Who has outshined China in terms of population? Top 10 most populous countries and cities

The world’s population reached 8 billion as of November 2022, and it continues to grow — about 140 people are born every minute. Which regions have the fastest population growth, and where do the most people live? We found out and compiled the top 10 most populous countries and cities. 

It is logistically impossible to track the exact number of births and deaths in the world in real time, so today’s population experts use sophisticated mathematical models to create detailed estimates and projections. How is the situation at the moment, in which corners of the planet live the largest number of people and what is it connected with, what do experts predict — we examine in our material.

Top 10 most populous countries in the world

1. India — more than 1.43 billion people. The area — 3,287,590 km².  

2. China — more than 1.42 billion people. The area — 9,706,961 km². 

3. USA — more than 340 million people. The area — 9,372,610 km². 

4. Indonesia — more than 278 million people. The area — 1,904,569 km². 

5. Pakistan — more than 242 million people. The area is 881.912 sq. km². 

6. Nigeria — more than 226 million people. The area is 923.768 sq. km.

7. Brazil — more than 216 million people. Area — 8,515.767 km². 

8. Bangladesh — more than 173 million people. The area is 147.570 sq. km. 

9. Russia — more than 144 million people. The area — 17,098,242 sq. km. 

10. Mexico — more than 128 million people. The area— 1,964,375 km².

What contributes to the growth of the population? Advances in medicine, which increase life expectancy; and improved health care in developing and least developed countries, which reduces infant mortality. 

Based on statistics, we see that India has already overtaken China to become the most populous country in the world. 

Notably, some of the world’s largest economies, Europe in particular, have much smaller populations. The United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy are among the 10 largest economies with less than 100 million people. Or consider Canada: this country is a major economic player and one of the largest countries in the world in terms of land area, but has a relatively small population of about 38 million people.

Among the countries with the least population are Vatican City, Tuvalu, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Palau, San Marino, and others.

The entire list of countries and current real-time data can be tracked here.

Top 10 most populous cities in the world 

1. Tokyo, Japan — more than 37 million people. 

2. Delhi (India) — more than 32 million people.

3. Shanghai (China) — over 29 million people.

4. Dhaka (Bangladesh) — more than 23 million people.

5. São Paulo (Brazil) — more than 22 million people.

6. Mexico City (Mexico) — more than 22 million people.

7. Cairo (Egypt) — more than 22 million people.

8. Beijing (China) — more than 21 million people.

9. Mumbai (India) — more than 21 million people.

10. Osaka (Japan) — more than 19 million people.

Among the European cities, Istanbul has the highest density of population — more than 15.8 million people. 

You can see the entire current list of cities here.

What are the experts’ predictions? 

Although the world’s population is now growing daily, the overall rate of growth has been slowing for decades. The rate of population growth peaked in 1970 at 2.06% per year, and in 2020 — for the first time since 1950 — the growth rate has fallen below 1 percent (to 0.87 percent). 

Here are the projections shared by the United Nations: by 2030 the world population could increase to 8.5 billion, by 2050 to 9.7 billion, and 2080 to 10.4 billion. At that point the population will stabilize, but by 2100 it will likely begin to decline. The largest decline is expected to occur in Eastern Europe, and the largest growth will occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

The share of people over 65 in the global population is also projected to increase from 10% in 2022 to 16% in 2050. At the same time, there will be about twice as many retirees as children under the age of 5. This imbalance will put a significant strain on countries’ economies and infrastructures, as it will become increasingly difficult to replace people who are retiring.