from a UN data sheet.[102]
Year | World | Africa | Asia | Europe | Latin America & Carib.[Note 1] |
North America [Note 1] |
Oceania | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
70,000 BC | < 0.015 | 0 | 0 | [122] | ||||
10,000 BC | 4 | [123] | ||||||
8000 BC | 5 | |||||||
6500 BC | 5 | |||||||
5000 BC | 5 | |||||||
4000 BC | 7 | |||||||
3000 BC | 14 | |||||||
2000 BC | 27 | |||||||
1000 BC | 50 | 7 | 33 | 9 | [citation needed] | |||
500 BC | 100 | 14 | 66 | 16 | ||||
AD 1 | 200 | 23 | 141 | 28 | ||||
1000 | 400 | 70 | 269 | 50 | 8 | 1 | 2 | |
1500 | 458 | 86 | 243 | 84 | 39 | 3 | 3 | |
1600 | 580 | 114 | 339 | 111 | 10 | 3 | 3 | |
1700 | 682 | 106 | 436 | 125 | 10 | 2 | 3 | |
1750 | 791 | 106 | 502 | 163 | 16 | 2 | 2 | |
1800 | 1,000 | 107 | 656 | 203 | 24 | 7 | 3 | |
1850 | 1,262 | 111 | 809 | 276 | 38 | 26 | 2 | |
1900 | 1,650 | 133 | 947 | 408 | 74 | 82 | 6 | |
1950 | 2,525 | 229 | 1,394 | 549 | 169 | 172 | 12.7 | [124] |
1955 | 2,758 | 254 | 1,534 | 577 | 193 | 187 | 14.2 | |
1960 | 3,018 | 285 | 1,687 | 606 | 221 | 204 | 15.8 | |
1965 | 3,322 | 322 | 1,875 | 635 | 254 | 219 | 17.5 | |
1970 | 3,682 | 366 | 2,120 | 657 | 288 | 231 | 19.7 | |
1975 | 4,061 | 416 | 2,378 | 677 | 326 | 242 | 21.5 | |
1980 | 4,440 | 478 | 2,626 | 694 | 365 | 254 | 23.0 | |
1985 | 4,853 | 550 | 2,897 | 708 | 406 | 267 | 24.9 | |
1990 | 5,310 | 632 | 3,202 | 721 | 447 | 281 | 27.0 | |
1995 | 5,735 | 720 | 3,475 | 728 | 487 | 296 | 29.1 | |
2000 | 6,127 | 814 | 3,714 | 726 | 527 | 314 | 31.1 | |
2005 | 6,520 | 920 | 3,945 | 729 | 564 | 329 | 33.4 | |
2010 | 6,930 | 1,044 | 4,170 | 735 | 600 | 344 | 36.4 | |
2015 | 7,349 | 1,186 | 4,393 | 738 | 634 | 358 | 39.3 |
Using the above figures, the change in population from 2010 to 2015 was:
- World: +420 million
- Africa: +142 million
- Asia: +223 million
- Europe: +3 million
- Latin America and Caribbean: +35 million
- Northern America: +14 million
- Oceania: +2.9 million
- ^ a b c d e f North America is here defined to include the northernmost countries and territories of North America: Canada, the United States, Greenland, Bermuda, and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. Latin America & Carib. comprises Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.
Projections
Long-term global population growth is difficult to predict. The United Nations and the US Census Bureau both give different estimates – according to the UN, the world population reached seven billion in late 2011,[115] while the USCB asserted that this occurred in March 2012.[125] Since 1951 the UN has issued multiple projections of future world population, based on different assumptions. From 2000 to 2005, the UN consistently revised these projections downward, until the 2006 revision, issued on 14 March 2007, revised the 2050 mid-range estimate upwards by 273 million.[citation needed]
Complicating the UN’s and others’ attempts to project future populations is the fact that average global birth rates, as well as mortality rates, are declining rapidly, as the nations of the world progress through the stages of the demographic transition, but both vary greatly between developed countries (where birth rates and mortality rates are often low) and developing countries (where birth and mortality rates typically remain high). Different ethnicities also display varying birth rates.[citation needed] Both of these can change rapidly due to disease epidemics, wars and other mass catastrophes, or advances in medicine and public health.
The UN’s first report in 1951 showed that during the period 1950–55 the crude birth rate was 36.9/1,000 population and the crude death rate was 19.1/1,000. By the period 2015–20 both numbers had dropped significantly to 18.5/1,000 for the crude birth rate and 7.5/1,000 for the crude death rate. UN projections for 2100 show a further decline in the crude birth rate to 11.6/1,000 and an increase in the crude death rate to 11.2/1,000.[126],[127]
The total number of births globally is currently (2015–20) 140 million/year, is projected to peak during the period 2040–45 at 141 million/year and thereafter decline slowly to 126 million/year by 2100.[9] The total number of deaths is currently 57 million/year and is projected to grow steadily to 121 million/year by 2100.[10]
2012 United Nations projections show a continued increase in population in the near future with a steady decline in population growth rate; the global population is expected to reach between 8.3 and 10.9 billion by 2050.[128][129] 2003 UN Population Division population projections for the year 2150 range between 3.2 and 24.8 billion.[70] One of many independent mathematical models supports the lower estimate,[130] while a 2014 estimate forecasts between 9.3 and 12.6 billion in 2100, and continued growth thereafter.[131][132] The 2019 Revision of the UN estimates gives the «medium variant» population as; nearly 8.6 billion in 2030, about 9.7 billion in 2050 and about 10.9 billion in 2100.[133] In December 2019, the German Foundation for World Population projected that the global population will reach 8 billion by 2023 as it increases by 156 every minute.[134] In a modeled future projection by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation the global population was projected to peak in 2064 at 9.73 billion people and decline to 8.79 billion in 2100.[135] Some analysts have questioned the sustainability of further world population growth, highlighting the growing pressures on the environment,[136][137] global food supplies, and energy resources.[138][139][140]
Year | UN est. (millions) |
Difference | USCB est. (millions) |
Difference |
---|---|---|---|---|
2005 | 6,542 | – | 6,473 | – |
2010 | 6,957 | 415 | 6,866 | 393 |
2015 | 7,380 | 423 | 7,256 | 390 |
2020 | 7,795 | 415 | 7,643 | 380 |
2025 | 8,184 | 390 | 8,007 | 363 |
2030 | 8,549 | 364 | 8,341 | 334 |
2035 | 8,888 | 339 | 8,646 | 306 |
2040 | 9,199 | 311 | 8,926 | 280 |
2045 | 9,482 | 283 | 9,180 | 254 |
2050 | 9,735 | 253 | 9,408 | 228 |
Year | World | Asia | Africa | Europe | Latin America/Caribbean | Northern America | Oceania |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | 6,144 | 3,741 (60.9%) | 811 (13.2%) | 726 (11.8%) | 522 (8.5%) | 312 (5.1%) | 31 (0.5%) |
2005 | 6,542 | 3,978 (60.8%) | 916 (14.0%) | 729 (11.2%) | 558 (8.5%) | 327 (5.0%) | 34 (0.5%) |
2010 | 6,957 | 4,210 (60.5%) | 1,039 (14.9%) | 736 (10.6%) | 591 (8.5%) | 343 (4.9%) | 37 (0.5%) |
2015 | 7,380 | 4,434 (60.1%) | 1,182 (16.0%) | 743 (10.1%) | 624 (8.5%) | 357 (4.8%) | 40 (0.5%) |
2020 | 7,795 | 4,641 (59.5%) | 1,341 (17.2%) | 748 (9.6%) | 654 (8.4%) | 369 (4.7%) | 43 (0.6%) |
