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Ten Most Populous Countries

7

1. China
Population: 1,338,612,968 (Excluding Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macau)
Percentage of World Population: 19.6

Did you know?
1. In 1979, China introduced a one-child policy to curb population growth. About 36 percent of China's population is currently subject to this policy.
2. China’s biggest cities, Shanghai and Beijing, each count more than 17 million people in their respective municipalities.
3. Between 1978 and 2005, China’s level of urbanization increased from 17.4 to 41.8 percent. (Photo: Reuters)

2. India
Population: 1,163,408,098
Percentage of World Population: 17.1

Did you know?
1. India is a remarkably diverse country: It is estimated that only the continent of Africa exceeds the linguistic, cultural, and genetic diversity of India.
2. There are more than two thousand ethnic groups in India.
3. More than two hundred languages are spoken in India, 22 of them are official languages. (Photo: Shutterstock)

3. United States
Population: 300,009,000
Percentage of World Population: 4.4

Demographic Facts:
1. Every eight seconds, a baby is born in the U.S. Every twelve seconds, someone dies.
2. More than 60 percent of all Americans live in one of the 51 metropolitan areas with a population of more than 1 million people.
3. The population growth in the U.S. is among the highest in industrialized countries. In 2050, the U.S. population could reach 439 million. (Photo: Shutterstock)

4. Indonesia
Population: 230,168,000
Percentage of World Population: 3.4

Did you know?
1. Indonesia’s 230 million people live on about 6,000 islands scattered across both sides of the equator.
2. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world. About 86 percent of Indonesia’s population is Muslim.
3. The island of Java is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. More than 107 million people live in an area that is the size of New York State. (Photo: Reuters)

5. Brazil
Population: 191,109,937
Percentage of World population: 2.8

Did you know?
1. The largest cities in Brazil are Sao Paulo (19.6 million people) and Rio de Janeiro (7 million people).
2. The ancestors of most Brazilians are indigenous people, Portuguese colonists, and African slaves.
3. Today, Brazil has the biggest Japanese (1.6 million people) and Italian populations (25 million people) outside their home countries. (Photo: Shutterstock)

6. Pakistan
Population: 176,242,949
Percentage of World Population: 2.6

Did you know?
1. Agriculture and related activities engage 42 percent of the Pakistan workforce.
2. Pakistan has a relatively high fertility rate of more than 3 children per woman.
3. Pakistan has a very young population: The median age is 20 years. About half of the population are younger than 20 years; only 4 percent are older than 65. (Photo: Reuters)

7. Bangladesh
Population: 156,050,883
Percentage of World Population: 2.3

Did you know?
1. The country’s name derives from the linguistic and ethnic group “Bengali”. Ninety-eight per cent of Bangladesh’s population are Bengali.
2. Thirty-six percent of the population survives on a per capita income below one dollar a day.
3. Bangladesh has a very low literacy rate: Only 48 percent of the population older than 15 can read and write. (Photo: Reuters)

8. Nigeria
Population: 148,093,000
Percentage of World Population: 2.2

Did you know?
1. Nigeria has a high population growth rate of 2 percent. About one out of every four Africans is Nigerian.
2. Life expectancy in Nigeria is 47 years, the median age is 19 years.
3. There are more than 250 ethnic groups and 510 living languages in Nigeria. (Photo: Reuters)

9. Russia
Population: 141,824,280
Percentage of World Population: 2.1

Did you know?
1. Russia ranks 9th in terms of population, but is the largest country by land size with about 17 million square kilometers (6,592,800 sq mi).
2. Marriage rates increased from 6,2 marriages per 1,000 people in the year 2000 to 8,9 marriages per 1,000 people in 2007.
3. Russia has the biggest gap between male and female life expectancy: While females live 73 years on average, males live only about 59 years. (Photo: Reuters)

10. Japan
Population: 127,078,679
Percentage of World Population: 1.9

Did you know?
1. Japan has a high population density. On average, Japan counts 337 people per square kilometer.
2. The average life expectancy in Japan is 82 years, one of the highest in the world. Currently, there are over 35,000 people in Japan who are older than 100.
3.Due to low fertility rates, Japan’s population could drop to 100 million by 2050; by 2100, this number could fall to 64 million. (Photo: Shutterstock)

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