Top 10 Most Populated Countries in the World (2024)

The world's population crossed 8 billion people in 2022, and that number keeps growing. But population is not evenly distributed — a small number of countries account for the majority of the world's people. Just two countries, India and China, are each home to more than 1.4 billion people.

Here are the 10 most populated countries in the world as of 2024, along with their approximate populations.

#	Country	Population (2024)	Continent
1	India	1,441,720,000	Asia
2	China	1,419,321,000	Asia
3	United States	339,997,000	North America
4	Indonesia	277,534,000	Asia
5	Pakistan	231,402,000	Asia
6	Brazil	216,422,000	South America
7	Nigeria	223,805,000	Africa
8	Bangladesh	172,954,000	Asia
9	Russia	144,444,000	Europe / Asia
10	Ethiopia	126,527,000	Africa

India: The World's Most Populous Country

India officially surpassed China as the world's most populous country in 2023. With over 1.44 billion people, India is home to nearly one in five people on Earth. India's population is also significantly younger than China's, giving it a growing workforce and a different demographic trajectory for the decades ahead.

China: Still Over 1.4 Billion

China held the title of world's most populous country for decades before being overtaken by India. With 1.419 billion people, China's population is now in slight decline — a consequence of its one-child policy, which was in effect from 1980 to 2015. China's working-age population is shrinking, presenting significant economic challenges.

The United States: Distant Third

The United States, with around 340 million people, is a distant third. Despite being one of the largest countries by area, the US has a much lower population density than India or China. The US population continues to grow, driven largely by immigration.

Africa's Rising Population

Nigeria (7th) and Ethiopia (10th) are the only African countries in the top 10 today, but Africa is the fastest-growing continent by population. Demographic projections suggest that several African nations will climb significantly in the rankings over the coming decades. Nigeria is on track to become one of the world's three most populous countries by 2050.

Asia Dominates the Rankings

Seven of the world's ten most populous countries are in Asia: India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia (partially), and Japan just outside the top 10. Asia's dominance reflects both its historical population centers and the continued growth of developing economies across the continent.

Test Your Population Knowledge

Do you know which country has more people — Indonesia or Pakistan? Brazil or Nigeria? In Geography Draft (Population mode), you rank countries into the right population bucket. It's a surprisingly tricky test of how well you know the world's demographics.