More than half of the world's population lives in just seven countries

Main points

• Seven countries account for approximately 51.2% of the world's population.
• India and China together are home to nearly 2.9 billion people.
• Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with approximately 243 million people.

More than four billion people live in just seven countries, according to population estimates published by DataReportal using figures from the United Nations.

India leads with approximately 1.48 billion people, followed by China with 1.41 billion. Together, the two Asian countries account for nearly 35% of the global population.

The United States ranks third with about 349 million people, followed by Indonesia with 288 million and Pakistan with 260 million.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, ranks sixth with approximately 243 million people, while Brazil completes the list with 213 million.

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Combined, the seven countries account for roughly 51.2% of the world's population, according to the infographic.

DataReportal's Digital 2026 Global Overview Report, drawing on UN population estimates, puts the global population at approximately 8.25 billion in October 2025. It also shows that India has overtaken China as the world's most populous country.

Population trends differ across the seven countries. India, Pakistan and Nigeria continue to experience population growth, while China's population is declining.

DataReportal estimates that China's population fell by approximately 3.25 million over the 12 months to October 2025, while India's increased by nearly 12.9 million.

The figures highlight the uneven distribution of the world's population, with just seven countries home to more people than all other nations combined.