The Most Populous Countries in the World
The world's nations, ranked by population.
A handful of nations hold a large share of humanity, led by India and China, each home to well over a billion people. Ranked here by total population.
| # | Place | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 IndiaThe world's most populous nation and largest democracy |
1,450,000,000 |
| 2 |
 ChinaThe world's most populous nation reborn as an economic superpower |
1,408,000,000 |
| 3 |
 United StatesA continental superpower of fifty states and astonishing variety |
340,100,000 |
| 4 |
 IndonesiaThe world's largest archipelago, spanning two oceans |
283,600,000 |
| 5 |
 PakistanA populous South Asian nation from the Indus plains to the Karakoram |
255,000,000 |
| 6 |
 NigeriaAfrica's most populous nation and cultural superpower |
235,000,000 |
| 7 |
 BrazilSouth America's giant, from the Amazon to the Atlantic |
213,421,037 |
| 8 |
 BangladeshA densely populated delta nation at the mouths of the Ganges and Brahmaputra |
175,700,000 |
| 9 |
 RussiaThe largest country on Earth, spanning Europe and Asia across eleven time zones |
146,000,000 |
| 10 |
 EthiopiaThe ancient highland heart of the Horn of Africa |
132,000,000 |
| 11 |
 MexicoWhere ancient civilizations and a modern powerhouse meet |
130,000,000 |
| 12 |
 JapanAn archipelago empire of volcanoes, technology, and deep tradition |
123,000,000 |
| 13 |
 EgyptThe gift of the Nile and a bridge between Africa and Asia |
116,000,000 |
| 14 |
 PhilippinesAn archipelago of seven thousand islands in the Pacific |
114,000,000 |
| 15 |
 Democratic Republic of the CongoA continent-sized country at the green heart of Africa |
109,000,000 |
Figures are drawn from standard government and reference sources and shown in both imperial and metric units. See each entry for full details and citations. Browse all guides or open the explore map.