Top 10 most populous countries in the world in 2025: Where India stands against China, Pakistan and the US

Although growth is decelerating, one in four people today already lives in a country where the population has peaked.

An overview of the world population from 1960 to 2050 (Source: World Bank)

With the present population estimated to be around 1.42 billion according to the US Census Bureau, India remains the world’s most populated country, a position it overtook from China in 2023.

However, experts suggest that India’s large population is a result of the “population momentum” from earlier decades and that the country’s population is likely to start its decline closer to 2050.

Marginally ahead of China, India is nonetheless likely to remain the most populous, as the UN forecast it to grow to 1.51 billion by the end of this century (2100).

China, with 1.4 billion people in 2025, remains the second most populous country, but its numbers are already shrinking.

The UN projects China’s population could fall to 1.3 billion by 2050 and halve by 2100.

Beyond India and China, demographic trends point to a shift towards Africa.

While Europe’s population is shrinking and Asia and Latin America are expected to see slower growth from the 2050s, Africa will drive much of the global increase.

By 2100, four African nations are projected to be among the world’s ten most populous, with Nigeria alone expected to reach half a billion people.

The World’s Top 10 Most Populous Countries in 2025

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