Rate versus count
The fastest rate is not always the largest addition
A smaller country can grow faster in percentage terms while adding fewer people than a much larger country. Both columns are shown to prevent that common misreading.
Largest-country comparison · 2026
Where population is growing—and declining
Among the world’s 15 largest countries, growth ranges from +3.21% in DR Congo to −0.55% in Japan. Rates combine births, deaths and net migration within the UN demographic model.
Positive annual change
Growing populations
This is a comparison among the 15 largest countries, not a ranking of every country.
DR Congo+3,619,689 people/year+3.21%Ethiopia+3,430,134 people/year+2.53%Nigeria+4,904,050 people/year+2.06%Pakistan+4,080,237 people/year+1.6%Egypt+1,735,180 people/year+1.47%Bangladesh+2,131,145 people/year+1.21%India+12,760,051 people/year+0.87%Mexico+1,050,758 people/year+0.8%Philippines+937,509 people/year+0.8%Indonesia+2,165,546 people/year+0.76%United States+1,759,687 people/year+0.51%Brazil+750,261 people/year+0.35%
Negative annual change
Declining populations
A negative total can occur even with positive net migration when deaths exceed births.
Projection limits
One year does not define a permanent trend
Fertility, mortality and migration can change. The 2026 values belong to the UN medium scenario and should be re-reviewed when the source revision changes.
Primary evidence
One named source, visible limits
Figures use the Medium variant of the 2024 Revision. The UN series covers 237 countries or areas; estimates and projections from 1950 to 2100 and is built from 1,910 population censuses and 3,189 nationally representative sample surveys, alongside vital-registration and other demographic systems.
These are demographic estimates and projections for country population change, not a live register of identifiable people. Mid-year values refer to 1 July; moving counters interpolate a published annual flow between anchors.