2025 | 8,184 | 4,823 (58.9%) | 1,509 (18.4%) | 746 (9.1%) | 682 (8.3%) | 380 (4.6%) | 45 (0.6%) |
2030 | 8,549 | 4,974 (58.2%) | 1,688 (19.8%) | 741 (8.7%) | 706 (8.3%) | 391 (4.6%) | 48 (0.6%) |
2035 | 8,888 | 5,096 (57.3%) | 1,878 (21.1%) | 735 (8.3%) | 726 (8.2%) | 401 (4.5%) | 50 (0.6%) |
2040 | 9,199 | 5,189 (56.4%) | 2,077 (22.6%) | 728 (7.9%) | 742 (8.1%) | 410 (4.5%) | 53 (0.6%) |
2045 | 9,482 | 5,253 (55.4%) | 2,282 (24.1%) | 720 (7.6%) | 754 (8.0%) | 418 (4.4%) | 55 (0.6%) |
2050 | 9,735 | 5,290 (54.3%) | 2,489 (25.6%) | 711 (7.3%) | 762 (7.8%) | 425 (4.4%) | 57 (0.6%) |
2055 | 9,958 | 5,302 (53.2%) | 2,698 (27.1%) | 700 (7.0%) | 767 (7.7%) | 432 (4.3%) | 60 (0.6%) |
2060 | 10,152 | 5,289 (52.1%) | 2,905 (28.6%) | 689 (6.8%) | 768 (7.6%) | 439 (4.3%) | 62 (0.6%) |
2065 | 10,318 | 5,256 (51.0%) | 3,109 (30.1%) | 677 (6.6%) | 765 (7.4%) | 447 (4.3%) | 64 (0.6%) |
2070 | 10,459 | 5,207 (49.8%) | 3,308 (31.6%) | 667 (6.4%) | 759 (7.3%) | 454 (4.3%) | 66 (0.6%) |
2075 | 10,577 | 5,143 (48.6%) | 3,499 (33.1%) | 657 (6.2%) | 750 (7.1%) | 461 (4.4%) | 67 (0.6%) |
2080 | 10,674 | 5,068 (47.5%) | 3,681 (34.5%) | 650 (6.1%) | 739 (6.9%) | 468 (4.4%) | 69 (0.7%) |
2085 | 10,750 | 4,987 (46.4%) | 3,851 (35.8%) | 643 (6.0%) | 726 (6.8%) | 474 (4.4%) | 71 (0.7%) |
2090 | 10,810 | 4,901 (45.3%) | 4,008 (37.1%) | 638 (5.9%) | 711 (6.6%) | 479 (4.4%) | 72 (0.7%) |
2095 | 10,852 | 4,812 (44.3%) | 4,152 (38.3%) | 634 (5.8%) | 696 (6.4%) | 485 (4.5%) | 74 (0.7%) |
2100 | 10,875 | 4,719 (43.4%) | 4,280 (39.4%) | 630 (5.8%) | 680 (6.3%) | 491 (4.5%) | 75 (0.7%) |
Mathematical approximations
In 1975, Sebastian von Hoerner proposed a formula for population growth which represented hyperbolic growth with an infinite population in 2025.[143] The hyperbolic growth of the world population observed until the 1970s was later correlated to a non-linear second-order positive feedback between demographic growth and technological development. This feedback can be described as follows: technological advance → increase in the carrying capacity of land for people → demographic growth → more people → more potential inventors → acceleration of technological advance → accelerating growth of the carrying capacity → faster population growth → accelerating growth of the number of potential inventors → faster technological advance → hence, the faster growth of the Earth’s carrying capacity for people, and so on.[144] The transition from hyperbolic growth to slower rates of growth is related to the demographic transition.
According to the Russian demographer Sergey Kapitsa,[145] the world population grew between 67,000 BC and 1965 according to the following formula:
where
- N is current population,
- T is the current year,
- C = (1.86 ± 0.01)·1011,
- T0 = 2007 ± 1,
- = 42 ± 1.
Years for world population to double
According to linear interpolation and extrapolation of UNDESA population estimates, the world population has doubled, or will double, in the years listed in the tables below (with two different starting points). During the 2nd millennium, each doubling took roughly half as long as the previous doubling, fitting the hyperbolic growth model mentioned above. However, after 2024, it is unlikely that there will be another doubling of the global population in the 21st century.[146]
Historic chart showing the periods of time the world population has taken to double, from 1700 to 2000
Population (in billions) |
0.5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1500 | 1804 | 1927 | 1974 | 2022 | n/a |
Years elapsed | — | 304 | 123 | 47 | 48 | — |
Population (in billions) |
0.375 | 0.75 | 1.5 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | 1171 | 1715 | 1881 | 1960 | 1999 | c. 2100[147] |
Years elapsed | — | 544 | 166 | 79 | 39 | c. 100+ |
Number of humans who have ever lived
The total number of humans who have ever lived is estimated to be approximately 100 billion. Such estimates can only be rough approximations, as even modern population estimates are subject to uncertainty of around 3% to 5%.[15] Kapitsa (1996) cites estimates ranging between 80 and 150 billion.[148] The PRB puts the figure at 117 billion as of 2020, estimating that the current world population is 6.7% of all the humans who have ever lived.[149] Haub (1995) prepared another figure, updated in 2002 and 2011; the 2011 figure was approximately 107 billion.[150][151][152] Haub characterized this figure as an estimate that required «selecting population sizes for different points from antiquity to the present and applying assumed birth rates to each period».[151]
Robust population data only exist for the last two or three centuries. Until the late 18th century, few governments had ever performed an accurate census. In many early attempts, such as in Ancient Egypt and the Persian Empire, the focus was on counting merely a subset of the population for purposes of taxation or military service.[153] Thus, there is a significant margin of error when estimating ancient global populations.
Pre-modern infant mortality rates are another critical factor for such an estimate; these rates are very difficult to estimate for ancient times due to a lack of accurate records. Haub (1995) estimates that around 40% of those who have ever lived did not survive beyond their first birthday. Haub also stated that «life expectancy at birth probably averaged only about ten years for most of human history»,[151] which is not to be mistaken for the life expectancy after reaching adulthood. The latter equally depended on period, location and social standing, but calculations identify averages from roughly 30 years upward.
See also
- Demographics of the world
- Anthropocene
- Birth control
- Coastal population growth
- Demographic transition
- Population decline
- Doomsday argument
- Family planning
- Food security
- Human overpopulation
- Megacity
- Natalism
- One-child policy
- Population growth
- Population dynamics
- Two-child policy
Lists:
- List of population concern organizations
- List of countries and dependencies by population
- List of sovereign states and dependencies by total fertility rate
- List of countries by population growth rate
- List of countries by past and projected future population
- List of countries by population in 1900
- List of countries and dependencies by population density
- List of largest cities
- List of religious populations
- Lists of organisms by population – for non-human global populations
Historical:
- Historical censuses
- Historical demography
Explanatory notes
- ^ Excluding its Special Administrative Regions (SARs) of Hong Kong and Macau.
