Most Populated

World Rankings · Population 2025

Most Populated Countries in the World (2025)

About 8.23 billion people live on Earth, and almost half of them live in just five countries. Here are the 20 most populated countries in the world, with a closer look at the top five: who lives there, how they work, and how much energy they use.

🇮🇳 1.46B
India (#1)
🇨🇳 1.42B
China (#2)
🇺🇸 347M
United States (#3)
🇮🇩 286M
Indonesia (#4)
🇵🇰 255M
Pakistan (#5)

Quick answer: The most populated country in the world is India, with about 1.46 billion people in 2025. It overtook China (about 1.42 billion) in 2023. The rest of the top five are the United States (347 million), Indonesia (286 million) and Pakistan (255 million).

Together, these five countries are home to about 46% of humanity. Figures are 2025 estimates from the UN World Population Prospects 2024.

The 20 Most Populated Countries in the World

Population in 2025 and each country’s share of the world total (about 8.23 billion).

#CountryPopulation (2025)Share of worldRegion
1🇮🇳 India1,463.9 million17.8%South Asia
2🇨🇳 China1,416.1 million17.2%East Asia
3🇺🇸 United States347.3 million4.2%North America
4🇮🇩 Indonesia285.7 million3.5%Southeast Asia
5🇵🇰 Pakistan255.2 million3.1%South Asia
6🇳🇬 Nigeria237.5 million2.9%West Africa
7🇧🇷 Brazil212.8 million2.6%South America
8🇧🇩 Bangladesh175.7 million2.1%South Asia
9🇷🇺 Russia144.0 million1.7%Europe / Asia
10🇪🇹 Ethiopia135.5 million1.6%East Africa
11🇲🇽 Mexico131.9 million1.6%North America
12🇯🇵 Japan123.1 million1.5%East Asia
13🇪🇬 Egypt118.4 million1.4%North Africa
14🇵🇭 Philippines116.8 million1.4%Southeast Asia
15🇨🇩 DR Congo112.8 million1.4%Central Africa
16🇻🇳 Vietnam101.6 million1.2%Southeast Asia
17🇮🇷 Iran92.4 million1.1%Middle East
18🇹🇷 Turkey87.7 million1.1%Europe / Asia
19🇩🇪 Germany84.1 million1.0%Europe
20🇹🇭 Thailand71.6 million0.9%Southeast Asia

Source: United Nations, World Population Prospects 2024 (2025 medium-variant estimates). National censuses can give slightly different figures; Pakistan’s 2023 census, for example, counted 241.5 million people.

💡 Did you know?

The Indonesian island of Java is home to more than 150 million people, which makes it the most populated island on Earth. If Java were a country, it would rank around 9th in the world, ahead of Russia, Mexico and Japan.

The Top 5 Most Populated Countries in Detail

Population figures are 2025 UN estimates. Men, women and children figures are rounded estimates derived from UN age and sex data. Other figures are the latest national or World Bank numbers available.

🇮🇳 1. India

Rank #1 • 17.8% of the world
~755M
Men
~709M
Women
~350M
Children (0–14)
~72 yrs
Life expectancy
3.2%
Unemployment
People
India has about 1.46 billion people and a median age of about 28, one of the youngest profiles of any major economy. It became the world’s most populated country in 2023.
Work
The unemployment rate was 3.2% in the 2023–24 national labour survey (usual status). Services, IT, construction and manufacturing absorb millions of young job-seekers each year, but much work remains informal.
Poverty and quality of life
According to the World Bank, extreme poverty (below $3.00 a day) fell to about 5.3% in 2022–23, down from over a quarter of the population in 2011–12.
Energy
India generates about 1,950 TWh of electricity a year. Coal still supplies most of it, but solar and wind capacity is growing very fast. Consumption is about 1,400 kWh per person, still far below the world average.
🧭 India travel guide → 📊 World Bank India data →

🇨🇳 2. China

Rank #2 • 17.2% of the world
~723M
Men
~693M
Women
~225M
Children (0–14)
~79 yrs
Life expectancy
~5%
Urban unemployment
People
China has about 1.42 billion people, and its population has been shrinking since 2022. Its fertility rate is about 1.0 child per woman, one of the lowest in the world, so the population is ageing quickly.
Work
A workforce of over 700 million powers manufacturing, technology and green industries. The surveyed urban unemployment rate is around 5%, though youth unemployment is much higher.
Poverty and quality of life
China has almost eliminated extreme poverty by the World Bank’s measure. Near-universal basic healthcare and one of the world’s largest high-speed rail networks have raised living standards, although incomes in rural areas remain well below those in cities.
Energy
China is the world’s largest electricity producer, at about 10,000 TWh a year. It installs more solar, wind and nuclear capacity than any other country but still relies heavily on coal. Consumption is about 7,000 kWh per person.
🧭 China travel guide → 📊 National Bureau of Statistics of China →

