TOPIC INFO (UGC NET)
TOPIC INFO – UGC NET (Geography)
SUB-TOPIC INFO – Population and Settlement Geography (UNIT 5)
CONTENT TYPE – Detailed Notes
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World Population Distribution
UGC NET GEOGRAPHY
Population and Settlement Geography (UNIT 5)
LANGUAGE
Table of Contents
Introduction
- Global population (2025): About 8.2 billion, with growth continuing but at the slowest rate in modern history.
- Urbanization: Approximately 57–58% of the world’s population now lives in urban areas, up from 54% in 2014; the world has been predominantly urban since 2008.
- Urban concentration: By the mid-2020s, 70+ countries have 80% or more of their population living in urban areas, and around 35 countries have 90% or more urban population.
- Slum population: Over 1.1 billion people globally live in slums or informal settlements, increasing due to rapid urban growth, housing shortages, and climate pressures.
- Peak child: The world has reached “peak child,” meaning the number of children globally is no longer increasing; future population growth is mainly from longer life expectancy.
- Population ageing: People aged 60 years and over exceed 1.1 billion globally, with ageing occurring fastest in developed countries but accelerating in all regions.
- Implications: Ageing populations create significant economic, social, and health-care challenges, including higher dependency ratios and increased demand for health services.
- Fertility trends: The replacement fertility rate is about 2.1 children per woman; more than half of countries are now below this level, leading to ageing and population decline, while higher fertility countries remain younger and continue to grow.
Population Distribution of Major Countries (2026)
| Country | Population total (thousands) | Under 15 (%) | Over 60 (%) | Median age (years) | Urban population (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 339,000 | 18.3 | 23.6 | 38.9 | 83 |
| China | 1,412,000 | 16.5 | 20.8 | 39.1 | 66 |
| India | 1,430,000 | 26.0 | 10.2 | 28.4 | 36 |
| Japan | 124,300 | 11.6 | 34.9 | 49.1 | 92 |
| Germany | 83,300 | 13.7 | 28.8 | 45.9 | 77 |
| United Kingdom | 67,700 | 17.6 | 24.7 | 40.8 | 84 |
| France | 65,600 | 17.8 | 26.1 | 42.3 | 81 |
| Italy | 58,900 | 12.9 | 30.4 | 47.3 | 71 |
| Russia | 146,000 | 18.0 | 25.5 | 40.1 | 75 |
| Brazil | 216,400 | 21.1 | 15.6 | 33.4 | 87 |
| Mexico | 129,900 | 25.3 | 12.8 | 30.6 | 81 |
| Indonesia | 277,500 | 24.2 | 11.5 | 30.2 | 58 |
| Pakistan | 241,500 | 35.4 | 6.5 | 20.8 | 38 |
| Bangladesh | 173,800 | 27.1 | 9.4 | 28.3 | 40 |
| Nigeria | 227,900 | 42.5 | 3.6 | 18.1 | 54 |
| Egypt | 112,700 | 33.6 | 6.8 | 24.6 | 43 |
| South Africa | 60,400 | 28.9 | 9.1 | 27.6 | 68 |
| Turkey | 85,300 | 22.4 | 14.2 | 33.2 | 77 |
| Iran | 89,600 | 23.2 | 10.8 | 32.0 | 76 |
| Saudi Arabia | 36,900 | 24.7 | 5.9 | 31.8 | 85 |
| Canada | 40,300 | 15.7 | 25.4 | 41.9 | 82 |
| Australia | 26,600 | 18.2 | 22.3 | 38.3 | 86 |
| South Korea | 51,700 | 12.1 | 25.6 | 44.9 | 82 |
| Argentina | 45,800 | 24.6 | 15.7 | 32.9 | 92 |
Predictions of global population vary from 9.6 billion to 12.3 billion by 2100, according to United Nations Population Division. A far rosier prediction by Wolfgang Lutz and his colleagues at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Vienna, Austria, suggests the global population will reach 9.4 billion in 2075 and fall to just under 9 billion by 2100.