- ^ Excludes Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, which are included here under Latin America.
- ^ The Antarctic Treaty System limits the nature of national claims in Antarctica. Of the territorial claims in Antarctica, the Ross Dependency has the largest population.
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Further reading
- Cohen, Joel E. (1995). How Many People Can the Earth Support?. New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-31495-3.
- «World Population Prospects, the 2012 Revision». United Nations Population Division. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- «World Population Prospects, the 2010 Revision». United Nations Population Division. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- «World Population History Graph» World population graph 10000 BC – AD 1950.
- «Symptoms of The Global Demographic Decline». Demographia.ru. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- «World». The World Factbook. US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Retrieved 6 November 2012.
- «The World in Balance» (transcript). Two-part PBS Nova episode on world population. 20 April 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- «The Environmental Politics of Population and Overpopulation». University of California, Berkeley. 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2013.
- «Global population: Faces of the future». The Economist. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.
- «Creating new life – and other ways to feed the world». BBC News. 23 July 2013. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- World Population Growth (Oct 2016), Esteban Ortiz-Ospina and Max Roser, OurWorldInData.org
- «Human population numbers as a function of food supply». Russel Hopfenberg (Duke University, Durham, NC), David Pimentel (Cornell University, Ithaca, NY).
External links
Organizations
- The Day of 6 Billion and 7 Billion – Official homepages maintained by UNFPA
- Population Reference Bureau – News and issues related to population
- Berlin Institute for Population and Development
Statistics and maps
- HiveGroup.com – World population statistics presented in a treemap interface
- Win.tue.nl – World countries mapped by population size
Population clocks
- U.S. and World Population Clock (US Census Bureau)
- World Population Clock – Worldometer
- Population
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- Trade
- Health
- Education
- Development
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- Environment
- Crime
- Immigration
- Other
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- Density
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- Life Expectancy
- Birth Rate
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- Infant Mortality Rate
- Fertility Rate
Chart and table of World population from 1950 to 2023. United Nations projections are also included through the year 2100.
- The current population of World in 2023 is 8,045,311,447, a 0.88% increase from 2022.
- The population of World in 2022 was 7,975,105,156, a 0.83% increase from 2021.
- The population of World in 2021 was 7,909,295,151, a 0.87% increase from 2020.
- The population of World in 2020 was 7,840,952,880, a 0.98% increase from 2019.
Similar Countries Ranked by Population | |
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Country Name | 2023 Population |
World — Historical Population Data |
||
---|---|---|
Year | Population | Growth Rate |
2023 | 8,045,311,447 | 0.88% |
2022 | 7,975,105,156 | 0.83% |
2021 | 7,909,295,151 | 0.87% |
2020 | 7,840,952,880 | 0.98% |
2019 | 7,764,951,032 | 1.06% |
2018 | 7,683,789,828 | 1.10% |
2017 | 7,599,822,404 | 1.15% |
2016 | 7,513,474,238 | 1.17% |
2015 | 7,426,597,537 | 1.19% |
2014 | 7,339,013,419 | 1.22% |
2013 | 7,250,593,370 | 1.24% |
2012 | 7,161,697,921 | 1.25% |
2011 | 7,073,125,425 | 1.25% |
2010 | 6,985,603,105 | 1.27% |
2009 | 6,898,305,908 | 1.27% |
2008 | 6,811,597,272 | 1.27% |
2007 | 6,725,948,544 | 1.27% |
2006 | 6,641,416,218 | 1.27% |
2005 | 6,558,176,119 | 1.27% |
2004 | 6,475,751,478 | 1.28% |
2003 | 6,393,898,365 | 1.29% |
2002 | 6,312,407,360 | 1.31% |
2001 | 6,230,746,982 | 1.33% |
2000 | 6,148,898,975 | 1.34% |
1999 | 6,067,758,458 | 1.34% |
1998 | 5,987,312,480 | 1.37% |
1997 | 5,906,481,261 | 1.40% |
1996 | 5,825,145,298 | 1.43% |
1995 | 5,743,219,454 | 1.46% |
1994 | 5,660,727,993 | 1.49% |
1993 | 5,577,433,523 | 1.54% |
1992 | 5,492,686,093 | 1.60% |
1991 | 5,406,245,867 | 1.69% |
1990 | 5,316,175,862 | 1.77% |
1989 | 5,223,704,308 | 1.78% |
1988 | 5,132,293,974 | 1.81% |
1987 | 5,040,984,495 | 1.84% |
1986 | 4,950,063,339 | 1.82% |
1985 | 4,861,730,613 | 1.80% |
1984 | 4,775,836,074 | 1.79% |
1983 | 4,691,884,238 | 1.82% |
1982 | 4,607,984,871 | 1.84% |
1981 | 4,524,627,658 | 1.81% |
1980 | 4,444,007,706 | 1.80% |
1979 | 4,365,582,871 | 1.77% |
1978 | 4,289,657,708 | 1.75% |
1977 | 4,215,772,490 | 1.77% |
1976 | 4,142,505,882 | 1.80% |
1975 | 4,069,437,231 | 1.85% |
1974 | 3,995,517,077 | 1.92% |
1973 | 3,920,251,504 | 1.96% |
1972 | 3,844,800,885 | 1.98% |
1971 | 3,770,163,092 | 2.02% |
1970 | 3,695,390,336 | 2.06% |
1969 | 3,620,655,275 | 2.08% |
1968 | 3,546,810,808 | 2.05% |
1967 | 3,475,448,166 | 2.03% |
1966 | 3,406,417,036 | 2.08% |
1965 | 3,337,111,983 | 2.14% |
1964 | 3,267,212,338 | 2.24% |
1963 | 3,195,779,247 | 2.21% |
1962 | 3,126,686,743 | 1.90% |
1961 | 3,068,370,609 | 1.63% |
1960 | 3,019,233,434 | 1.65% |
1959 | 2,970,292,188 | 1.86% |
1958 | 2,916,108,097 | 2.04% |
1957 | 2,857,866,857 | 2.03% |
1956 | 2,801,002,631 | 2.00% |
1955 | 2,746,072,141 | 2.01% |
1954 | 2,691,979,339 | 1.96% |
1953 | 2,640,278,797 | 1.93% |
1952 | 2,590,270,899 | 1.85% |
1951 | 2,543,130,380 | 1.75% |
1950 | 2,499,322,157 | 0.00% |
When and why did the world population grow? And how does rapid population growth come to an end? These are the big questions that are central to this research article.
The world population increased from 1 billion in 1800 to around 8 billion today.
The world population growth rate declined from around 2% per year 50 years ago to under 1.0% per year.
Other relevant research:
Future population growth – This article focuses on the future of population growth. We explain how we know that population growth is coming to an end, and present projections of the drivers of population growth.
