The world population is estimated to have reached 8.1 billion, with projections indicating a continuous increase. Demographic statistics indicate that, in terms of population distribution, there are approximately 1.01 men for every woman. The median age of the world population is estimated to be 30.7 years in 2024 and is expected to increase to 35.9 years by 2050.
As the population continues to grow, population aging is becoming a significant trend, driven by declining fertility rates and an increasing proportion of elderly people. Projections suggest that the world population will increase to 9.2 billion by 2040 and to 9.7 billion by 2050. By 2100, the world is expected to have 10.3 billion inhabitants.
Source: Geodatos. Elaborated from data published by the United Nations.
The world population is composed of countries with different population sizes and growth rates. India and China are the most populous countries, each with over 1.4 billion people. In the last year, India experienced a growth rate of 0.9% and a fertility rate of 1.98, while China had a 0.04% population decrease and a fertility rate of 1.21. Combined, these two countries represent approximately 35% of the global population.
United States, Indonesia, and Pakistan follow closely with populations exceeding 200 million. United States, with approximately 342 million people, experiences an annual growth rate of 0.5%, while Indonesia, with approximately 280 million inhabitants, has an annual growth rate of 0.8%. Pakistan, the fifth most populous country, has a population of 245 million and exhibits the highest annual growth rate among the top 5, at 1.9%.
| # | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 1,442 million |
| 2 | China | 1,425 million |
| 3 | United States | 342 million |
| 4 | Indonesia | 280 million |
| 5 | Pakistan | 245 million |
| 6 | Nigeria | 229 million |
| 7 | Brazil | 218 million |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 175 million |
| 9 | Russia | 144 million |
| 10 | Ethiopia | 130 million |
The following countries or territories have the highest growth rates, median ages, and densities.
| 1. | Syria | 4.56% |
| 2. | Niger | 3.75% |
| 3. | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 3.23% |
| 4. | Mali | 3.06% |
| 5. | Chad | 3.05% |
| 1. | Vatican | 56.5 years |
| 2. | Monaco | 54 years |
| 3. | Saint Helena | 52.9 years |
| 4. | Japan | 49.5 years |
| 5. | Sint Maarten | 48.4 years |
To see more, go to Population of countries and territories and sort the table by any of the indicators.
The global population growth rate peaked in 1963, reaching around 2.27% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.91% in 2024. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 92.83 million in 1990 to nearly 73.53 million in 2024.
Factors contributing to the declining growth rate include lower mortality rates, increased agricultural productivity, and declining fertility rates, especially in developed countries. However, some regions like Africa and parts of Asia continue to have high fertility rates and population growth.
Life expectancy at birth has been increasing globally, with the indicator rising from 67.8 years in 2004 to 73.7 years in 2024, representing an increase of almost 6 years over the past 2 decades.
Geographically, there are significant disparities in life expectancy around the world. Based on available data, countries like Monaco, Hong Kong, and Macao have the highest life expectancies, with over 85 years on average. In contrast, countries like Nigeria, Chad, and Lesotho have much lower life expectancies, slightly below 56 years on average.
The data also reveals differences in life expectancy between genders. Globally, women tend to outlive men. For example, in Japan, women have an average life expectancy of 88.1 years, while men average 82 years.