India and China are by far the most populous countries and the only ones with more than one billion inhabitants. Together they account for about 36 percent of the total population and occupy nine percent of the habitable earth's surface.
In April 2023, India replaced China as the country with the highest population to date, with 1.426 billion inhabitants, and is now just ahead. China's population is now expected to continue to shrink slightly, while India's population will continue to grow.
Women and girls must be heard
It's important to note that women and girls make up 49.7% of the global population. So, on the occasion of World Population Day (July 11), it's important to highlight the need for their voices to be heard, as women and girls are often ignored in discussions on demographics and their rights are violated when setting population policies.
Globally, the question of the largest country in the world is in itself a bit problematic. Whether you take the most inhabitants or the largest surface area, both comparisons do not include small states such as Hong Kong or Singapore, although they play a big role.
It is noteworthy that the top 10 most populous countries have large uninhabited desert or mountain regions. Therefore, the majority of people live in large urban areas with high population densities.