Life expectancy – Improving health leads to falling mortality and is, therefore, the factor that increases the size of the population. Life expectancy, which measures the age of death, has doubled in every region in the world as we show here.
Child & infant mortality – Mortality at a young age has a particularly big impact on demographic change.
Fertility rates – Rapid population growth has been a temporary phenomenon in many countries. It comes to an end when the average number of births per woman – the fertility rate – declines. In the article we show the data and explain why fertility rates declined.
Age Structure – What is the age profile of populations around the world? How did it change and what will the age structure of populations look like in the future?
Interactive charts on World Population Growth
How is the global population distributed across the world?
One way to understand the distribution of people across the world is to reform the world map, not based on the area but according to population.
This is shown here in a population cartogram: a geographical presentation of the world where the size of the countries is not drawn according to the distribution of land, but according to the distribution of people. The cartogram shows where in the world the global population was at home in 2018.
The cartogram is made up of squares, each of which represents half a million people of a country’s population. The 11.5 million Belgians are represented by 23 squares; the 49.5 million Colombians are represented by 99 squares; the 1.415 billion people in China are represented by 2830 squares, and the entire world population of 7.633 billion people in 2018 is represented by the total sum of 15,266 squares.
As the size of the population rather than the size of the territory is shown in this map you can see some big differences when you compare it to the standard geographical map we’re most familiar with. Small countries with a high population density increase in size in this cartogram relative to the world maps we are used to – look at Bangladesh, Taiwan, or the Netherlands. Large countries with a small population shrink in size (look for Canada, Mongolia, Australia, or Russia).
You can find more details on this cartogram in our explainer: ‘The map we need if we want to think about how global living conditions are changing‘.
[click on the cartogram to enlarge it. And here you can download the population cartogram in high resolution (6985×2650).]
Which countries are most densely populated?
Geographical maps often shape our understanding of the world. But this tells us nothing about where in the world people live. To understand this, we need to look at population density.
Population density is a measure of how densely populated an area is. It is calculated by dividing the total population of an area by its total land area.
The map shows the number of people per square kilometer (km2) across the world.
Globally the average population density is 62 people per km² in 2023, but there are very large differences across countries.
Many of the world’s small islands or isolated states have large populations for their size. The five most densely populated are Macao, Monaco, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Gibraltar. Singapore has 8,480 people per km² – more than 200 times as dense as the United States and 2,000 times as Australia.
Of the larger countries1, Bangladesh is the most densely populated, with 1,330 people per km². This is almost three times as dense as its neighbor, India. It’s followed by Rwanda (571), South Korea (531), Lebanon (523), and the Netherlands (523).
You can see the world’s least densely populated countries if you hover your mouse over the brackets from 0 to 10 on the legend. Greenland is the least dense, with around 0.1 people per km², followed by Mongolia, Namibia, Australia, and Iceland.
If we want to understand how people are distributed across the world, another useful tool is the population cartogram: a geographical presentation of the world where the size of the countries is not drawn according to the distribution of land, but according to the distribution of people.
Here we show how the world looks in this way. When we see a standard map, we focus on the largest countries by area. But these are not always where the greatest number of people live. It’s this context we need if we want to understand how the lives of people around the world are changing.
Population growth
- How has world population growth changed over time?
- Population growth by world region
- Population growth by country
- The distribution of the world population over the last 5000 years
- Population growth rate by country and region
How has world population growth changed over time?
World population from 10,000 BCE to today
The chart shows the increasing number of people living on our planet over the last 12,000 years. A mind-boggling change: the world population today is around 2,000 times the size of what it was 12,000 ago when the world population was around 4 million – less than half of the current population of London.
What is striking about this chart is of course that almost all of this growth happened just very recently. Historical demographers estimate that around the year 1800 the world population was only around 1 billion people. This implies that on average the population grew very slowly over this long time from 10,000 BCE to 1700 (by 0.04% annually). After 1800 this changed fundamentally: the world population was around 1 billion in the year 1800 and is now, at around 8 billion, 8 times larger.
Around 108 billion people have ever lived on our planet. This means that today’s population size makes up 6.5% of the total number of people ever born.2
For the long period from the appearance of modern Homo sapiens up to the starting point of this chart in 10,000 BCE it is estimated that the total world population was often well under one million.3 In this period our species was often seriously threatened by extinction.4
The interactive visualization is here. And you can also download the annual world population data produced by Our World in Data.
A number of researchers have published estimates for the total world population over the long run, we have brought these estimates together and you can explore these various sources here.
Explore the interactive version of this chart
How has the world population growth rate changed?
In terms of recent developments, the data from the UN Population Division provides consistent and comparable estimates (and projections) within and across countries and time, over the last century. This data starts from estimates for 1950 and is updated periodically to reflect changes in fertility, mortality, and international migration.
In the section above we looked at the absolute change in the global population over time. But what about the rate of population growth?
The global population growth rate peaked long ago. The chart shows that global population growth reached a peak in 1962 and 1963 with an annual growth rate of 2.2%; but since then, world population growth has halved.
For the last half-century we have lived in a world in which the population growth rate has been declining. The UN projects that this decline will continue in the coming decades.
A common question we’re asked is: is the global population growing exponentially? The answer is no. For population growth to be exponential, the growth rate would have be the same over time (e.g. 2% growth every year). In absolute terms, this would result in an exponential increase in the number of people. That’s because we’d be multiplying an ever-larger number of people by the same 2%. 2% of the population this year would be larger than 2% last year, and so on; this means the population would grow exponentially.
But, as we see in this chart, since the 1960s the growth rate has been falling. This means the world population is not growing exponentially – for decades now, growth has been more similar to a linear trend.
The absolute annual change of the population
The previous section looked at the growth rate. This visualization here shows the annual global population increase from 1950 to today and the projection until the end of this century.
The absolute increase of the population per year has peaked in the late 1980s at over 90 million additional people each year. But it stayed high until recently. From now on the UN expects the annual increase to decline by around 1 million every year.
Population growth over the long run
There are other ways of visually representing the change in rate of world population growth. Two examples of this are shown in the charts below.
How long did it take for the world population to double?
The visualization shows how strongly the growth rate of the world population changed over time. In the past the population grew slowly: it took nearly seven centuries for the population to double from 0.25 billion (in the early 9th century) to 0.5 billion in the middle of the 16th century. As the growth rate slowly climbed, the population doubling time fell but remained in the order of centuries into the first half of the 20th century. Things sped up considerably in the middle of the 20th century.
The fastest doubling of the world population happened between 1950 and 1987: a doubling from 2.5 to 5 billion people in just 37 years — the population doubled within a little more than one generation. This period was marked by a peak population growth of 2.1% in 1962.
Since then, population growth has been slowing, and along with it the doubling time. In this visualisation we have used the UN projections to show how the doubling time is projected to change until the end of this century. By 2100, it will once again have taken approximately 100 years for the population to double to a predicted 10.8 billion.
How long did it take for the world population to increase by one billion?
This visualization provides an additional perspective on population growth: the number of years it took to add one billion to the global population. This is based on the 2022 revision of world population estimates from the UN Population Division.
