The global population has been increasing ever since humanity invented agriculture around 10,000 BC. The domestication of food and animals meant that humans had a stable food supply, and could therefore begin supporting greater numbers of people in their settlements.
This pattern has been repeated throughout human history ever since; technological development leads to increased capacity for human life, people have more babies and so the population grows.
Population growth has rarely been spread evenly throughout the countries of the world. Different areas of the world have seen population growth at different times according to their level of economic development.
The most populous countries in the world have fluctuated throughout history and even now, the list of countries in the top is likely to change over the coming decades. As demographics in Europe, America and China begin to tip in favor of an aging population, and countries in Africa have an increased capacity to support more people, the balance of population will undoubtedly shift.
For now, many of the most populous countries are located in Asia and Europe, although there are already some African countries that are on the rise. The list below is likely to change in one major way; that India will supersede China to be the most populous country by the end of 2023.
This table provides figures about the most populous nations in the world, when the current estimated world population is 8.05 billion, as of 2023.
Most Populous Countries
China
China is the most populous country in the world. In 1950, China had a population of around 550 million people, meaning that almost 900 million people have been added to that number in 70 years.
China once saw this rising population as a problem and so they implemented a one-child policy from 1980 to 2015. This legally restricted family to only having one child in an attempt to bring population growth under control.
The majority of the population is located in the eastern half of the country. As its dependency, Hong Kong would, by itself, rank around 100 in a list of countries.
India
A very high population density exists throughout the country, apart from the deserts in the northwest and the mountains in the north.
India has been gaining fast on China’s population numbers over the past twenty years and is forecast to overtake them in 2023. This is despite a falling fertility rate and a general shift in attitude amongst Indians to have smaller families.
There is a significant deviation between the north and south in population growth. In the north, where families are poorer, the fertility rates are still high, high enough to outweigh the falling population in the richer south. In general, the population density is higher in urban areas like Kolkata.
United States
From 1950 to 2010, the USA’s population https://bacaankatolik.org/ doubled from 151 million to 309 million. The populace is spread across very densely populated urban areas which are clustered along the east and west coasts. California and Texas, the two most populous states, account for about one-quarter of the population.
During this time, the USA’s demographics shifted dramatically following the post-industrial decline of their manufacturing industries.
In combination with other factors such as a rising middle class, the USA’s population growth has slowed rapidly. In fact, without the high levels of immigration, the USA’s population would be in decline.
Indonesia
There is a dramatic population division across Situs Slot Gacor Indonesia’s islands. Java, the island which is home to the capital Jakarta, is home to 56% of the country’s population and is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. As a result, it is also the most populated island in the world.
Indonesia has a relatively young population with a median age of 30 years.
Pakistan
Pakistan is set to be one of the top ten fastest-growing countries in the coming decade.
It is home to two megacities, Karachi and Lahore, with extensive mountainous rural areas contributing to the extremely urban population distribution. Punjab is the most densely populated province and area in Pakistan.