Do you know the most populated countries in the world? According to the calculations done by World-o-meter, the world’s population as of the year 2021 is around a 7.9billion. In other words, there are approximately 7.9 billion individuals, 7.9 billion people walking, living and breathing on the surface of this planet right now.
It is incredible how far human civilization has grown, especially in terms of population. Prior to the insurgence of the COVID-19 virus, the world population was at an all-time high and the death toll was at an all-time low when compared to the various eras of civilization. Of course, it is safe to say that the world’s population is not evenly distributed across all countries. This is a result of a number of issues, such as landmass, climate, fertility rate, government policy, and so on. In this article, we are going to explore the top ten most populated countries on Earth.
It is interesting to note that approximately fifty-eight percent (58%) of the world’s population is claimed by these ten countries. That means out of the 195 countries on the planet, ten (10) of these countries possess well over half the entire population of the 195 countries put together. For context; if the remaining 185 countries came together, they still would not be able to outnumber these 10 countries.
So, what are the names of these ten countries, and what makes them capable of possessing such numbers? Well, keep reading to find out more.
Top 10 Most Populated Countries In The World
10. Mexico (128,932,753)
Mexico is located at the south-south border of North America. The country, which gained its independence on the 16th of September, 1810, is home to almost 130 million people, popularly called Mexicans. They make up over 1.65% of the world’s total population. This is an insane number to have considering the country’s notoriety for losing over 60,000 people every year. It has a population density of 66 people per square meter. This is indeed a testament to the country’s gargantuan landmass.
9. Russia (145,934,462)
The only country on earth so large, that it occupies two continents, is none other than The Russian Federation or Russia for short. Spreading its breaches across the eastern parts of Europe and the Northern parts of Asia, the 17million square kilometre giant makes up approximately 12.5% of the Earth’s available landmass, solidifying itself as the country with the largest landmass on our blue planet.
Of course, having a landmass means having a large number of people to occupy this landmass. The country currently holds approximately 146 million people, which is around 1.87 percent of the total number of people on earth, ranking it 9th on our list.
8. Bangladesh (164,689,383)
This country, located deep in the southern reaches of the Asian continent, is home to over 165 million people. The country’s population is growing at an exponentially high level. It comes as no surprise that Dhaka, the country’s capital, is dubbed the city with the highest population density in the world.
With a population density of 1,250 people per square kilometre, Bangladesh holds the number one ranking as the country with the highest population density worldwide. It is also home to 2.11% of the world’s current population.
7. Nigeria (213,622,826)
Thanks to recent data, we can, to a large degree, pinpoint the current population of Nigeria at over 213 million people. Nigeria is the only African country on this list, so it has bragging rights over 2.64% of the general world population, and that is a lot.
The country, which gained its independence on the 1st of October, 1960, has grown in population since then and is still growing. Popularly called the “Giant of Africa”, Nigeria stands at the number one spot among the most populated countries in Africa. Located on the western coast of Africa, the country’s southern area is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean.
6. Brazil (214,664,519)
Right now, Brazil is the sixth (6th) most populated country on the surface of our planet. This country accommodates 214,664,519 people and has around 2.73% of the world’s population. While its population growth rate has been on a uniform decline, the country still boasts that over 80% of its population is urban.
More interestingly, the people to land ratio is quite low, with only about 25 people for every 1km you travel within the country of Brazil. This is as a result of the 8.5 million square-kilometer area that the country occupies. This has made it the largest country (by landmass) not just in South America, but also in the whole of Latin America. The official language of the Brazilians is Portuguese.
5. Pakistan (220,892,340)
Compared to the other countries discussed in this list so far, Pakistan is one of the countries with the least amount of landmass. Covering a total area of 297,000 square kilometres; that is relatively a very small area to fit the over 220 million people that reside in the country.
But on a positive note, its population density is actually a far cry from Bangladesh’s, with about 287 people per square metre. Its almost 300,000 square meter area is home to the second-highest population of Muslims in the world.
4. Indonesia (273,523,615)
After reading that Pakistan has the second (2nd) highest population of Muslims in the entire world, I am sure you are wondering which country has the highest Muslim population. Well, wonder no more. Indonesia is ranked as the 4th most populated country on earth and the country with the highest number of Muslims.
This beautiful Southeast Asian country is home to 17 thousand small islands that have often served as nice relaxation and tourist locations. Thanks to its beautiful climate, it has served as the perfect home for 273 million people. 151 people per Km2 is this country’s population density, and it is home to 3.51% of the world’s entire population.
3. USA (331,002,651)
The United States of America is one of the biggest nations on earth. The world’s third-largest country by landmass is the United States. It is home to no less than 331 million souls and is the third most populated country in the world, placing third on this list.
The country, which is about 244 years old, has a healthy population density of just 36 per Km2 which is roughly 94 people per square mile. Today, the country can brag about being home to almost 4.3% of the total population of the world.
2. India (1,398,902,101)
Now, on to the big leagues. As of the early 1950s, India had a total population of just shy of 600,000,000 people living in it. Today, however, the country can boast of 1,398,902,101 people and counting. With over a billion people, India has a total of 17% of the world’s entire population living within its borders, making it the only country second only to one other country that has a world population percentage of above 10%.
Although its population density is not as high as Bangladesh’s, it still has over 400 people per square kilometre. Its population is so diverse, be it in terms of ethnicity or religion.
1. China (1,447,069,499)
The people of China have a rich and ancient history filled with the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty. The land still has some rich historical archaeological sites preserved to this very day. While all you might know about China is its strict government and martial arts, it is important to understand that the Chinese government does all it can to keep its population within control.
While we might not delve deeper into how they have accomplished this, I would still like to say that today, China has over 1.4 billion people and accounts for over 18.4% of the world’s population, making it the country with the largest population currently. In spite of all these, China has quite a healthy population density of 153 people per square kilometre, within its 9,388,211 square km area.
Conclusion
The world is filled with lots of people, all kinds of people, not all of them are terrible. Go out and make a friend today, you only die once.