The world in 2021
On 1 January 2021, 7.92 billion people were alive. During the year, 133 million children were born and 69.7 million people died.
In 2026 the world has 346 million more people, 1.0 times as many.
The median age is 29.8. 26% of the people are under 15 and 9.5% are 65 or older.
Life expectancy at birth is 70.9 years, and women have 2.3 children on average at that year’s rates.
Countries with more than 100 million people: 14.
- Population, 1 January 2021
- 7,922,587,963
- Median age
- 29.8
- Births in 2021
- 133,448,839
- Deaths in 2021
- 69,728,100
- Life expectancy at birth
- 70.9
- Children per woman
- 2.29
- Under 15
- 25.7%
- 65 and over
- 9.5%
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The most populous countries
| Country | Population | Under 15 | 65 and over |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | 1,426,776,342 | 17.8% | 12.9% |
| India | 1,409,264,315 | 26.1% | 6.5% |
| United States | 339,729,889 | 18.3% | 16.3% |
| Indonesia | 275,881,538 | 25.7% | 6.7% |
| Pakistan | 237,227,668 | 37.7% | 4.0% |
| Nigeria | 216,251,531 | 42.6% | 3.0% |
| Brazil | 209,194,759 | 20.6% | 9.8% |
| Bangladesh | 166,974,426 | 29.2% | 5.9% |
| Russia | 146,187,972 | 17.7% | 15.6% |
| Mexico | 127,241,179 | 25.8% | 7.5% |
Development and urbanisation
| Indicator | Latest value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Living in cities | 44.2% | 2021 |
| People using the internet | 63.8% | 2021 |
| Access to electricity | 91.3% | 2021 |
| Adult literacy (ages 15 and over) | 87.2% | 2021 |
| 90.4% | 2021 | |
| 79.4% | 2021 | |
| 72.4% | 2021 | |
| Human Development Index | 0.742 | 2021 |
Values observed in 2021, or in the closest earlier year within five years, shown with that year. The share in cities is a UN estimate to 2025 and a projection after. Sources: World Bank WDI, UNDP HDR, UN WUP 2025.
Sources: World Population Prospects 2024, UN DESA Population Division (CC BY 3.0 IGO).