If a country is geographically larger in size it means it should accommodate more people. But who cares how large the country is in geographic terms because when you will come to know about the most populated countries in the world, you will come to know, the area doesn’t matter.
India has always been in headlines being one of the most populated countries in the world despite being 7th largest country geographically. And as of 2022, India has surpassed China in being the world’s most populous country.
Here is a list of most populated countries in the word:
10. Mexico:
A country in the southern part of North America, Mexico has a population of 128.93 million. 1,964,375 square kilometres in area, Mexico is the 13th largest country in the world.
Mexico has a rich culture with amalgamation of Masoamerican and Spanish heritage. Do you love Tacos? Mexico is the home to your favourite tacos. It is a country with a rich history, diverse culture and stunning natural beauty encompassing mountains, deserts, tropical forests and coastlines.
9. Russia:
Russia being the largest country in the world with 17 million square kilometres, has a sparse population of 144.2 million people. It is one of the world's largest economies because of its abundance of natural resources like oil, natural gas and minerals.
The largest country in the world, Russia, has been a top space explorer as well being the first country in the world to launch an artificial satellite (Sputnik 1) in space. Russia’s space agency Roscosmos has been a big player in the projects of the International Space Station.
8. Bangladesh:
Bangladesh is one of the world's densely populated areas with 178.83 million people accommodated in 147,570 square kilometres of land. Dhaka, its capital city, is one of the most populous cities in the world.
Bangladesh is renowned as one of the world’s largest garment industries. Bangladesh is home to UNESCO world heritage site Sundarban Mangroves forest where one can find Bengal tigers.
7. Brazil:
Brazil has a population of 217.04 million people. The largest country in South America has an area of 8,515,767 square kilometres. Brazil is a well known country across the world majorly because of its hold on soccer. It is a record 5 times FIFA winning country and is home to renowned soccer players like Pele and Ronaldo.
Brazil is also one of the largest economies in the world and is a major exporter of soybeans, coffee and iron ore.
6. Nigeria:
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa with 226.46 million population. It is also one of the largest economies of Africa which is driven by oil production which makes it a prominent member of Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
Nigeria is home to one of the largest film industries called Nollywood in terms of output after India’s Bollywood.
5. Pakistan:
With a population of 242.85 million and 881,913 sq km area, Pakistan is a country in South Asia and is the fifth in line of the most populated countries in the world. Pakistan is officially called Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
Pakistan is an Islam centric country where most of the people follow Islam and Urdu is the most spoken language and the official works are carried out in English. The other languages spoken in Pakistan are: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, and Balochi.
4. Indonesia:
Indonesia with 278.68 million population stands at number 4 in the list of most populated countries in the world. Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and is the largest archipelago nation with 17000 islands making it one of the most popular tourist destinations. The vibrant beaches, and picturesque landscapes makes it a favoured destination for vacation.
Most people of Indonesia follow Islam but the religious faith differs from island to island. It has a diverse population of flora and fauna being home to the world’s largest flower rafflesia.
3. United States of America:
The USA is the 3rd most populated country in the world with a population of 340.91 million. The reason for its high population is migration. The USA is home to innovation and technologies and has renowned universities and research centres. The USA is a hub of technology, finances, healthcare, entertainment and manufacturing making it the largest and developed economies of the world.
2. China:
There is not much difference between the population of China and India. But China was surpassed by India in terms of population as China stands at the second place with 1425.49 million people. China is the fourth largest country in the world geographically and constitutes the major landmarks like Himalayas, Gobi desert, and Yangtze river. The second largest economy of the world, China is the home to diverse culture, advanced technology and innovation.
1. India:
India is officially the most populous country in the world. With a whopping population of 1435.23 million, India surpassed China as the most populous country in the world. Geographically, India is the 7th largest country in the world and a fast growing economy. It is home to a diverse culture where people follow different religions including Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and jainism.
India is also the largest democracy in the world and follows a parliamentary system of government with the President as the head of the state and Prime Minister as the head of government.
Most Populated Cities In India:
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Delhi:
Delhi is the capital territory of India with the population of 33,807,403. It is the most populous city in India and second most populous city in the world after Tokyo.
It is the hub of education with the home to prominent universities in India like Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India Institute of technology (IIT) Delhi.
Delhi is the most significant territory in India because of its historical significance as it has been a capital for many empires including Mauryan, Mughal and British empire. The prominent historical monuments in Delhi like Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Humayun’s Tomb and the Jama Masjid are UNESCO world heritage sites.
