These are the ten largest countries in the world by population right now!
#10. Mexico
South of the US border, down Mexico way…is one of the biggest countries in the world! The
third largest country in the Americas, Mexico has a population of just under 128 million,
and a high birth rate - 18.3 births per 1,000 population, compared to only 5.8 deaths per
1,000 population. It’s a highly urban country - it has fifty-five major metropolitan areas, where
over half the population lives. The rural areas of the country are much more sparsely populated,
and tend to have a higher indigenous population. While Mexico grew rapidly during the 20th century,
that has been somewhat reversed and the population seems relatively stable,
but it’s a young-skewing country that’s seen as a rising power.
And in some ways, its future will be defined by one city.
Mexico City houses almost a sixth of the country’s entire population, making it one of the largest
capitals in terms of population percentage in the world. It’s the fifth-largest city in the world,
and it’s a busy place that serves as a hub of industry, culture, and retail. If you asked
many Americans what the demographics of Mexico were, they might say “It’s full of Mexicans”,
but the country is very diverse. It’s a melting pot of people descended from Spanish colonists,
as well as a still-strong indigenous population and many immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin
and South American countries. And of course, many people are mixed and simply identify as Mestizo
now, a term that describes people of mixed ancestry with a white European and indigenous
background. The country is heavily Roman Catholic, with 78% of the population belonging to the faith.
But things aren’t all sunshine and rainbows south of the border.
As the thirteenth-largest country in the world by land mass, Mexico has one advantage many of
the countries ahead of it don’t - it has enough room for everyone. But many of its
cities can be overcrowded and chaotic. It also has a serious problem with crime and cartel violence,
as the recent governments have tried to get the criminal activity under
control and arrest gang leaders. Despite this, it’s a major tourist destination
for Americans thanks to its comparably low cost of living. With a 95% literacy rate,
Mexico is a modern nation that’s rising in influence, although many governments there
have struggled and been voted out because they just can’t seem to get a handle on the
crime situation. But with the sixteenth highest GDP in the world, it’s likely to keep growing.
Now, let’s head a long way away - and way up north.
#9. Russia
With a population of 147 million people, Russia is one of the largest countries in the world in
terms of population. Even so, its president seems to think that the country needs to
become even bigger. The biggest country in the world in terms of landmass by a wide margin,
it spans across two continents, but a large percentage of the country is the frozen territory
of Siberia - which is very loosely occupied and has played home to the infamous prison camps known
as gulags in the past. Its largest city is Moscow, only the 24th-largest in the world with around a
tenth of Russia’s population. And hiding beneath Russia’s massive population is a very disturbing
fact - they have one of the worst birth-to-death rates in the world. Their birth rate is under ten
per 1000 people, while their death rate is at 16.7 per 1000. In other words, Russia is shrinking.
And the story of how Russia got so big is a complicated one.
Centuries of aggressive expansion led to the former Duchy of Muscovy integrating
mass amount of land, turning the country into the Russia we know today. This means
countless countries and ethnic groups were simply told they were Russian citizens now
and didn’t have much say in it. That makes the country one of the most diverse in the
world - and also one of with the most unrest. It has large Muslim minorities, as well as residents
from other countries around Europe. The country has fought several major civil wars, has border
conflicts with many of its neighbors, and has shrunk significantly since its height during
the Soviet era. Its immigrant population is the third-largest in the world - over eleven million.
But migrating to Russia may not be looking all that desirable right now.
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine, many have started to criticize many
facets of the former second world power. Between its dictator-like government,
its conscription law, and the devastating economic sanctions it finds itself under,
things are likely to get worse. It currently has the eleventh-highest GDP, but that may soon drop
significantly. Some will find refuge in faith - Russia is heavily Eastern Orthodox Christian,
with up to 80% of the population belonging to the faith. Others will find solace in food and vodka,
contributing to the country’s high risk of cardiovascular disease. And of course,
many in the country might find themselves contributing to Russia’s death rate when
they’re sent, poorly equipped into Ukrainian territory as Vladimir Putin attempts to to put
roughly forty million people under Russia’s control- whether they like it or not.
Now let’s get much smaller.
#8. Bangladesh
A small country on the eastern border of India, Bangladesh is part of the former British Raj
that was eventually partitioned into a Muslim country - similarly to Pakistan on the western
side. Initially part of Pakistan, it eventually gained its independence in 1971, and is the most
homogenous country on the list so far. It’s 99% Bengali, with over 90% of the population being
Muslim and just under 8% being Hindu. It also has one of the highest birth rates in the world,
with a whopping 17.71 birth rate per 1000 people, compared to only 5.54 deaths per 1000. That means
Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing countries out there, which may be a problem.
