World Population · Updated April 2026
World Population 2026
The world population is approximately 8.04 billion as of 2026, based on national population estimates from the World Bank and UN Population Division. The world adds roughly 75 million people per year — about 200,000 per day — though the rate of growth has been declining since the 1960s. The UN projects world population to peak around 10.4 billion in the 2080s before slowly declining.
8.04 billion
Total Population
212
Countries Tracked
~0.9%
Annual Growth Rate
10.4B
UN 2080 Peak Estimate
Top 10 Countries by Population
| Rank | Country | Population | % of World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | 1,438,069,596 | 17.88% |
| 2 | China | 1,410,710,000 | 17.54% |
| 3 | United States | 336,806,231 | 4.19% |
| 4 | Indonesia | 281,190,067 | 3.50% |
| 5 | Pakistan | 247,504,495 | 3.08% |
| 6 | Nigeria | 227,882,945 | 2.83% |
| 7 | Brazil | 211,140,729 | 2.63% |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 171,466,990 | 2.13% |
| 9 | Russian Federation | 143,826,130 | 1.79% |
| 10 | Mexico | 129,739,759 | 1.61% |
Together, India and China hold about 35% of the world's population. The top 10 countries account for 57% of humanity.
Population by Region
| Region | Population | % of World |
|---|---|---|
| East Asia & Pacific | 2,376,253,302 | 29.6% |
| South Asia | 1,662,580,579 | 20.7% |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | 1,259,889,959 | 15.7% |
| Europe & Central Asia | 924,567,361 | 11.5% |
| Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan | 782,786,679 | 9.7% |
| Latin America & Caribbean | 657,616,517 | 8.2% |
| North America | 376,954,413 | 4.7% |
World Population by Year
The world population reached key milestones at these dates (UN Population Division historical estimates):
| Population | Year Reached | Years to Add 1 Billion |
|---|---|---|
| 1 billion | 1804 | — |
| 2 billion | 1927 | 123 years |
| 3 billion | 1960 | 33 years |
| 4 billion | 1974 | 14 years |
| 5 billion | 1987 | 13 years |
| 6 billion | 1999 | 12 years |
| 7 billion | 2011 | 12 years |
| 8 billion | 2022 | 11 years |
| 9 billion (projected) | ~2040s | ~20 years |
| 10 billion (projected) | ~2060s | ~20 years |
| 10.4 billion (projected peak) | ~2080s | — |
Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024 (medium variant). The doubling time has lengthened from 39 years (1960 → 1999) to a projected 50+ years for the next doubling.
Frequently Asked Questions
The current world population is approximately 8.04 billion as of 2026, based on the sum of national population estimates from the World Bank and UN Population Division. The world adds roughly 75 million people per year — about 200,000 per day — though the rate of growth has slowed considerably since the 1960s peak.
India is the most populous country in the world, with roughly 1.44 billion people. China is second at about 1.41 billion. India overtook China in 2023 according to UN estimates. The United States is third at 337 million — far behind the two leaders. Together, India and China hold about 35% of the world's population.
Yes — the UN World Population Prospects projects the world will reach 9 billion people in the early 2040s. The peak is currently projected at around 10.4 billion people in the 2080s, after which global population is expected to plateau and slowly decline. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for most of the remaining growth.
World population reached 1 billion around 1804, 2 billion in 1927 (123 years later), 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in 1987, 6 billion in 1999, 7 billion in 2011, and 8 billion in late 2022. The doubling time has been lengthening — from 39 years (1960 → 1999) to roughly 50+ years projected for the next doubling.
The world population is still growing, but the growth rate is declining. Annual growth peaked at 2.3% in 1963 and has fallen to roughly 0.9% as of 2024. Most projections see the global population peaking in the 2080s and slowly declining thereafter, driven by falling fertility rates in nearly every country.
This is a misleading framing — populations decline by country, not by race. Among the world's major populations, Japan and several Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine) are seeing the fastest national population declines, driven by low birth rates and emigration. Sub-Saharan African populations are the fastest growing.
World population is the sum of estimates for every country, plus a small adjustment for non-country territories. Each country's population is estimated by its national statistical office (e.g., the US Census Bureau) using the most recent census plus annual births, deaths, and net migration. The UN Population Division and World Bank harmonize these estimates into international datasets.