As the world marches towards 2050, demographic shifts promise to reshape global dynamics. Population projections suggest that by 2050, the global population will reach an estimated 9.7 billion people. This growth will bring about significant changes in the distribution of the world’s population, impacting everything from economic development to resource allocation and geopolitical landscapes. Understanding these projections helps in planning for future challenges and opportunities. In this article, we will delve into the projected populations of the most and least populous countries in 2050, providing insights into how the demographic landscape is expected to evolve over the next few decades.
Top 10 Most Populous Countries in 2050
India: 1,670,490,596
China: 1,312,636,325
United States: 375,391,963
Indonesia: 317,225,213
Pakistan: 367,808,468
Nigeria: 377,459,883
Brazil: 230,885,725
Bangladesh: 203,904,900
Russia: 133,133,035
Ethiopia: 214,812,309
By 2050, India is projected to be the most populous country in the world. This shift is driven by India’s relatively high fertility rates and China’s aging population due to its long-standing one-child policy. The United States remains the third most populous country, reflecting its steady population growth through both natural increase and immigration.
Nigeria’s population is expected to soar, making it the most populous country in Africa and the sixth worldwide. This dramatic increase is due to high fertility rates and a young population. Other countries like Pakistan, Indonesia, and Ethiopia will also see significant population growth, contributing to their rising global demographic rankings. These changes will have profound implications for global economic power, resource distribution, and environmental sustainability.
Top 10 Least Populous Countries in 2050
Vatican City: 764
Niue: 2,096
Tokelau: 2,430
Falkland Islands: 3,779
Montserrat: 3,781
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 5,165
Saint Barthelemy: 10,210
Wallis and Futuna: 11,349
Tuvalu: 13,211
Nauru: 14,695
The smallest countries by population in 2050 are expected to remain largely unchanged from today, dominated by tiny island nations and small territories. Vatican City, the spiritual and administrative center of the Roman Catholic Church, will continue to have the smallest population. Niue, Tokelau, and the Falkland Islands also remain among the least populous due to their limited land area and remote locations.
These countries face unique challenges, such as vulnerability to climate change, limited economic opportunities, and reliance on external aid. Despite their small populations, they play important roles in global biodiversity and cultural heritage. Addressing their specific needs and ensuring sustainable development will be crucial as the global population continues to grow.
Understanding the projected populations of the most and least populous countries in 2050 provides a glimpse into the future, highlighting the need for strategic planning and international cooperation to address the diverse challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Rank
Country
Pop 2050
1
India
1,670,490,596
2
China
1,312,636,325
3
United States
375,391,963
4
Indonesia
317,225,213
5
Pakistan
367,808,468
6
Nigeria
377,459,883
7
Brazil
230,885,725
8
Bangladesh
203,904,900
9
Russia
133,133,035
10
Ethiopia
214,812,309
11
Mexico
143,772,364
12
Japan
103,784,357
13
Philippines
157,891,622
14
Egypt
160,339,889
15
DR Congo
217,494,003
16
Vietnam
107,012,939
17
Iran
99,007,204
18
Turkey
95,829,258
19
Germany
78,932,228
20
Thailand
67,880,083
21
Tanzania
129,931,520
22
United Kingdom
71,684,966
23
France
65,827,072
24
South Africa
73,529,753
25
Italy
52,250,484
26
Kenya
85,211,739
27
Myanmar
59,929,399
28
Colombia
56,987,651
29
South Korea
45,770,874
30
Uganda
87,622,081
31
Sudan
84,494,269
32
Spain
44,219,565
33
Iraq
74,515,140
34
Algeria
60,001,113
35
Argentina
51,621,175
36
Afghanistan
74,075,234
37
Poland
34,932,339
38
Canada
45,890,819
39
Morocco
45,044,990
40
Ukraine
32,867,719
41
Angola
72,328,068
42
Saudi Arabia
48,374,543
43
Uzbekistan
45,593,149
44
Yemen
55,296,331
45
Mozambique
63,044,497
46
Ghana
52,231,785
47
Peru
42,022,554
48
Malaysia
41,032,433
49
Nepal
37,401,365
50
Madagascar
51,592,965
51
Ivory Coast
51,358,243
52
Venezuela
35,937,404
53
Cameroon
51,279,560
54
Niger
67,043,296
55
Australia
32,192,919
56
North Korea
25,807,197
57
Syria
38,306,374
58
Mali
47,439,802
59
Taiwan
22,445,526
60
Burkina Faso
40,541,548
61
Sri Lanka
21,814,985
62
Malawi
37,159,300
63
Zambia
37,460,435
64
Kazakhstan
25,609,978
65
Chile
20,675,378
66
Romania
17,457,213
67
Chad
36,452,035
68
Somalia
36,462,830
69
Ecuador
22,269,779
70
Guatemala
24,600,727