Because Bangladesh is the smallest country on this list.
It has a population of just under 170 million people, but in terms of landmass,
it’s only the 92nd largest country in the world,
being just a bit bigger than tiny Nepal nearby in the Himalayas. That means by necessity,
it’s a heavily urban country with its largest city Dhaka having over fifteen percent of
the total population. Its literacy rate of 74 percent is considered average for the region,
and it has recently seen an increase in refugees and migrants due to crises in nearby countries,
such as the targeting of Rohingya Muslims. It’s a parliamentary democracy considered to have fair
elections, although it has been criticized for its treatment of religious minorities.
But can a country of this size really sustain such a large population?
Bangladesh’s population growth isn’t slowing down, and it’s quickly running out of space.
At the 41st spot in GDP, its economy is growing but might not be growing fast enough to keep it
from a population crisis. One area where it might be able to find relief is in its
education efforts - it has produced a high number of immigrants who have come to the United States,
United Kingdom, and other places to work in tech and other fields. Similar to India and Pakistan,
one of Bangladesh’s biggest exports is its talent,
and that might be exactly what it intends to have enough space for its future population.
Now let’s head across the ocean for something completely different.
#7. Brazil
Welcome to Brazil, the largest country in South America in more ways than one! It’s
more than double the size of any other country in the continent, with a size that makes it the
fifth-largest country in the world. It has a population of over 217 million people, which
is more than half the continent’s population. And its growth doesn’t stop there - it has a
GDP that puts it at tenth in the world. Not only is this the biggest in South America,
but it has more than half the gross GDP of of the continent. So in many ways, South America
is defined by Brazil - which makes it surprising that the massive country is a bit of an outlier in
some ways. For one thing, it speaks Portuguese when most of the continent speaks Spanish.
But that’s not the only unique thing about the massive nation.
Brazil is a nation of dichotomies. It’s one of the most urban countries in the world,
with its largest city, Sao Paolo, having a population of over 21 million making it the
fourth largest city in the world. Two other cities, Rio de Janeiro and Belo Horizonte,
also make it on the list of top 100 largest cities in the world. But outside of its massive cities,
Brazil is home to the Amazon rainforest, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions - and
one of the most endangered. Countless species are at risk of extinction due to expansion into
the rainforest, and the country has many uncontacted indigenous tribes that the
government is trying to protect - or at least they were until the current government stepped
up development. The country’s long history of colonization and immigration makes it one of
South America’s most diverse regions, with close to half of its population being of mixed-race.
So what’s it like living there now?
Brazil is a modern country with a relatively high standard of living, although this varies
drastically by where you live. Their birth rate is fairly standard for the developed world,
with 13.96 births and 6.81 deaths per 1000 people. Its 92.6% literacy rate is high,
and its education system is considered strong. But in its urban centers, poverty and crime are
commonplace and the country is struggling to get gang activity under control. But its
high tourism rate and rich national resources mean its economy is likely to keep growing,
and its huge coastline means it’ll be a destination for beachgoers for years to come.
Now let’s head to Africa’s only representative on the list.
#6. Nigeria
We’re in tight quarters again, as Nigeria is one of the smallest countries on this
list - not nearly as small as Bangladesh, but in 31st place on the list it’s only just over 356
thousand square miles - putting it between the much less-populated Tanzania and Venezuela. But
Nigeria is exploding in population, with a population of over 218 million people and
one of the highest birth rates in the world - a massive 34.19 births and 8.7 deaths per 1000
people. And as the country’s population and economy keep booming, it raises a question.
Where are they going to keep all these people?
No surprise, Nigeria is a heavily urban nation, with its capital city of Lagos
being one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. It has over 13 million people,
making it the second largest city in Africa. But another reason Nigeria’s culture is so unique is
that it’s one of the most diverse nations around. It’s 90 percent of the population
is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims, with the other 10 percent belonging to
various indigenous religions. This also means it has a great diversity in language, with the Hausa,
Igbo, and Yoruba tribes all having significant representation in the country. And it’s become
a hub for immigration, with millions moving in from China, India, and the United States.
And there’s a reason for that.
