Under the title "The Most Populous Countries: 6 Nationalities Represent Half of Humanity!", a news article published by Al Arabiya discusses the countries with the largest populations in the world. The piece notes that on July 11, 1987, the global population surpassed five billion, and since then, the number has steadily increased to 7.9 billion in 2021. The United Nations projects that the world population will rise to 10.9 billion by 2100.
According to the International Monetary Fund, the largest portion of the global population resides in China, accounting for approximately 18.25% of humanity, followed closely by India at 18.04%. The United States ranks third globally, with Americans comprising about 4.3% of the world's population.
Asia is by far the most populated continent on Earth, being home not only to China and India but also to densely populated countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. This makes half of the top ten most populous countries in the world Asian. Additionally, 50% of the top twenty most populous countries are also Asian, with Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Iran, and Thailand ranking from 10th to 20th places. Furthermore, Myanmar and South Korea, ranked 26th and 27th, add approximately 0.7% to the global population, according to data collected by Statista and reviewed by Al Arabiya.
The data reveals that the six most populous countries represent nearly half of humanity, specifically 49.63%, while the rest of the world constitutes the other half. The United Nations estimates that the Asian population will peak at 5.27 billion by 2070. Europe and Latin America are expected to reach their peaks at 689 million and 765 million, respectively, around 2060, according to projections. African population growth is anticipated to continue, albeit at a slower pace, after this century, potentially surpassing the Asian population combined.
