Population size - Country rankings

* indicates monthly or quarterly data series

Population size, in millions, 2023:

The average for 2023 based on 47 countries was 26.19 million. The highest value was in Nigeria: 223.8 million and the lowest value was in the Seychelles: 0.12 million. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Measure: million; Source: United Nations Population Division
Select indicator
* indicates monthly or quarterly data series


Countries Population size, 2023 Global rank Available data
Nigeria 223.8 1 1960 - 2023
Ethiopia 126.53 2 1960 - 2023
DR Congo 102.26 3 1960 - 2023
Tanzania 67.44 4 1960 - 2023
South Africa 60.41 5 1960 - 2023
Kenya 55.1 6 1960 - 2023
Uganda 48.58 7 1960 - 2023
Sudan 48.11 8 1960 - 2023
Angola 36.68 9 1960 - 2023
Ghana 34.12 10 1960 - 2023
Mozambique 33.9 11 1960 - 2023
Madagascar 30.33 12 1960 - 2023
Ivory Coast 28.87 13 1960 - 2023
Cameroon 28.65 14 1960 - 2023
Niger 27.2 15 1960 - 2023
Mali 23.29 16 1960 - 2023
Burkina Faso 23.25 17 1960 - 2023
Malawi 20.93 18 1960 - 2023
Zambia 20.57 19 1960 - 2023
Chad 18.28 20 1960 - 2023
Somalia 18.14 21 1960 - 2023
Senegal 17.76 22 1960 - 2023
Zimbabwe 16.67 23 1960 - 2023
Guinea 14.19 24 1960 - 2023
Rwanda 14.09 25 1960 - 2023
Benin 13.71 26 1960 - 2023
Burundi 13.24 27 1960 - 2023
Togo 9.05 28 1960 - 2023
Sierra Leone 8.79 29 1960 - 2023
R. of Congo 6.11 30 1960 - 2023
C.A. Republic 5.74 31 1960 - 2023
Liberia 5.42 32 1960 - 2023
Mauritania 4.86 33 1960 - 2023
Eritrea 3.75 34 1960 - 2023
Gambia 2.77 35 1960 - 2023
Botswana 2.68 36 1960 - 2023
Namibia 2.6 37 1960 - 2023
Gabon 2.44 38 1960 - 2023
Lesotho 2.33 39 1960 - 2023
G.-Bissau 2.15 40 1960 - 2023
Eq. Guinea 1.71 41 1960 - 2023
Mauritius 1.26 42 1960 - 2023
Swaziland 1.21 43 1960 - 2023
Comoros 0.85 44 1960 - 2023
Cape Verde 0.6 45 1960 - 2023
S.T.&Principe 0.23 46 1960 - 2023
Seychelles 0.12 47 1960 - 2023



Definition: Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.

Selected articles from our guide:

The unholy trinity of international finance

Most commonly used measures of corruption

All articles

1. Nigeria
2. Ethiopia
3. DR Congo
4. Tanzania
5. South Africa
6. Kenya
7. Uganda
8. Sudan
9. Angola
10. Ghana
11. Mozambique
12. Madagascar
13. Ivory Coast
14. Cameroon
15. Niger
16. Mali
17. Burkina Faso
18. Malawi
19. Zambia
20. Chad
21. Somalia
22. Senegal
23. Zimbabwe
24. Guinea
25. Rwanda
26. Benin
27. Burundi
28. Togo
29. Sierra Leone
30. R. of Congo
31. C.A. Republic
32. Liberia
33. Mauritania
34. Eritrea
35. Gambia
36. Botswana
37. Namibia
38. Gabon
39. Lesotho
40. G.-Bissau
41. Eq. Guinea
42. Mauritius
43. Swaziland
44. Comoros
45. Cape Verde
46. S.T.&Principe
47. Seychelles
223.80
126.53
102.26
67.44
60.41
55.10
48.58
48.11
36.68
34.12
33.90
30.33
28.87
28.65
27.20
23.29
23.25
20.93
20.57
18.28
18.14
17.76
16.67
14.19
14.09
13.71
13.24
9.05
8.79
6.11
5.74
5.42
4.86
3.75
2.77
2.68
2.60
2.44
2.33
2.15
1.71
1.26
1.21
0.85
0.60
0.23
0.12
0
56
111.9
167.9
223.8


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