A world that changes continent
In 1950 more than one person in five on Earth lived in Europe; by the end of the century, according to United Nations projections, more than one in three will live in Africa. Here you can see how the world’s population shifts between continents, year by year.
World population by continent
Show
2026
projection
After 2023 projections (medium scenario), lighter. Source: United Nations, World Population Prospects 2024.
The shares in four years
| Continent | 1950 | 2000 | 2026 | 2100 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 9.1 % | 13.5 % | 19.1 % | 37.5 % |
| Americas | 13.5 % | 13.5 % | 12.8 % | 10.7 % |
| Asia | 54.9 % | 60.7 % | 58.6 % | 45.3 % |
| Europe | 22.0 % | 11.8 % | 9.0 % | 5.8 % |
| Oceania | 0.5 % | 0.5 % | 0.6 % | 0.7 % |
The most populous countries
The ten states with the most inhabitants in the year chosen above; next to them, their rank in 1950.