Animation: The Global Population Over 300 Years, by Country
Connect with us

Demographics

Animation: The Global Population Over 300 Years, by Country

Published

on

Animation: The Global Population Over 300 Years, by Country

Since the 1800s, our global population has grown from 984 million people to almost 8 billion—an increase of more than 700%.

Which regions around the world have led this growth, and what’s expected for the rest of the century? This animated visualization by James Eagle shows 300 years of population growth, including historical figures as well as projections up to the year 2100.

Asia’s Current Dominance

For centuries, more than half of the world’s population has been concentrated in Asia. At certain points throughout history, the region has made up nearly 70% of the world’s population.

Here’s a look at 2021 figures, and how large each region’s population is relative to each other:

RankRegion% of Global Population (2021)
1Asia59.2%
2Africa17.9%
3Europe9.3%
4North America7.5%
5South America5.5%
6Oceania0.6%

China and India have been Asia’s largest population hubs, with China historically leading the front. In the 1950s China’s population was nearly double the size of India’s, but the gap has fluctuated over the years.

As China’s population growth continued, it was causing problems for the country as it struggled to scale up food production and infrastructure. By 1979, the Chinese government rolled out a one-child policy in an attempt to control the situation.

The program, which ended in 2016, had a number of unintended ramifications, but ultimately, it did succeed in slowing down the country’s population growth. And now, India is projected to overtake China as the world’s most populous country as early as 2023.

Africa’s Growing Piece of the Pie

Although Asia dominates the charts when it comes to overall population numbers currently, Africa’s growing population numbers are often overlooked.

While the continent’s total population is smaller than Asia’s, it will soon be home to the world’s largest working-age population, which could have a significant impact on the global economy in the years ahead.

This growth is being led by Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. With megacities like Lagos (metro population: 21 million) and over 217 million inhabitants in total, Nigeria is projected to be the world’s third most populous country by the year 2050. Nigeria’s rapid growth is largely thanks to its high birth rate, which is nearly double the global average.

green check mark icon

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.

Click for Comments

Economy

G7 vs. the World: GDP, Population, and Military Strength

We visualize the G7’s global influence in 2025, across global GDP, population, and military spending data.

Published

on

G7 vs. the World: GDP, Population, and Military Strength

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

Key Takeaways

  • G7 countries represent 28.4% of global GDP (PPP) today, down from about 50% in the 1980s
  • The G7 accounts for only 9.6% of the world’s population and nearly half (49.3%) of military spending
  • The G7 punches above its weight in terms of military spending, thanks to the U.S.

The G7—comprising the United States, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, Italy, and Canada—wields considerable global influence, despite its declining share of the global economy and population.

In this infographic, we visualize the G7’s global influence in 2025 based on global GDP, population, and military spending data.

Data & Discussion

The data for this visualization was sourced from the UN World Population Prospects 2024, the IMF, and Our World in Data.

CountryGDP (PPP) (%)Population (%)Military Spending (%)
🇺🇸 United States14.74.236.2
🇯🇵 Japan3.31.52.2
🇩🇪 Germany313.2
🇫🇷 France2.20.82.4
🇬🇧 United Kingdom2.20.82.9
🇮🇹 Italy1.80.71.4
🇨🇦 Canada1.30.51.1
G7 Total28.49.649.3
Rest of World71.690.450.7

📉 The G7’s Shrinking Economic Might

The G7’s share of global GDP (PPP) in 2025 is projected at 28.4%, which is a sharp drop from its pre-2000s value.

GDP at Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) measures the value of goods and services produced in a country, adjusted for differences in cost of living and inflation.

The G7’s decline reflects shifts in global economic power towards Asia and other developing regions. The group’s largest economy is the U.S., which accounts for more than the rest of the group combined (14.7% vs 13.8%).

🌍 Modest Population Representation

Despite its 28.4% share of the world economy, the G7 represents only 9.6% of the population, at around 783 million people. Advanced economies like those in the G7 have low fertility rates and aging populations, meaning their share of global population will continue to fall.

Interestingly, these demographic challenges are now affecting China as well, whose population peaked in 2021 and is beginning a long-term decline.

🛡️ Concentrated Military Spending

Where the G7 has the most global influence is in defense, with G7 countries collectively accounting for 49.3% of global military spending ($1.3 trillion).

The U.S. alone makes up 36.2% , dwarfing the next top countries as we’ve shown in this recent graphic. Together, G7 nations play a central role in NATO, global arms exports, and military alliances shaping international security.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

If you enjoyed today’s post, check out How G7 Countries Compare to America’s Poorest States on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.

Continue Reading

Popular