Nigeria’s economy is also one of the fastest-growing in the world, with a current
GDP ranking putting it in 31st place. This makes Nigeria the wealthiest country in Africa, putting
it ahead of powerhouses Egypt and South Africa. A large part of this is due to its growing strength
in the tech and manufacturing sectors, as its education system is one of the best in Africa - at
least in the cities. Its literacy rating is around 62%, but there is a big gap between men and women,
and that gap is largely driven by the rural, more traditional areas of the country. But
that trend will likely be slowly reversed as Nigeria continues to evolve into a global
powerhouse in the tech world - which means your next support call might just go right to Lagos!
Now, let’s head back to Asia.
#5. Pakistan
With a population of 242 million, Pakistan is one of the largest Muslim countries in
the world - with over 96% of the population subscribing to the faith. The rest are mainly
Hindus and Christians. But they’re living in a country even smaller than Nigeria - it’s ranks
33 on that list, sandwiched between Venezuela and Namibia in size. And
it’s growing fast - with 27.5 births and 7.2 deaths per 1000 residents. So that
probably means they’re one of the most urbanized countries in the world, right?
Surprisingly, not quite.
While Pakistan does have two of the largest cities in the world - Karachi with over 15
million people, and Lahore with just under 12 million - the country is undergoing one of the
slowest urbanization processes in the world. That means that many of its citizens live in
small communities or in isolated tribal regions where the government has little involvement.
That was the case for the mountainous region of Abbottabad, where one unwanted resident - Osama
Bin Laden - holed up for several years without being detected. Did the government know? No one
knows, but the oversight in the more isolated regions of the country is slim at best.
And that’s left a lot of gaps in the country.
In some ways, Pakistan is a powerful country - it’s a nuclear power and is considered a major
player on the world stage. But its GDP only finds it down at number 44, between Colombia and Chile,
and many regions of the country struggle with poverty. That can also be seen in its
literacy rate, which only hits 62%. There is a gap between men and women as expected,
but this is also due to many of the communities being isolated from the economic centers of the
country. The mountainous regions may not even have schools, as parents are left to teach their
kids the skills they find relevant. But it’s in better shape than many of its neighbors,
and recently over a million citizens of Afghani descent have come to the country
along with the many Indian Muslims who immigrated during the partition.
So what is the largest Muslim country in the world?
#4. Indonesia
Wait, Indonesia? That collection of islands? It turns out those islands are some of the busiest
in the world, housing a massive population of 270 million. Some of its islands have shared borders,
with one being split with Papua New Guinea and the large island of Borneo being split between
Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. But it still has a lot of real estate on its three main islands,
making it the 14th-largest country in the world. Only one of its cities is among the largest in
the world - Jakarta, coming in at the number 30 spot with a population of over 10 million.
And it’s still growing.
Indonesia is one of the countries with the lowest birth rates on this list,
with roughly 15.3 births and 6.75 deaths per 1000 residents. It’s a very diverse nation,
with over 1,300 ethnic groups - most of them Native Indonesian. The Javanese are
the largest group, making up close to half the population, but the country has a wide range
of languages and cultures. The one area where they’re more homogenous? Religion,
with 86% of the population identifying as Muslim, while only 10% identify as Christian.
The country also has a large ethnic Chinese population, their largest foreign-born group.
And that’s combining into a fast-growing country.
Indonesia’s GDP is in 17th place overall, making it the sixth-largest in Asia. It also
has a strong education sector, with compulsory education for children through to twelfth grade.
This has resulted in a literacy rate of over 92%, one of the highest in Asia.
While many children only attend school part time, outside of tribal regions there is a
strong push towards public education. That has resulted in the country’s booming tech sector,
with many Indonesian students attending college abroad. While quality of life
varies drastically from region to region, the country is a fast-growing power in Asia.
Now it’s time to talk about the big guns, starting with…USA! USA!
#3. United States of America
USA! We’re number…three? Yes, despite being larger than life in so many ways, the United States isn’t
actually close to #1 in any category of largest country. With a population of 331 million,
it’s solidly in third place in numbers, and its size matches. Whether it’s the third or fourth
largest country in the world in area depends on how you define China’s territory - it’s so
close that disputed territories make the difference. That makes it one of the most
spread-out countries in the world, as almost all of the country is inhabitable unlike Russia and
its massive swath of Siberian territory where almost no one moves in by choice.
With one big exception, of course.
A huge part of America’s territory is its largest state, the northern Alaska. It’s
more than twice the size of any other state - but it has one of the smallest populations
of any state! The United States has many large metro areas, including eight in the top eighty
cities including New York, the eleventh largest city in the world with a population of over 18
million. But its massive territory means its population is spread out among cities,
suburbs, and rural areas pretty evenly. One of the things that makes the United States
unique is that it has the most distinct state identities of any country - with all fifty
states having their own distinct identities and laws and only being vaguely unified at times.
