LARGEST COUNTRIES BY POPULATION

According to official data from leading international organisations, including the UN, the three largest countries in terms of population in 2025 are China, India and the USA. The said nations are home to about 3.222 billion people, which is about 40 per cent of the world's total population (8.203 billion), while the top 10 most populous countries in the world account for 60 per cent.

It is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to determine the exact number of inhabitants in a particular country. In many countries the population census has not been conducted for decades and local statistical offices publish, to put it mildly, estimated data. Nevertheless, analysts manage to provide figures that are as close to reality as possible.

The largest countries by population

Based on current data from the UN Specialised Department and national statistical offices in individual states, we will outline the top 10 largest countries in terms of population in 2025, both globally and separately in Africa, Europe, Asia, North and South America.

10 LARGEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD BY POPULATION

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. INDIA 1,458,419
2. CHINA 1,417,450
3. USA 346,497
4. INDONESIA 284,780
5. PAKISTAN 253,552
6. NIGERIA 235,478
7. BRAZIL 212,470
8. BANGLADESH 174,791
9. RUSSIA 144,342
10. ETHIOPIA 134,027

Note. The world population in 2025 is about 8.203 billion.

THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN AFRICA

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. NIGERIA 235,478
2. ETHIOPIA 134,027
3. EGYPT 117,594
4. DR CONGO 111,324
5. TANZANIA 69,704
6. SOUTH AFRICA 64,435
7. KENYA 57,068
8. SUDAN 51,149
9. UGANDA 50,804
10. ALGERIA 47,173

Note. The population of Africa in 2025 is about 1.535 billion.

THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN EUROPE

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. RUSSIA 144,342
2. GERMANY 84,275
3. GREAT BRITAIN 69,377
4. FRANCE 66,607
5. ITALY 59,228
6. SPAIN 47,898
7. POLAND 38,307
8. UKRAINE 38,505
9. ROMANIA 18,953
10. NETHERLANDS 18,297

Note. The population of Europe in 2025 is about 744.7 million.

THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN ASIA

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. INDIA 1 458,419
2. CHINA 1 417,450
3. INDONESIA 284,780
4. PAKISTAN 253,552
5. BANGLADESH 174,791
6. JAPAN 123,375
7. PHILIPPINES 116,389
8. VIETNAM 101,333
9. IRAN 92,059
10. TURKEY 87,596

Note. The population of Asia population in 2025 is about 4.823 billion.

THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN NORTH AMERICA

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. USA 346,497
2. MEXICO 131,489
3. CANADA 39,964
4. GUATEMALA 18,569
5. HAITI 11,849
6. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 11,481
7. CUBA 10,955
8. HONDURAS 10,929
9. NIKARAGUA 6,968
10. EL SALVADOR 6,354

Note. The population of North America in 2025 is approximately 610.8 million.

THE MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN SOUTH AMERICA

â„– COUNTRY POPULATION (MILLION)
1. BRAZIL 212,470
2. COLOMBIA 53,198
3. ARGENTINA 45,786
4. PERU 34,425
5. VENEZUELA 28,470
6. CHILE 19,819
7. ECUADOR 18,224
8. BOLIVIA 12,510
9. PARAGUAY 6,977
10. URUGUAY 3,385

Note. The population of South America in 2025 is about 436.7 million.

Experts estimate that the world population as of 2025 exceeds 8.2 billion. Despite the fact that the growth of people on the planet has been three times greater in the past century than in all of previous human history, there has been a significant decline in the past two decades. Nevertheless, the UN predicts that by 2088, more than 11 billion people will be living on the globe.

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