World

Total Population
7.8 Billion
Largest Country: China
1.4 Billion

The 2021 World Population Data Sheet provides the latest population, health, and environment indicators for more than 200 countries and territories, each carefully researched by PRB’s expert team of demographers and analysts. Read more about the 2021 Data Sheet: Press Release

THE YOUNGEST REGION
46% of the population is under age 15 in Middle Africa
Print-at-Home Poster
Special Focus on Global Fertility
EXPLORE DATA
MOST POPULOUS COUNTRY
China is home to 1,412 MILLION PEOPLE IN 2021
SHARE OF OLDER ADULTS
ABOUT 7% OF INDIA'S POPULATION IS AGES 65+
The World’s Population

As of August 2021, we don’t have enough information to fully understand COVID-19’s global demographic impact. The pandemic is likely the cause of an increase in crude death rates in some countries around the world and a dip in life expectancy in the United States. Its impact on fertility trends has generated speculation and concern globally, but reliable data on how COVID-19 is influencing fertility are limited and continue to change as the pandemic unfolds.

Globally, the total fertility rate (TFR)—or average lifetime births per woman—has declined from 3.2 in 1990 to 2.3 in 2020. However, large variations exist, ranging from 4.7 in sub-Saharan Africa to 1.3 in East Asia and Southern Europe. Key pre-pandemic trends include a significant trend toward delayed childbearing across high-income countries, while the proportion of births to adolescent mothers ages 15-19 remains substantial in many low-income countries.

Our Researchers
Toshiko Kaneda
Technical Director, Demographic Research
Charlotte Greenbaum
Policy Advisor
Carl Haub
Demographer Emeritus
THE OLDEST REGIONS
21% of the population in South Europe and Western Europe is ages 65+
DECLINING POPULATION
EASTERN EUROPE IS PROJECTED TO HAVE A SMALLER POPULATION IN 2050 THAN IT DOES TODAY
BIRTHS TO ADOLESCENT MOTHERS
16% OF ALL BIRTHS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ARE TO MOTHERS AGES 15-19
ACCESS INSTRUCTOR RESOURCES
DATA SHEET LESSON PLAN
URBAN POPULATION
85% of South America's population lives in urban areas
BELOW REPLACEMENT-LEVEL FERTILITY
UNITED STATES AND CANADA ARE AMONG COUNTRIES WITH A TOTAL FERTILITY RATE BELOW THE REPLACEMENT LEVEL OF 2.1
BIRTHS TO OLDER MOTHERS
IN EUROPE, 25% OF ALL BIRTHS ARE TO MOTHERS AGES 35+
World Population Data Sheet

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