🇺🇸 3. United States

Rank #3 • 4.2% of the world
~172M
Men
~175M
Women
~61M
Children (0–14)
78.4 yrs
Life expectancy
~4%
Unemployment
People
The United States has about 347 million people. Unlike most rich countries, its population is still growing, mainly because of immigration.
Work
Healthcare, technology, finance and services employ most workers. Unemployment has stayed around 4% in recent years.
Poverty and quality of life
Average incomes are among the highest in the world, but inequality is high too: the official poverty rate was 11.1% in 2023 (US Census Bureau).
Energy
The US generates about 4,300 TWh of electricity a year, mostly from natural gas, nuclear and renewables. Use per person is very high, at roughly 12,000 kWh.
🧭 United States travel guide → 📊 US Census Bureau →

🇮🇩 4. Indonesia

Rank #4 • 3.5% of the world
~144M
Men
~142M
Women
~69M
Children (0–14)
~71 yrs
Life expectancy
4.76%
Unemployment
People
Indonesia has about 286 million people spread across more than 17,000 islands. More than half of them live on just one island, Java.
Work
Unemployment was 4.76% in February 2025 (BPS-Statistics Indonesia). Manufacturing, nickel processing, farming and digital commerce are major employers.
Poverty and quality of life
The share of people below the national poverty line has fallen to about 8.6% (September 2024). The national health insurance scheme (BPJS Kesehatan) now covers most of the population.
Energy
Indonesia generates about 350 TWh of electricity a year, mostly from coal. It is expanding geothermal, hydro and solar power. Consumption is about 1,400 kWh per person.
🧭 Indonesia travel guide → 📊 BPS-Statistics Indonesia →

🇵🇰 5. Pakistan

Rank #5 • 3.1% of the world
~129M
Men
~126M
Women
~94M
Children (0–14)
~67 yrs
Life expectancy
6.3%
Unemployment
People
Pakistan has about 255 million people (UN estimate; the 2023 census counted 241.5 million). It is one of the youngest large countries, with a median age of about 20 and more than a third of the population under 15.
Work
Agriculture and textiles are the biggest employers. The last full national labour force survey (2020–21) put unemployment at 6.3%.
Poverty and quality of life
Poverty remains a major challenge: World Bank estimates put roughly a quarter of the population below the poverty line. Programmes such as the Benazir Income Support Programme provide cash support to poor households.
Energy
Pakistan generates about 140 TWh of electricity a year from hydro, gas, nuclear and a fast-growing amount of rooftop solar. Consumption is about 600 kWh per person.
🧭 Pakistan travel guide → 📊 Pakistan Bureau of Statistics →

India has taken the top spot for the long term. UN projections show India’s population growing until the early 2060s, peaking at about 1.7 billion. China’s population is expected to keep falling for the rest of the century.

Africa is where the growth is. Nigeria, Ethiopia and the DR Congo are among the fastest-growing countries in the top 20. Nigeria is expected to overtake the United States as the world’s third most populated country later this century.

Several large countries are already shrinking. Japan, Russia, China and Germany all have fertility rates well below the replacement level of about 2.1 children per woman. Their populations are getting older, and growth, where there is any, comes mainly from immigration.

The world as a whole is slowing down. The UN expects the global population to peak at about 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s and then decline slightly.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most populated country in the world?

India is the most populated country in the world, with about 1.46 billion people in 2025 according to the UN World Population Prospects 2024. It overtook China in 2023.

Why is China’s population shrinking while India’s is still growing?

China’s fertility rate has fallen to about 1.0 child per woman after decades of the one-child policy and rapid urbanisation, so deaths now outnumber births. India’s fertility rate is close to 2.0 and its median age is about 28, so its population is still growing, though more slowly than before.

Will Nigeria overtake the United States in population?

Nigeria is the fastest-growing country in the top 10. UN projections expect it to overtake the United States as the world’s third most populated country later this century.

What share of the world’s people live in the five most populated countries?

India, China, the United States, Indonesia and Pakistan together have about 3.77 billion people, roughly 46% of the world’s population of about 8.23 billion in 2025.

What is the population of the world in 2025?

The UN estimates the world population at about 8.23 billion in 2025. It is projected to peak at around 10.3 billion in the mid-2080s.

Which country has the largest population in Europe?

Russia has the largest population in Europe, with about 144 million people, although most of its land lies in Asia. Germany, with about 84 million people, is the most populated country located entirely in Europe.

Sources

Last reviewed: October 2026. Figures are rounded and may differ slightly from national sources.