As of August 2018, the total population of the world exceeds 7.63 billion people, and this number is continuing to grow each day. However, in some areas, growth is slowing or even declining.
China is the most populous country in the world with a population exceeding 1.4 billion. It is one of just two countries with a population of more than 1 billion, with India being the second. As of 2018, India has a population of over 1.355 billion people. However, its growth is expected to continue through at least 2050. By the year 2030, the India is expected to become the most populous country in the world. This is because India’s population will grow, while China will see a loss in population.
The next 11 countries that are the most populous in the world each have populations exceeding 100 million. These include the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Mexico, Japan, Ethiopia and the Philippines. Of these nations, all are expected to continue to grow with the exception of Russia and Japan, which will see their populations drop by 2030 before dropping again significantly by 2050.
There are many other nations that have populations of at least one million, while there are also countries that have just thousands. The smallest population in the world can be found in Vatican City, where just 801 people reside.
In 2018, the world’s population grew at a rate of 1.12%. Every five years since the 1970s, the growth rate has continued to fall. The world’s population is expected to continue to grow larger, but at a much slower rate. In 2025, the population will exceed 8 billion. In 2040, this number will grow to more than 9 billion. In 2055, the number will rise to over 10 billion, and another billion people won’t be added until near the end of the century.