The 30 Most Populated Countries On Earth Today

Population and Social Characteristics

Published: April 24, 2024 12:50 pm

Global population growth has slowed to historic lows in recent years. The number of people on Earth expanded by just 0.8% in 2022, the smallest increase since at least 1960, the earliest year of available data from the World Bank. The latest population figures reflect the continuation of a longer-term trend, as global population growth rates have hit new all-time lows every year since 2015.

Slowing population growth worldwide has been driven by falling birth rates in much of the developed world. For a country to maintain its population size — immigration notwithstanding — the average fertility rate should be around 2.1 children per woman, and in places like Italy, Japan, Spain, and the United States, fertility rates are well below that threshold. Still, the global fertility rate stands at 2.3, enough to sustain future growth.

Currently, there are nearly 8 billion people worldwide — and the vast majority of them are concentrated in just a handful of the world’s 195 countries. According to the latest estimates from the World Bank, the five most populous countries alone are home to 46% of the global population — and the 30 most populous countries are home to over 77%.

Using 2022 data from the World Bank, 24/7 Wall St. identified the world’s 30 most populous countries. Supplemental data on population distribution, gross domestic product, GDP per capita, and total fertility rates — or the average number of children women have in their lifetime — are also from the World Bank and are for the latest available year.

The countries on this list range in population size, from about 47.8 million to over 1.4 billion. These countries span five continents, but most are concentrated in Africa and Asia. In most of these places, the bulk of the population reside in urban communities, a classification that includes large, densely populated cities.

Owing to their size, many of these countries have large economies, generating hundreds of billions, or even trillions of dollars annually. Of the 20 largest national economies in the world by GDP, 15 rank on this list. Still, when accounting for population, many of these countries are not wealthy places. As of 2022, global GDP per capita was $12,688, and in two-thirds of the 30 countries on this list, GDP per capita is below that benchmark. (Here is a look at the poorest countries in the world.)

Exactly how long many of these countries will rank among the most populous in the world remains to be seen. In most of these places, particularly those in Europe and the Americas, fertility rates are well below the 2.1 threshold necessary for growth, indicating imminent population decline, absent a commensurate increase in immigration. (Here is a look at the countries with the highest birth rates.)

Why It Matters

Many countries with large populations are global economic pillars. The United States, one of the highest ranking countries on this list, accounts for 25% of world GDP alone. Countries with large populations can also be more of a challenge to govern, as more people mean more competing interests, greater demand for resources, and increased strain on infrastructure.