But it all comes together into a pretty powerful group.
It’s probably not a surprise that the United States has the top GDP in the world,
with over a quarter of the world’s total. It has one of the lower birth rates in the world,
though, with 11 births and 10.4 deaths per 1000 people - keeping it just over
breaking even. It’s a diverse nation, with the majority of its residents being white,
but having significant percentages of Black, Latino, and Asian residents. Christianity
is its primary religion, but significant minority populations of Jews, Muslims, Hindus,
and other faiths are present - and a growing percentage list their religion as “None”. While
it doesn’t have an official language, English dominates - with Spanish becoming an increasingly
big fixture in the country. Its literacy rate is around 99% - but only 79% of those are classified
as having moderate or high literacy, meaning 21% have only rudimentary literacy skills.
But the next two countries are much, much bigger than the USA.
#2. India
Not only does India have a larger population than the United States,
but it almost quadruples it with a population of a massive 1.2 billion people. This makes
it the close runner up for the most populous country in the world - and it’s expected to
climb to number one within the next two years! This is partially due to a high birth rate,
although not one of the world’s highest - it’s at around 16.42 births and 9.45
deaths per 1000 people. And it has a lot of room to accommodate for all of those new
people - India is a very large country, coming in at 7th place overall between Australia and
Argentina. As the second-largest country in Asia, it’s a powerhouse in more ways than one.
And its influence is only growing.
In the past, India would have been even larger in territory,
but the partitions of what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh in the aftermath of its independence
from the Brits reduced its land area quite a bit. Today, it’s primarily a Hindu country,
although it does have a large group of religious minorities - 14% of its population is Muslim,
largely made up of the descendants of those who chose not to leave during the partition.
It also has small Christian, Sikh, and Buddhist minorities. Hindi is the most
commonly spoken language, with almost half the population speaking it, followed by Bengali.
And it’s a country of dichotomies in more ways than one.
India has some massive city centers, including nine cities in the top 80 and the second-largest
city center in the world in Delhi - which houses over twenty-eight million people! However,
many of its people still live in small tribal areas, and poverty is commonplace in the country.
India has a thriving tech and manufacturing sector, and has risen to have the fifth-largest
GDP in the world. Much like Nigeria and Indonesia, its education sector is strong and a lot of its
talent heads to other countries. Other companies commonly outsource their work to India as well,
and that’s helped by India having a literacy rate of 74% - not one of the highest in the world,
but overall strong. India continues to be seen as one of the fastest-growing
countries in the world and many predict a bright future for the nation and its people.
But for the country in first place, the future is a bit more cloudy.
#1. China
China. The largest country in the world, with a population of 1.4 billion people - just under
twenty percent of the global population. It’s not pressed for space, either, being either the
third or fourth largest country in the world in terms of space. It’s fairly homogenous in terms
of ethnicity, with 91% of the population being Han Chinese. In terms of religion, the picture
is very mixed - China’s communist government heavily discouraged religion for decades,
but in recent years faiths including Buddhism and Chinese ancestor worship have made a comeback,
with minorities of Christianity and Islam present.
And although the country has a lot of space, a lot of it ins’t used up.
Much of its population lives in major cities, with the largest being Shanghai with a population of
over 25 million people. These are glitzy, modern metropolises with a thriving tourist scene,
but far away you can find farmlands and other rural communities, as well as enclaves of
minority groups like Uighurs that are often under assault from the Government. But that
hasn’t stopped China from becoming a global powerhouse - they’re the second highest country
in the world in terms of GDP, being the only country to even approach the dominance of the US.
But under the surface, a lot of trouble is brewing.
For decades, China had a one-child policy that was strictly enforced to control its population - and
it worked a little too well. China’s population declined and many parents tried to get a boy as
their one child - leading to a shortage of women. The policy was eventually reversed,
but China still has a low birth rate - only 7.52 births compared to 7.18 deaths
per 1000 people. That has led many to worry about a population bust - but
that hasn’t stopped China from taking a bigger place on the global stage,
both in terms of their economic influence and their aggressive foreign policy moves.
Want to know which of these countries is safe to visit? Check out “Inside the Most
Dangerous Cities in the World”, or watch “What If the US Had the Same
Population as China” for another look at how population impacts countries.