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Mumbai:
Mumbai, also called the ‘dream city’ is home to 21,673,149 people. The city of Mumbai is the financial hub and entertainment capital of the country India. Bollywood produces the most number of movies in the world.
Mumbai is well-known by Indians for its resilience in tough times as it has survived various natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other issues.
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Kolkata:
The vibrant city of India, Kolkata accommodates 15.570.786 people. It was and is the cultural hub of India. It has a history of being considered as the cultural capital of India because of its rich literacy, artistic and intellectual heritage.
Kolkata is home to Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate and most renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray. The Kolkata tramway, established in 1902, is the oldest and still functioning tram network in Asia.
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Bangalore:
Bengaluru has a population of 14,008,262 people and is known as the Silicon Valley of India because of its prominence in information technology (IT). The Garden City of India is home to numerous IT companies, MNCs and tech startups.
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Chennai:
Chennai, formerly known as Madras has a population of 11,776,147 people. It is significantly known for its automobile industry, Tamil film industry, and prominent Hindu temples.
Chennai is the education hub for south India with various universities like University of Madras, Anna University and IIT Madras.
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Hyderabad:
The historical city, Hyderabad located in the southern part of India is home to 11,068,877 people. Due to its historical role as a prime centre of pearl and diamond trading, it is called ‘City of Pearls’.
Hyderabad is known for its historical monuments like Charminar, Golconda Fort and Qutb Shahi Tombs comprising the tombs of Qutb Shahi rulers.
Apart from that Hyderabad is emerging as the IT hub in India. The Information technology and Engineering Consultancy City (ITEC city) in Hyderabad is one of the largest IT parks in India. The city is also home to Genome Valley, which houses a cluster of biotechnology companies, research institutions and academic centres for research and development in the field of biotechnology.
Hyderabad is the home to south Indian entertainment industry, called Tollywood. It is home to several film studios and production houses including the grand Ramoji Film City.
Biryani, the flavourful dish is the delicacy from Hyderabad and is favourite food options for no-vegetarians across the country.
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Ahmedabad:
India’s first UNESCO world heritage site, Ahmedabad has a population of 8,854,444 people. The city has a historical significance because it was founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in 1411 AD and has served as a capital of the Gujarat Sultanate for years. It is also a city of importance because of its role in the life of Mahatma Gandhi.
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Surat:
The diamond city of India has 8,330,528 population. Surat is the diamond hub of India as it plays a significant role in the global diamond industry.
Not only diamonds but Surat is also a contributor in the textile industry for producing synthetic textiles including sarees, dress materials and fabrics.
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Pune:
Pune is the education hub that encompasses 7,345,848 people. Pune has renowned educational institutions, colleges and universities including Savitribai Phule University, Symbiosis international University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER Pune).
Pune has historical and cultural significance as it was the capital city of Maratha Empire under the rule of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Later the city of Pune became a prominent city of Peshwas (prime ministers) of the Maratha Empire.
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Jaipur:
Referred to as ‘Pink City’, Jaipur accommodates 4,308,510 people. It is the capital city of Rajasthan, the largest city of the state and a tourist attraction. The most famous landmarks of Jaipur are Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort, Nahargarh Fort, City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar.
What are the reasons for population growth?
Overall population of a country is impacted by various factors, the fertility rate among women being the first. Fertility rate is the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime. The global fertility rate has decreased from 5.1 in the 1950s to 2.5 in 2010 and is expected to reach 2.1 in 2050.
Population growth can be influenced by a variety of factors, including:
High birth rates:
High birth rates are the primary reason for population growth in developing countries because of lack of access to contraceptives and family planning services. People often associate poverty and lack of education with poor family planning. Poverty often prompts people to give birth to more children in hopes of getting additional bread earners for their families.
Decline in death rates:
The death rate has dramatically decreased in the last few years because of the advanced healthcare, sanitation and healthy lifestyle including exercising and a good diet. Population grows because people survive into adulthood which has eventually improved life expectancy of people.
People are coping up with illnesses because they have access to healthcare services including vaccinations, medical treatments and disease prevention programs which directly impact the life expectancy of a person.
Migration:
Migration is one of the primary reasons for population growth in developed nations. Developed countries have opportunities and people seeking those opportunities migrate to other countries. The other factors affecting migration can be disasters and conflicts like civil wars, natural disasters and related conditions.
Conclusion:
Overall population growth is influenced by a number of factors. These can be a combination of complex factors such as social, economic, cultural and environment factors or just a single factor.