This visualization shows again how the population growth rate has changed dramatically over time. It wasn’t until 1805 that the world reached its first billion; it then took another 120 years to reach two billion. By the third billion, this period had reduced to 35 years, reduced further to 14 years to reach four. The period of fastest growth occurred from 1974 to 2011, taking only 12 to 13 years to increase by one billion for the 5th, 6th, and 7th.
The world has now surpassed this peak rate of growth, and the period between each billion is expected to continue to rise. It’s estimated to take approximately 14 years to reach nine billion in 2024, and a further 21 years to reach 10 billion in 2058. The latest UN medium projection expects that the world will not reach 11 billion people this century: it projects the population to peak at 10.4 billion in 2086 before falling again.
Population growth by world region
Two hundred years ago the world population was just over one billion. Since then the number of people on the planet grew more than 8-fold to around 8 billion today. How is the world population distributed across regions and how did it change over this period of rapid global growth?
In this visualization, we see historical population estimates by region from 1800 through to today. These estimates are published by the History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE) and the United Nations Population Division from 1950 onwards.
Most people always lived in Asia: today it represents 60% of the global population; in 1800 it was 69%. If you want to see the relative distribution across the world regions in more detail you can check the ‘Relative’ box.
The distribution of the world population is expected to change significantly over the 21st century. We discuss projections of population by region here.
Population growth by country
What are the most populous countries in the world?
Over the last century, the world has seen rapid population growth. But how are populations distributed across the world? Which countries have the most people?
In the map, we see the estimated population of each country today. To see how this has changed since 1800, you can use the ‘play’ button and timeline in the bottom-left of the chart. By clicking on any country, you can also see how its population has evolved over this period.
Here we see that the top five most populous countries are:
(1) China (1.43 billion)
(2) India (1.41 billion)
(3) United States (337 million)
(4) Indonesia (274 million)
(5) Pakistan (231 million)
For several centuries, China has been the world’s most populous country. But not for long: it’s expected that India will overtake China within the next decade. You can learn more about future population growth by country here.
The distribution of the world population over the last 5000 years
This series of maps shows the distribution of the world population over time. The first map – in the top-left corner – shows the world population in 3000 BC.
Population centers have stayed remarkably stable over this long period.
Population growth rate by country and region
Global population growth peaked in the early 1960s. But how has population growth varied across the world?
There are two metrics we can use to look at population growth rates:
(1) ‘Natural population growth’: this is the change in population as determined by births and deaths only. Migration flows are not counted.
(2) Population growth rate: this is the change in population as determined by births, deaths, and migration flows.
Both of these measures of population growth across the world are shown in the two charts. You can use the slider underneath each map to look at this change since 1950. Clicking on any country will show a line chart of its change over time, with UN projections through to 2100.
We see that there are some countries today where the natural population growth (not including migration) is slightly negative: the number of deaths exceeds the number of births. When we move the time slider underneath the map to past years, we see that this is a new phenomenon. Up until the 1970s, there were no countries with negative natural population growth.
Worldwide, population growth is slowing—you can press the play arrow at the bottom of the chart to see the change over time.
Overall, growth rates in most countries have been going down since the 1960s. Yet substantial differences exist across countries and regions.
Whilst Western Europe’s growth rates are currently close to zero, sub-Saharan Africa’s rates remain higher than 3% — that is, still higher than the peak growth rates recorded for the world at the beginning of the 1960s. Moreover, in many cases, there has been a divergence in growth rates. For instance, while India and Nigeria had similar growth rates in 1960 (around 2%), they took very different paths in the following years and thus currently have populations that grow at very different rates (about 0.7% for India compared to 2.4% for Nigeria).
Two centuries of rapid global population growth will come to an end
One of the big lessons from the demographic history of countries is that periods of rapid population growth are temporary. For many countries, the demographic transition has already ended, and as the global fertility rate has now halved we know that the world as a whole is approaching the end of rapid population growth.
This visualization presents an overview of the global demographic transition, based on estimates from the 2022 data release from the UN Population Division.
As we explore at the beginning of the entry on population growth, the global population grew only very slowly up to 1700 – only 0.04% per year. In the many millennia up to that point in history very high mortality of children counteracted high fertility. The world was in the first stage of the demographic transition.
Once health improved and mortality declined things changed quickly. Particularly over the course of the 20th century: Over the last 100 years global population more than quadrupled. As we see in the chart, the rise of the global population got steeper and steeper and you have just lived through the steepest increase of that curve. This also means that your existence is a tiny part of the reason why that curve is so steep.
The 7-fold increase of the world population over the course of two centuries amplified humanity’s impact on the natural environment. To provide space, food, and resources for a large world population in a way that is sustainable into the distant future is without question one of the large, serious challenges for our generation. We should not make the mistake of underestimating the task ahead of us. Yes, I expect new generations to contribute, but for now, it is upon us to provide for them. Population growth is still fast: every year, 134 million are born, and 58 million die.5 The difference is the number of people that we add to the world population in a year: 76 million.
Where do we go from here?
In pink, you see the annual population growth rate (that is, the percentage change in population per year) of the global population. It peaked around half a century ago. Peak population growth was reached in 1963 with an annual growth of 2.3%.
Since then the increase of the world population has slowed and today grows by 0.9% per year. This slowdown of population growth was not only predictable but predicted. Just as expected by demographers, the world as a whole is experiencing the closing of a massive demographic transition.
This chart also shows how the United Nations envision the end of the global demographic transition. As population growth continues to decline, the curve representing the world population is getting less and less steep.
Towards the end of the century, the UN expects the global population to reach its peak at around 10.4 billion. After this point, the UN demographers project global population growth to become negative, so that the world population starts to fall slowly.
It is hard to know the population dynamics beyond 2100. It will depend on the fertility rate and – as we discuss in our entry on fertility rates – fertility first falls with development, and then rises with development. The question will be whether it will rise above an average of 2 children per woman.
The world enters the last phase of the demographic transition and this means we will not repeat the past. The global population has quadrupled over the course of the 20th century, but it will not double anymore over the course of this century.
The world population will reach a size that, compared to humanity’s history, will be extraordinary; if the UN projections are accurate (they have a good track record), the world population will have increased more than 10-fold over the span of 250 years.
We are on the way to a new balance. The big global demographic transition that the world entered more than two centuries ago is then coming to an end. This new equilibrium is different from the one in the past when it was the very high mortality that kept population growth in check. In the new balance, it will be low fertility that keeps population changes small.
The past and future of the global age structure
In 1950 there were 2.5 billion people on the planet. Now, there are more than 8 billion. By the end of the century, the UN expects a global population of around 10.4 billion. This visualization of the population pyramid makes it possible to understand this enormous global transformation.
Population pyramids visualize the demographic structure of a population. The width represents the size of the population of a given age; women on the right and men on the left. The bottom layer represents the number of newborns and above it, you find the numbers of older cohorts. Represented in this way the population structure of societies with high mortality rates resembled a pyramid – this is how this famous type of visualization got its name.
In the darkest blue, you see the pyramid that represents the structure of the world population in 1950. Two factors are responsible for the pyramid shape in 1950: An increasing number of births broadened the base layer of the population pyramid and a continuously-high risk of death throughout life is evident by the pyramid narrowing towards the top. There were many newborns relative to the number of people at older ages.
