World

These Countries Will Be the World’s Most Populous in 2100

The next century could very well be an African century.

November 28, 2017

The twenty-second century could very well be an African century.

In 2017, Nigeria was the sole African country to rank among the world’s ten most populous countries. But by 2100, five out of the world’s ten most populous countries and twelve of the top twenty-four will be African countries, according to projections by the United Nations.

Three out of the top ten countries will be in East Africa. Population growth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria will continue to surge into the end of the 21st century.

And while China and India will remain the world’s two most populous countries by the end of this century, fertility rates will fall below replacement rates, and so their populations will decline.

The UN projects Nigeria to be the world’s third most populous country in 2100, with 794 million residents, compared to 191 million in 2017. Population growth in Pakistan, presently one of the world’s fastest-growing countries, will slow in the second half of this century, rising from 307 million in 2050 to 352 million in 2100. It is projected to be eclipsed in population by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.

Here is a projection of the world’s most populous countries in 2100, according to a United Nations forecast made in 2017.