71
Senegal
32,562,869
72
Netherlands
17,897,025
73
Cambodia
20,258,435
74
Zimbabwe
26,438,589
75
Guinea
23,711,700
76
Rwanda
23,030,046
77
Benin
25,264,035
78
Burundi
24,208,671
79
Bolivia
16,609,854
80
Tunisia
14,315,779
81
Haiti
15,087,520
82
Belgium
12,090,657
83
Dominican Republic
13,180,541
84
Jordan
15,005,941
85
South Sudan
17,460,846
86
Cuba
10,028,085
87
Honduras
14,258,514
88
Sweden
11,902,033
89
Papua New Guinea
14,910,369
90
Czech Republic
10,577,126
91
Azerbaijan
10,867,296
92
Tajikistan
15,200,989
93
Greece
9,144,951
94
Portugal
9,261,305
95
Hungary
8,817,396
96
United Arab Emirates
11,449,471
97
Belarus
8,409,632
98
Israel
12,991,790
99
Togo
15,478,883
100
Sierra Leone
13,595,023
101
Austria
8,924,190
102
Switzerland
9,753,753
103
Laos
9,775,552
104
Hong Kong
6,975,391
105
Nicaragua
9,094,641
106
Serbia
5,777,806
107
Libya
8,539,976
108
Paraguay
8,591,486
109
Kyrgyzstan
9,426,858
110
Bulgaria
5,187,392
111
Turkmenistan
8,263,833
112
El Salvador
6,636,854
113
Republic of the Congo
10,378,912
114
Singapore
6,337,235
115
Denmark
6,445,109
116
Central African Republic
11,533,423
117
Slovakia
5,186,967
118
Finland
5,460,917
119
Liberia
8,890,700
120
Norway
6,367,559
121
Palestine
8,861,747
122
New Zealand
5,949,002
123
Costa Rica
5,702,525
124
Lebanon
4,937,579
125
Ireland
5,724,686
126
Mauritania
8,914,673
127
Oman
6,328,978
128
Panama
5,736,121
129
Kuwait
5,155,414
130
Croatia
3,333,425
131
Eritrea
5,964,021
132
Georgia
3,384,660
133
Mongolia
4,518,856
134
Uruguay
3,337,143
135
Moldova
2,997,532
136
Puerto Rico
2,727,624
137
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2,739,014
138
Gambia
4,673,743
139
Albania
2,456,472
140
Jamaica
2,493,823
141
Armenia
2,573,465
142
Qatar
3,358,454
143
Botswana
3,679,340
144
Lithuania
2,187,550
145
Namibia
3,779,918
146
Gabon
3,757,053
147
Lesotho
2,898,369
148
Guinea-Bissau
3,445,289
149
Slovenia
2,003,258
150
North Macedonia
1,909,309
151
Latvia
1,433,728
152
Equatorial Guinea
2,790,533
153
Trinidad and Tobago
1,485,139
154
Bahrain
1,809,237
155
Timor-Leste
1,806,869
156
Estonia
1,171,695
157
Mauritius
1,226,235
158
Cyprus
1,391,785
159
Eswatini
1,655,121
160
Djibouti
1,502,575
161
Reunion
1,127,252
162
Fiji
1,094,174
163
Comoros
1,246,207
164
Guyana
878,746
165
Bhutan
874,294
166
Solomon Islands
1,225,407
167
Macau
881,666
168
Luxembourg
781,910
169
Suriname
725,519
170
Montenegro
586,385
171
Cape Verde
727,457
172
Western Sahara
851,067
173
Malta
522,737
174
Maldives
569,909
175
Brunei
498,373
176
Belize
538,838
177
Bahamas
450,625
178
Guadeloupe
388,861
179
Iceland
408,783
180
Martinique
330,121
181
Mayotte
664,141
182
Vanuatu
578,567
183
French Guiana
532,459
184
French Polynesia
346,933
185
New Caledonia
353,191
186
Barbados
267,788
187
Sao Tome and Principe
366,663
188
Samoa
320,016
189
Curacao
204,084
190
Saint Lucia
177,856
191
Guam
195,673
192
Kiribati
188,570
193
Grenada
136,253
194
Micronesia
135,457
195
Jersey
135,441
196
Tonga
131,225
197
Seychelles
116,644
198
Aruba
94,185
199
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
101,691
200
United States Virgin Islands
77,519
201
Antigua and Barbuda
99,030
202
Isle of Man
86,680
203
Andorra
80,504
204
Dominica
74,167
205
Cayman Islands
77,633
206
Bermuda
56,041
207
Guernsey
66,496
208
Greenland
53,997
209
Faroe Islands
59,444
210
Northern Mariana Islands
50,050
211
Saint Kitts and Nevis
46,882
212
Turks and Caicos Islands
52,865
213
Sint Maarten
38,947
214
American Samoa
33,557
215
Marshall Islands
51,211
216
Liechtenstein
42,287
217
Monaco
37,664
218
San Marino
32,044
219
Gibraltar
31,356
220
Saint Martin
35,453
221
British Virgin Islands
34,768
222
Palau
16,689
223
Cook Islands
17,674
224
Anguilla
15,294
225
Nauru
14,695
226
Tuvalu
13,211
227
Wallis and Futuna
11,349
228
Saint Barthelemy
10,210
229
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
5,165
230
Montserrat
3,781
231
Falkland Islands
3,779
232
Niue
2,096
233
Tokelau
2,430
234
Vatican City
764
Rank
Country
Pop 2050
Disclaimer: The population projections in this article are based on current data and assumptions, and are subject to change due to unforeseen factors such as economic shifts, natural disasters, policy changes, and healthcare advancements. Actual figures may vary. Use these projections as a guide, not an absolute prediction.
Frequently asked Questions
How much will the global population increase by 2050?
The global population is projected to increase to about 9.7 billion by 2050.
What is the estimated population of the United States in 2050?
The United States is projected to have a population of around 379 million by 2050.
What is the projected population of India in 2050?
India’s population is projected to be approximately 1.64 billion by 2050.