The narrowing of the pyramid just above the base is testimony to the fact that more than 1 in 5 children born in 1950 died before they reached the age of five.6
Through shades of blue and green the same visualization shows the population structure over the last decades up to 2018. You see that in each subsequent decade the population pyramid was larger than before – in each decade more people of all ages were added to the world population.
If you look at the green pyramid for 2018 you see that the narrowing above the base is much less strong than back in 1950; the child mortality rate fell from 1-in-5 in 1950 to fewer than 1-in-20 today.
In comparing 1950 and 2018 we see that the number of children born has increased – 97 million in 1950 to 143 million today – and that the mortality of children decreased at the same time. If you now compare the base of the pyramid in 2018 with the projection for 2100 you see that the coming decades will not resemble the past: According to the projections there will be fewer children born at the end of this century than today. The base of the future population structure is narrower.
We are at a turning point in global population history. Between 1950 and today, it was a widening of the entire pyramid – an increase in the number of children – that was responsible for the increase of the world population. From now on is not a widening of the base, but a ‘fill up’ of the population above the base: the number of children will barely increase and then start to decline, but the number of people of working age and old age will increase very substantially. As global health is improving and mortality is falling, the people alive today are expected to live longer than any generation before us.
At a country level “peak child” is often followed by a time in which the country benefits from a “demographic dividend” when the proportion of the dependent young generation falls and the share of the population of working age increases.8
This is now happening on a global scale. For every child younger than 15 there were 1.7 people of working age (15 to 64) in 1950; today there are 2.6; and by the end of the century, there will be 3.6.9
Richer countries have benefited from this transition in the last decades and are now facing the demographic problem of an increasingly larger share of retired people who are not part of the labor market. In the coming decades, it will be the poorer countries that can benefit from this demographic dividend.
The change from 1950 to today and the projections to 2100 show a world population that is becoming healthier. When the top of the pyramid becomes wider and looks less like a pyramid and instead becomes more box-shaped, the population lives through younger ages with a very low risk of death and dies at an old age. The demographic structure of a healthy population at the final stage of the demographic transition is the box shape that we see for the entire world in 2100.
The Demography of the World Population from 1950 to 21007
How many people die and how many are born each year?
The world population has grown rapidly, particularly over the past century: in 1900, there were fewer than 2 billion people on the planet. The world population is around 8045311488 in 2023.
Two metrics determine the change in the world population: the number of babies born and the number of people dying.
How many babies are born each year?
The first chart shows the annual number of births since 1950 and includes the projection made by the UN until the end of the century. You can switch this chart to any other country or world region.
There were 133.99 million births in 2022, compared to 92.08 million births in 1950.
The second chart shows the annual number of births by world region from 1950 to 2021.
How many people die each year?
The first chart here shows the annual number of deaths since 1950 and includes the projection made by the UN until the end of the century. Again, it is possible to switch this chart to any other country or world region.
There were 67.1 million deaths in 2022.
The world population, therefore, increased by 65.81 million in 2022 (that is a net increase of 0.84%).
The second chart shows the annual number of deaths by world region from 1950 to 2021.
As the number of deaths approaches the number of births, global population growth will end.
How do we expect this to change in the coming decades? What does this mean for population growth?
Population projections show that the yearly number of births will remain at around 130 to 140 million per year over the coming decades. It is expected to decline slowly in the second half of the century. As the world population ages, the annual number of deaths is expected to continue to increase in the coming decades until it reaches a similar annual number as global births towards the end of the century.
As the number of births is expected to fall slowly and the number of deaths to rise, the global population growth rate will continue to fall. This is when the world population will stop increasing in the future.
Why is rapid population growth a temporary phenomenon?
The demographic transition
Population growth is determined by births and deaths and every country has seen very substantial changes in both: In our overview on how health has changed over the long run you find the data on the dramatic decline of child mortality that has been achieved in all parts of the world. And in our coverage of fertility you find the data and research on how modern socio-economic changes – most importantly structural changes to the economy and a rise of the status and opportunities for women – contributed to a very substantial reduction of the number of children that women have.
But declining mortality rates and declining fertility rates alone would not explain why the population increases. If they happened at the same time the growth rate of the population would not change in this transition. What is crucial here is the timing at which mortality and fertility changes.
The model that explains why rapid population growth happens is called the ‘demographic transition’. It is shown in the schematic figure. It is a beautifully simple model that describes the observed pattern in countries around the world and is one of the great insights of demography.10
The demographic transition is a sequence of five stages:
- Stage 1: high mortality and high birth rates. In the long time before rapid population growth the birth rate in a population is high, but since the death rate is also high we observe no or only very small population growth. This describes the reality through most of our history. Societies around the world remained in stage 1 for many millennia as the long-run perspective on extremely slow population growth highlighted. At this stage the population pyramid is broad at the base but since the mortality rate is high across all ages – and the risk of death is particularly high for children – the pyramid gets much narrower towards the top.
- Stage 2: mortality falls but birth rates still high. In the second phase the health of the population slowly starts to improve and the death rate starts to fall. Since the health of the population has already improved, but fertility still remains as high as before, this is the stage of the transition at which the size of the population starts to grow rapidly. Historically it is the exceptional time at which the extended family with many (surviving) children is common.
- Stage 3: mortality low and birth rates fall. Later the birth rate starts to fall and consequentially the rate at which the population grows begins to decline as well. Why the fertility rate falls is a question that we answer here. But to summarize the main points: When the mortality of children is not as high as it once was parents adapt to the healthier environment and choose to have fewer children; the economy is undergoing structural changes that makes children less economically valuable; and women are empowered socially and within partnerships and have fewer children than before.
- Stage 4: mortality low and birth rates low. Rapid population growth comes to an end in stage 4 as the birth rate falls to a similar level as the already low mortality rate. The population pyramid is now box shaped; as the mortality rate at young ages is now very low the younger cohorts are now very similar in size and only at an old age the cohorts get smaller very rapidly.
- Stage 5: mortality low and some evidence of rising fertility. The demographic transition describes changes over the course of socio-economic modernization. What happens at a very high level of development is not a question we can answer with certainty since only few societies have reached this stage. But we do have some good evidence – which we review here – that at very high levels of development fertility is rising again. Not to the very high levels of pre-modern times, but to a fertility rate that gets close to 2 children per woman. What level exactly the fertility rate will reach is crucial for the question of what happens to population growth in the long run. If the fertility rate stays below 2 children per woman then we will see a decline of the population size in the long run. If indeed the fertility rate will rise above 2 children per woman we will see a slow long-run increase of the population size.
Empirical evidence for the demographic transition
Rapid population growth is a temporary phenomenon
If fertility fell in lockstep with mortality we would not have seen an increase in the population at all. The demographic transition works through the asynchronous timing of the two fundamental demographic changes: The decline in the death rate is followed by the decline in birth rates.
This decline in the death rate followed by a decline in the birth rate is something we observe with great regularity and independent of the culture or religion of the population.
The chart presents the empirical evidence for the demographic transition for five very different countries in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. In all countries, we observed the pattern of the demographic transition, first a decline in mortality that starts the population boom and then a decline in fertility which brings the population boom to an end. The population boom is a temporary event.
