List of countries by population

India is the most populous country in the world, with a population of nearly 1.476 billion as of 1 July 2026. It is closely followed by China, whose population exceeds 1.412 billion. These are the only two countries with populations above one billion, while all other countries have fewer than 500 million people.

The other five countries with populations exceeding 200 million are the United States, Indonesia, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Brazil.

The Holy See (Vatican City) is the smallest country in the world. Its population is approximately 506, making it the only country with a population below 1,000.

As of 2026, 16 countries have a population of more than 100 million. Of these, eight are located in Asia, four in Africa, two in North America, and one each in Europe and South America.

Thirty-one countries have populations exceeding 50 million, while 94 have at least 10 million people. The five most populous countries account for about 45.61% of the global population, while the top 10 account for nearly 57%. The 20 most populous countries together account for more than 69% of the world's population.

At the other end of the ranking, the 105 smallest countries and territories account for just 1% of the global population, while the 176 lowest-ranked countries and territories together account for only 10%.

India is projected to be the largest contributor to global population growth in 2026, accounting for 18.38% of the total increase in the world's population. India's population is projected to increase by 12.66 million, followed by Nigeria with an increase of 4.93 million.

With population increases of 4.13 million, 3.65 million, and 3.45 million, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), and Ethiopia are the third-, fourth-, and fifth-largest contributors to global population growth, respectively.

Out of 237 countries and territories projected by the UN, the populations of 65 are expected to decline in 2026. Together, these 65 countries and territories are projected to lose 5,958,430 people, although they account for 27.22% of the global population.

China is projected to record the largest population decline, at 3.09 million, followed by Japan, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy, each with a decline of more than 200,000 people.