Global population · 2026
World population
There are an estimated 8.30 billion people in the world. Humanity is still growing—but more slowly than it did a generation ago.
Updated 24 September 2026 · Based on the latest UN revision
UN mid-year estimate8,300,678,395people on 1 July 2026↑ 68.9 million in 2026
The short answer
8.30 billion people live on Earth
The best current benchmark is 8,300,678,395 people at mid‑2026. That figure comes from the United Nations Population Division’sWorld Population Prospects, the most comprehensive internationally comparable population series.
The total is increasing by roughly 188,675 people a day, or 2.2 people a second on average. These are annual averages—not a literal live headcount. Births, deaths and reporting all vary from moment to moment.
All four figures are UN estimates or medium-variant projections for 2026. Daily values are annual totals divided by 365.
Past and future
Growth is continuing, but slowing
World population more than tripled after 1950. The annual growth rate, however, peaked above 2% in the late 1960s and has fallen to 0.83%.
1950–2100
World population over time
EstimateUN projection
First year the UN mid-year projection exceeds nine billion.
About 1.36 billion more people than in 2026.
The medium projection then begins a gradual decline.
Roughly 109 million below the projected peak.
Population milestones
The fastest billion-person increase was from five to six billion, taking about 12 years. Future billions are expected to take longer as fertility declines.
- 1 billion1804
- 2 billion1927
- 3 billion1960
- 4 billion1974
- 5 billion1987
- 6 billion1999
- 7 billion2011
- 8 billion2022
- 9 billion2037
- 10 billion2061
Milestone years are model-based and can shift between UN revisions. The UN symbolically marked the Day of Eight Billion on 15 November 2022.
Where people live
Population by continent
Asia is home to 58.6% of humanity. Africa is second and is projected to account for almost two-thirds of global population growth from 2026 to 2050.
Asia4.86 billion
58.6%+8.6% by 2050Africa1.58 billion
19.1%+55.6% by 2050Americas1.06 billion
12.8%+8.9% by 2050Europe743.5 million
9.0%-5.4% by 2050Oceania47.1 million
0.6%+22.4% by 2050Americas combines the UN regions “Northern America” and “Latin America and the Caribbean.” Percentages use unrounded values; totals may differ by one person because of source rounding.
Largest populations
Most populous countries in 2026
India and China together account for 34.8% of the world population. The ten largest countries account for 56.6%.
| Rank | Country | Population | World share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  India | 1,476,625,576 | 17.79% |
| 2 |  China | 1,412,914,089 | 17.02% |
| 3 |  United States | 349,035,494 | 4.20% |
| 4 |  Indonesia | 287,886,782 | 3.47% |
| 5 |  Pakistan | 259,299,791 | 3.12% |
| 6 |  Nigeria | 242,431,832 | 2.92% |
| 7 |  Brazil | 213,562,666 | 2.57% |
| 8 |  Bangladesh | 177,818,044 | 2.14% |
| 9 |  Russia | 143,394,458 | 1.73% |
| 10 |  Ethiopia | 138,902,185 | 1.67% |
| 11 |  Mexico | 132,997,658 | 1.60% |
| 12 |  Japan | 122,427,731 | 1.47% |
| 13 |  Egypt | 120,101,175 | 1.45% |
| 14 |  Philippines | 117,724,471 | 1.42% |
| 15 |  Democratic Republic of the Congo | 116,452,162 | 1.40% |
How we know
Population is estimated, not counted live
No institution can count every birth and death worldwide in real time. The UN Population Division starts with national censuses, birth and death registration, household surveys and administrative records, then reconciles gaps and inconsistencies. Its 2024 revision draws on 1,910 censuses conducted from 1950 to 2023 and 3,189 nationally representative surveys.
Future populations are projected with the cohort-component method: each population is moved forward by age and sex while applying assumptions about fertility, mortality and international migration. We use the UN’s medium variant and its 1 July values.
The global and regional totals cover all 237 countries and areas in the UN dataset. Country tables on this site cover 196 country profiles, so adding those profiles will not exactly reproduce the world total; dependencies and other territories remain part of the UN global figure.
How to read the big number
8.30 billion is appropriately precise for general use. The exact-looking figure 8,300,678,395 is the model output at a specific reference date—not a claim that every individual was observed.
Common questions
World population FAQ
What is the world population in 2026?
The United Nations estimates the world population at 8,300,678,395 people on 1 July 2026—about 8.30 billion. It is a model-based estimate, not a real-time count of every person.
Is the world population still growing?
Yes. The UN projects an increase of about 68.9 million people during 2026, equal to 0.83%. The growth rate has fallen substantially from its late-1960s peak of just over 2% a year.
When will the world reach 9 billion people?
In the UN medium projection, the mid-year population first exceeds 9 billion in 2037. Projections are uncertain and may change as fertility, mortality and migration trends evolve.
When will world population stop growing?
The UN medium projection peaks at about 10.29 billion in 2084 and then declines slightly to about 10.18 billion in 2100. The UN estimates an 80% probability that the peak will occur during this century.
Which country has the largest population?
India is the most populous country in 2026, with an estimated 1.477 billion people. China is second with 1.413 billion, followed by the United States with 349 million.
How many people are born and die each day?
For 2026, the UN projects roughly 363,023 births and 174,349 deaths per day. The difference, about 188,675 people per day, is the net natural increase at the world level.
Why do population counters show different numbers?
There is no live global register. Counters interpolate between estimates, and results vary by source release, reference date, interpolation method and which territories are included. Small differences do not necessarily mean one counter is wrong.