In the past, the size of the population was stagnant because of high mortality. Now country after country are moving into a world in which the population is stagnant because of low fertility.
Demographic transition in 5 countries, 1820-201011
England and Wales’s demographic transition
Perhaps the longest available view of the demographic transition comes from data for England and Wales. In 1981, Anthony Wrigley and Roger Schofield12 published a major research project analyzing English parish registers—a unique source that allowed them to trace demographic changes for the three centuries prior to state records. According to the researchers, “England is exceptionally fortunate in having several thousand parish registers that begin before 1600”; collectively, with their early start and breadth of coverage, these registers form an excellent resource. As far as we know, there is no comparable data for any other country up until the mid-eighteenth century (see the following section for Sweden, where recordkeeping began in 1749).
The chart shows the birth and death rates in England and Wales over the span of nearly 500 years. It stitches together Wrigley and Schofield’s data for the years 1541-1861 with two other sources up to 2015 (click on the chart’s ‘sources’ tab for details). As we can see, a growing gap opens up between the birth and death rate after 1750, creating a population explosion. Around the 1870’s, we begin to see the third stage of the demographic transition. As the birth rate starts to follow the death rate’s decline, that gap between the two starts to shrink, slowing down the population growth rate.
Sweden’s demographic transition
Zooming in on one of these countries, we take a look at Sweden’s demographic transition. The country’s long history of population recordkeeping—starting in 1749 with their original statistical office, ‘the Tabellverket’ (Office of Tables)—makes it a particularly interesting case study of the mechanisms driving population change.
Statistics Sweden, the successor of the Tabellverket, publishes data on both deaths and births since recordkeeping began more than 250 years ago. These records suggest that around the year 1800, the Swedish death rate started falling, mainly due to improvements in health and living standards, especially for children.13
Yet while death rates were falling, birth rates remained at a constant pre-modern level until the 1860s. During this period and up until the first half of the 20th century, there was a sustained gap between the frequency of deaths and the frequency of births. It was because of this gap that the Swedish population increased. The following visualization supports these observations.
Changes to birth and death rate over time around the world
The visualization presents the birth and death rate for all countries of the world over the last 5 decades. You can see the change over by moving the slider underneath back and forth or by pressing the “play” button. Countries per continent can also be highlighted by hovering and clicking on them in the legend on the right side of the chart.
By visualising this change we see how in country after country the death rate fell and the birth rate followed – countries moved to left-hand-side first and then fell to the bottom left corner.
Today, different countries straddle different stages of the model. Most developed countries have reached stage four and have low birth and death rates, while developing countries continue to make their way through the stages.
How development affects population growth
There are two important relationships that help explain how the level of development of a country affects its population growth rates:
- Fertility rate is the parameter which matters most for population changes – it is the strongest determinant;
- As a country gets richer (or ‘more developed’), fertility rates tend to fall.
Combining these two relationships, we would expect that as a country develops, population growth rates decline.
Generally, this is true. In the visualization, we see how the population growth rate has changed for ‘more developed’, ‘less developed’ and ‘least developed’ countries (based on UN categorization), and how they are projected to change through 2100.
Here we see that population growth rates are lowest in the most developed regions – starting at just over 1% in the 1950s and falling to just barely negative growth today. ‘Less developed’ regions peaked later, at a higher growth rate (2.8%) and have declined more slowly. ‘Least developed’ regions did not peak in growth rate until the early 1990s.
Over the last two decades we have seen declining population growth rates in countries at all stages of development.
Population momentum
If the number of children is not growing, why is the population still increasing?
In 1965 the average woman on the planet had 5 children. 50 years later this statistic – called the total fertility rate – has fallen to less than half. The first panel in this chart shows this fundamental change.
The total fertility rate at which a population replaces itself from one generation to the next is called the replacement fertility rate. If no children died before they grew up to have children themselves the replacement fertility rate would be 2. Because some children die, the global replacement fertility rate is currently 2.3 and therefore only slightly lower than the actual global fertility rate (2.46). Why then is global population growth not coming to an end yet?
The number of births per woman in the reproductive age bracket is only one of two drivers that matter here. The second one is the number of women in the reproductive age bracket.
If there were few women in the reproductive age bracket the number of births will be low even when the fertility rate is high. At times when an increasing share of women enter the reproductive age bracket the population can keep growing even if the fertility rate is falling. This is what demographers refer to as ‘population momentum’ and it explains why the number of children in the world will not decline as rapidly as the fertility rate.
The second chart in this panel shows that the population growth over the last decades resulted in increasingly larger cohorts of women in the reproductive age bracket. As a result, the number of births will stay high even as the number of births per woman is falling. This is what the bottom panel in the chart shows. According to the UN projections, the two drivers will cancel each other out so that the number of births will stay close to the current level for many decades.
The number of births is projected to change little over the course of this century. In the middle of the 21st century the number of births is projected to reach a peak at 143 million and then to decline slowly to 131 million births by 2100. The coming decades will be very different from the last. While the annual number of births increased by 43 million since 1950 we are now close to what the late Hans Rosling called “the age of peak child” – the moment in global demographic history at which the number of children in the world stops increasing.
Population momentum is one important driver for high population growth. But it of course also matters that all of us today live much longer than our ancestors just a few generations ago. Life expectancy is now twice as long in all world regions.
In all of this it is important to keep in mind that these are projections and how the future will actually play out will depend on what we are doing today.
Population momentum is driven by the increasingly large cohorts of women in the reproductive age bracket. It’s only when both the fertility rate and the number of women level off that population momentum stops. And this is when global population growth will come to an end. Hans Rosling explained it better than anyone, with the help of toilet rolls.
How does migration affect country populations?
At the global level, population changes are determined by the balance of only two variables: the number of people born each year, and the number who die.
At regional or country levels there is a third variable to consider: migration into (immigration) or migration out of (emigration) the region/country. How large of an impact does migration have on population changes across the world?
In this chart we see the annual population growth rate under two scenarios:
- population growth rate with migration – this includes the balance of births, deaths plus migration;
- a hypothetical population growth rate if there was zero migration (i.e. it is based only on the balance of births and deaths).
The example shown here is the United States but you can explore this data for any country or region using the “change country” button on the interactive chart.
In the United States we see that since the early 1950s, migration into the USA has exceeded emigration out of the country. This means net migration has been positive, and resulted in a higher population growth rate than would have occurred in the scenario with zero migration. In 2021, for example, the actual population growth rate was 0.3%. With zero migration, this would have been 0.13%.
This is also true for most countries across Europe. In fact, population growth would have been negative (i.e. the population would have been in decline) in Europe since the early 1990s without migration. In 2021, the European population decreased by 0.18%; with no migration, it would have decreased by 0.37%.
Data quality
- The track record of the UN projections
- How much do population estimates differ?
- How are population revisions created?
- What is the quality of birth and death registration?
The track record of the UN projections
How much do population estimates differ?
It’s expected that sources will differ in their projections for future populations: although the UN projections to date have been remarkably accurate, they are based on a number of assumptions regarding the change in fertility, mortality and migration over time.
