The global population has become more than three times larger than it was in the mid-twentieth century. The global human population reached 8 billion in mid-November 2022 from an estimated 2.5 billion people in 1950, adding one billion people since 2010 and two billion since 1998, according to a report by United Nations.
The world population is projected to reach 8.5 billion in 2030, and to increase further to 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion by 2100, the report stated.
Let’s take a look at the 10 most populated countries in the world in 2024, as per Statista.
India (Population: 1,441.72 million)
India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world with a rich cultural heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress since its independence. India has become self-sufficient in agricultural production. It is now one of the top industrialised countries in the world and one of the few nations to have gone into outer space to conquer nature for the benefit of the people. It covers an area of 32,87,263 sqkm, extending from the snow-covered Himalayan heights to the tropical rain forests of the south.
As the 7th largest country in the world in terms of land area, India stands apart from the rest of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the great Himalayas in the north, it stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west.
China (Population: 1,425.18 million)
Situated in East Asia, China is the largest among all Asian countries. It constitutes nearly the entire East Asian landmass and covers approximately one-fourteenth of the land area of Earth. China is almost as large as the whole of Europe. It is also one of the most populous countries in the world, rivaled only by India, which, according to United Nations estimates, surpassed it in population in 2023.
China has 33 administrative units directly under the central government. These consist of 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four municipalities (Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin), and two special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macau). Beijing is the capital of China. It is also the cultural, economic and communications center of the country. Shanghai is the main industrial city. Hong Kong is the leading commercial center and port.
United States of America (Population: 341.81 million)
The United States of America is the third-largest country in the world in terms of geography and population. North America is a continent with the Pacific and Atlantic oceans to its west and east, respectively. Canada forms the northern border, while Mexico forms the southern border. The District of Columbia and the 50 states make up the union.
The United States features a large middle plain and tall mountains in the west. This makes it more than twice the size of the European Union. At minus 282 feet, Death Valley has the lowest point in the entire country, while Denali (Mt. McKinley), at 20,320 feet (6,198 meters), has the highest peak.
Indonesia (Population: 289.8 million)
Indonesia is home to almost 290 million people spread across 17,000 islands. This makes it the fourth most populated country in the world. Indonesia has an economy worth over $1 trillion. It is a vital commercial, trade and security partner due to its size, young population and favourable position.
The Indonesian middle class is expanding rapidly and taking centre stage in the country’s consumer industry. Indonesia’s location has provided way to a varied terrain, ranging from the bustling tourist attractions of Bali and Lombok to the enigmatic civilisations of the Asmat in Papua and those who live in the mountains of Toraja in South Sulawesi.
Pakistan (Population: 245.21 million)
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the 33rd largest country in terms of area and fifth-most populous with a population of little over 245 million. The country has a huge reservoir of young people, with 64 percent of the population below the age of 29 and 30 percent between 15 and 29 years.
According to the World Bank’s statistics, Pakistan is among Asia’s five fastest emerging economies. To date, Karachi remains country’s main trade and economic hub but with the ongoing development of another port city Gwadar and regional connectivity ushered in by China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major impetus to country’s international trade and economic activity is expected.
Nigeria (Population: 229.15 million)
Nigeria is a multi-ethnic and culturally diverse federation of 36 autonomous states and the Federal Capital Territory. The political landscape is partly dominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress party (APC), which controls the executive arm of government and holds majority seats at both the Senate and House of Representatives in parliament, and majority of the States.
Nigeria can be divided into 10 land regions. They are: Sokoto Plain, the Chad Basin, the Northern High Plains, the Jos Plateau, the Niger-Beneu River Valley, the Western Uplands, the Eastern Highlands, the Southwestern Plains, the Southeastern Lowlands and the Niger Delta. The main river is the Niger, entering the country in the north-west and flowing first south-east and then south to Gulf of Guinea. Its major tributary, the Benue, rises in the mountains of the Cameroon Republic. The river cross is the most important river outside the Niger system, which flows into an estuary east of the Niger Delta. Nigeria is a land of great variety. It has hot, rainy sump lands, dry, sandy areas, grassy plains, and tropical forests. High plateaus and rocky mountains rise up in parts of the country.
Brazil (Population: 217.64 million)
Brazil is home to 203 million people with a real GDP per capita of $8,802 in 2022. It is a large federal country comprised of the union (federal government), 26 states (plus the federal district), and over 5,500 municipalities. Its people live in multiple ecosystems across a landmass of 8.5 million sqkm (about the size of the continental United States), with sharp differences in race, history, culture, and industry manifesting many ‘Brazils’.
Read more: 10 largest countries in the world by land area
Bangladesh (Population: 174.7 million)
Bangladesh is a South Asian country with a population of about little over 174 million people. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The capital and largest city is Dhaka. The official language is Bengali and the majority of the population is Muslim. Bangladesh has made significant progress in recent decades, reducing poverty and improving health and education. The country is a lower-middle-income country with a growing economy. The main industries are ready-made garments, textiles, chemical fertilizers, jute and jute goods, tea processing, pharmaceuticals, paper and newsprint, sugar, cement, leather goods, food, fish, and poultry.
The literacy rate in Bangladesh is 75.2 percent, which is a significant increase from the literacy rate of 51.8 percent in 1981. However, the literacy rate for males is higher than the literacy rate for females. Overall, Bangladesh is a developing country with a bright future. It has made significant progress in recent decades and is on track to achieve its development goals.
Russia (Population: 143.96 million)
Russian is by far the largest country in the world by land area. The area of the second largest country in the world, Canada, is less than 60 percent of the area of the Russia. The country covers the eastern part of Europe and the northern part of Asia. It has access to the Arctic Ocean in the north, the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the southwest, and the Baltic Sea in the northwest. It borders 14 countries: The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Norway and, with the province (oblast) of Kaliningrad, Poland and Lithuania.
The Soviet Union came to an end in late 1991 and the Russian Federation emerged as one of the 15 newly independent former Soviet republics. Administratively, the Russian Federation is divided into 46 provinces (oblasts), 21 republics, four autonomous okrugs, nine krays, two federal cities (Moscow and Saint Petersburg) and one autonomous oblast. The capital is Moscow.
Ethiopia (Population: 129.72 million)
With over 129 million people, Ethiopia is the second most populous nation in Africa after Nigeria, and one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, with an estimated 7.2 percent growth in FY2022-23. However, it also remains one of the poorest, with a per capita gross national income of $1,020. Ethiopia aims to reach lower-middle-income status by 2025.
Ethiopia’s strong growth rate builds on a longer-term record of growth over the past 15 years where the country’s economy grew at an average of nearly 10 percent per year, one of the highest rates in the world. Among other factors, growth was led by capital accumulation, in particular through public infrastructure investments.
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