10 Largest Countries by Population in History

A list of the 10 largest or most populous countries in the world according to censuses taken from 1800 to 1970.

10 Most Populous Countries

1800

1. China 295,273,000

2. India 131,000,000

3. Russia 33,000,000

4. France 27,349,000

5. Germany 24,833,000

6. Turkey 20,912,000

7. Vietnam 17,000,000

8. Japan 15,000,000

9. Italy 14,134,000

10. Indonesia 13,476,000

1850

1. China 429,931,000

2. India 203,415,000

3. Russia 64,903,000

4. France 35,783,000

5. Japan 33,111,000

6. Germany 29,800,000

7. Turkey 26,636,000

8. Italy 25,017,000

9. U.S. 23,192,000

10. U.K. 20,817,000

1900

1. China 372,563,000

2. India 283,870,000

3. Russia 116,238,000

4. U.S. 75,995,000

5. Germany 56,367,000

6. Japan 43,756,000

7. France 38,962,000

8. Indonesia 37,694,000

9. U.K. 37,000,000

10. Italy 33,172,000

1930

1. China 438,933,000

2. India 338,061,000

3. U.S.S.R. 147,028,000

4. U.S. 122,775,000

5. Germany 65,218,000

6. Japan 64,450,000

7. Indonesia 60,727,000

8. U.K. 46,052,000

9. France 41,835,000

10. Italy 40,310,000

1950

1. China 582,603,000

2. India 357,303,000

3. U.S.S.R. 170,557,000

4. U.S. 151,132,000

5. Japan 83,419,000

6. Indonesia 77,271,000

7. Pakistan 75,842,000

8. Brazil 51,989,000

9. U.K. 50,225,000

10. West Germany 49,843,000

1960

1. China 646,530,000

2. India 435,512,000

3. U.S.S.R. 208,827,000

4. U.S. 180,698,000

5. Indonesia 97,069,000

6. Pakistan 93,832,000

7. Japan 93,419,000

8. Brazil 70,992,000

9. West Germany 56,175,000

10. U.K. 52,709,000

SOURCE: The World in Figures. By Victor Showers. N.Y., John Wiley & Sons, 1973.

Latest

1. China 900,000,000

2. India 600,000,000

3. U.S.S.R. 255,000,000

4. U.S. 212,000,000

5. Indonesia 135,000,000

6. Japan 112,000,000

7. Brazil 108,000,000

8. Bangladesh 80,000,000

9. Pakistan 65,000,000

10. Nigeria 63,500,000