TL;DR
Per UN 2025 estimates, India (~1.45B) is the world's most populous country, ahead of China (~1.41B); the US is third (~340M).
Population Ranking (approx.)
| Rank | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 1.45B |
| 2 | China | 1.41B |
| 3 | United States | 340M |
| 4 | Indonesia | 285M |
| 5 | Pakistan | 250M |
| 6 | Nigeria | 235M |
| 7 | Brazil | 210M |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 170M |
Takeaways
- India has a younger demographic and a growing working-age population.
- China's population has been shrinking, with accelerating aging.
- African countries (e.g., Nigeria) are growing fastest and will keep rising.
Sources
- UN World Population Prospects (2024/2025 estimates)