The world population is estimated to have reached 8.3 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 31.1 years in 2026 and is expected to increase to 36.1 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 10.2 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 0.86% and a fertility rate of 1.93, while China had a 0.22% population decrease and a fertility rate of 1.03. 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 349 million people, experiences an annual growth rate of 0.5%, while Indonesia, with approximately 288 million inhabitants, has an annual growth rate of 0.7%. Pakistan, the fifth most populous country, has a population of 259 million and exhibits the highest annual growth rate among the top 5, at 1.6%.
| # | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 1,477 million |
| 2 | China | 1,413 million |
| 3 | United States | 349 million |
| 4 | Indonesia | 288 million |
| 5 | Pakistan | 259 million |
| 6 | Nigeria | 242 million |
| 7 | Brazil | 214 million |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 178 million |
| 9 | Russia | 143 million |
| 10 | Ethiopia | 139 million |
The following countries or territories have the highest growth rates, median ages, and densities.
| 1. | Central African Republic | 3.28% |
| 2. | Somalia | 3.24% |
| 3. | Niger | 3.13% |
| 4. | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 3.13% |
| 5. | Syria | 3.04% |
| 1. | Vatican | 56.2 years |
| 2. | Monaco | 53.1 years |
| 3. | Saint Helena | 51 years |
| 4. | Japan | 50.2 years |
| 5. | Martinique | 50.2 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 2.28% annually, but has since declined to approximately 0.83% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 93.67 million in 1990 to nearly 68.87 million in 2026.
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 68.6 years in 2006 to 73.8 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 5 years over the past 2 decades.
Geographically, there are significant disparities in life expectancy around the world. Based on available data, countries like Monaco, San Marino, and Hong Kong have the highest life expectancies, with over 85 years on average. In contrast, countries like Nigeria, Chad, and South Sudan have much lower life expectancies, slightly below 58 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 88.2 years, while men average 82.1 years.