But historic and current population estimates between sources are also not identical. The UN Population Division publishes the most-widely adopted figures, but there are a few other key data sources including the US Census Bureau and Population Reference Bureau (PRB).
How do these sources compare? In the chart we see the comparison between the UN (shown in red) and US Census Bureau (in blue) estimates globally and by region. Global estimates have varied by around 0.5-1.5%.
The largest variation comes from estimates of Asia, Africa and Latin America – where census data and underlying data sources will be less complete and lower quality. This means some interpretation and judgement is necessary from expert demographers within each organization. It’s in this process of expert interpretation that most of the difference will arise.
A comparison of 2015 estimates between the UN, US Census Bureau and PBS are shown in this table.14,15,16
Here we see that the UN and PBS estimates are very similar at around 7.34 to 7.35 billion. US Census Bureau estimates are around 1-2% lower at 7.25 billion.
With known gaps in census data and underlying sources, it’s recommended that population estimates are given to only 3 to 4 significant figures. Quoting them to more gives a false sense of precision. Across the sources, we can say that there were 7.25 to 7.4 billion people in the world in 2015.
Source | World population (2015) |
---|---|
United Nations Population Division (2017 Revision) | 7,383,009,000 |
US Census Bureau (2017) | 7,247,892,788 |
Population Reference Bureau (2015) | 7,336,435,000 |
How are population revisions created?
The most discussed estimates of world population from the last century are those from the UN Population Division. These estimates are revised periodically and aim to be consistent and comparable within and across countries and time.
The methodology used by the UN to produce their estimates and projections is explained extensively in the World Population Prospects’ Methodology Report.
In short, estimates of the population in the past (i.e. 1950-2015) are produced by starting with a base population for 1 July 1950 and computing subsequent populations based on the components that drive population change (fertility, mortality, and international migration). The estimates of these components are taken directly from national statistical sources or—where only partial or poor-quality data exists—are estimated by the Population Division staff. Population counts from periodic censuses are used as benchmarks. This calculation is called the “cohort-component” method because it estimates the change in population by age and sex (cohort) on the basis of the three aforementioned demographic components: fertility, mortality, and international migration.
One of the main implications of using the cohort-component method is that it sometimes leads to marked inconsistencies with official country statistics. The process of ‘revising’ the estimates involves incorporating new information about the demography of each country.
What is the quality of birth and death registration?
The standard methodology used for producing population estimates relies on the so-called cohort model. Providing high-quality estimates requires reliable and up-to-date census data.
Crucial to population estimates are birth and mortality rates: this census data, therefore, relies on birth registration and death reporting.
The two maps show the completeness of birth and death reporting across the world. Many countries, particularly those in the least developed regions of the world, have limited census data.
For countries with no data in one or two decades before each revision, the UN relies on other methodologies. One is to derive estimates by extrapolating trends from countries in the same region with a socio-economic profile considered close to the country in question.
Data sources
- Estimates of ancient population
- Estimates of population in recent history and projections
- Compilations of census data and other sources
Estimates of ancient population
As discussed in the previous section, there are a number of studies providing historic population data. The most commonly cited source is McEvedy and Jones (1978).
McEvedy and Jones (1978)
- Data Source: McEvedy, Colin and Richard Jones (1978), “Atlas of World Population History,” Facts on File, New York, pp. 342-351; relying on archeological and anthropological evidence, as well as historical documents such as Roman and Chinese censuses
- Description of available measures: Population
- Time span: 400BCE-2,000CE
- Geographical coverage: Global by country and regions
This above source is an input used in producing the HYDE project data, as well as other datasets. Further references to this source are available in Goldewijk, K. K., Beusen, A., & Janssen, P. (2010). Long-term dynamic modelling of global population and built-up area in a spatially explicit way: HYDE 3.1. The Holocene.
History Database of the Global Environment (HYDE)
- Data Source: History Database of the Global Environment project, using estimates from McEvedy and Jones (1978), Livi-Bacci (2007)17, Maddison (2001)18, and Denevan (1992)19
The data from the HYDE project is in turn the basis for the population series published by the ‘Clio-Infra’ project
Clio-Infra
- Data Source: HYDE project and UN Population Division
- Description of available measures: Population
- Time span: 1,500-2,000CE
- Geographical coverage: Global by country
- Link: www.clio-infra.eu/
Estimates of population in recent history and projections
UN Population Database
- Data Source: UN Population Division based on ‘cohort-component’ framework by demographic trends (see Data Quality section)
- Description of available measures:
◦ Population, by Five-Year Age Group and Sex
◦ Population Sex Ratio (males per 100 females)
◦ Median Age
◦ Population Growth Per Year
◦ Crude Birth Rate
◦ Crude Death Rate
◦ Net Reproduction Rate
◦ Total Fertility Rate
◦ Life Expectancy at Birth by Sex
◦ Net Migration Rate
◦ Sex ratio at birth
◦ Births
◦ Births by Age-group of Mother
◦ Age-specific Fertility Rates
◦ Women Aged 15-49
◦ Deaths by Sex
◦ Infant Mortality
◦ Mortality Under Age 5
◦ Dependency Ratios
◦ Population by Age: 0-4, 0-14, 5-14, 15-24, 15-59, 15-64, 60+, 65+, 80+ - Time span: 1950-2015
- Geographical coverage: Global by country
- Link: http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/
Gridded Population of the World (GPW)
- Data Source: Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN), published by the Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SDAC) based on census data
- Description of available measures: Population
- Time span: 1990-2010
- Geographical coverage: Global at a 2.5 arc-minute spatial resolution
- Link: http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/collection/gpw-v3
- Notes: Within the CIESIN, the Anthropogenic Biomes map the distribution of the world population at different points in time: 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000. These maps focus on the varying impact of humans on the environment.
LandScan
- Data Publisher: University of Iowa (originally developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) for the Department of Defense, U.S.)
- Data Source: Annual mid-year national population estimates from the Geographic Studies Branch, US Bureau of Census
- Description of available measures: Population and ‘ambient population’ (a measure of person-hours accounting for varying presence throughout the day in commercial areas)
- Time span: 1998-2012, but authors warn of inter-temporal comparability issues
- Geographical coverage: Global at 30 arc-second grid spatial resolution (highest population resolution available)
- Link: http://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/data/collection/gpw-v3
World Development Indicators
- Data Publisher: World Bank
- Data Source: UN Population Division
- Description of available measures: Population growth (annual %)
- Time span: 1981-2015
- Geographical coverage: Global by country
- Link: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/
Compilations of census data and other sources
The Minnesota Population Center publishes various high-quality datasets based on census data beginning in 1790. At the time of writing, this source was online at www.pop.umn.edu/index.php. It focuses on North America and Europe.
The Data & Information Services Center (DISC) Archive at the University of Wisconsin-Madison provides access to census data and population datasets (mostly for the Americas). At the time of writing, this source was online at http://www.disc.wisc.edu.
The International Database published by the U.S. Census Bureau provides data for the time 1950-2100. At the time of writing, this source was online at https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/informationGateway.php.
The Atlas of the Biosphere publishes data on Population Density. At the time of writing, this source was online at www.sage.wisc.edu/atlas/maps.