Who Has the World’s Largest Population? (Why India Is #1 Now)

If you grew up hearing that China had the largest population in the world, you weren’t wrong… back then.

But if your child gets the question “What is the most populated country in the world?” today, the correct answer is:

👉 India is now the most populated country in the world.

United Nations estimates show that India’s population passed China’s around April 2023, and recent reports put India at roughly 1.46 billion people compared with China’s 1.41 billion.

That’s a lot of people and a lot of old textbooks that now need an update.

This guide breaks the topic down in kid-friendly language so you can help with homework, clear up confusion, and maybe spark a little curiosity about countries by population, not just size on a map.

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“Explain which country has the largest population in the world and why it’s not China anymore.”

Right now, the most populated country in the world is India.

Recent UN and UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) estimates say:

For decades, China held the title of world’s most populous country, but India’s population kept growing while China’s started to slow and even shrink.

You might still see books, posters, or worksheets that list China as #1, especially if they were printed before 2023. That’s why kids sometimes get mixed messages. This article gives you the updated 2025 reality.

So what changed?

In simple terms:

For many years, both India and China had huge, fast-growing populations. But now, China’s numbers are dipping slightly while India’s have climbed just a bit higher.

When kids see the phrase “largest country in the world”, they often think of land size like Russia, Canada, or the United States.

This time, the word “largest” isn’t about space on the map. It’s about how many people live there.

You can explain it like this:

A country can be huge on the map but not very crowded (like Canada), or smaller but packed with people (like India or Bangladesh). “Most populated” is about people, not land.

Kids who mix up area and population will often answer “Russia” or “China” for this question, so it’s helpful to practice saying:

Here’s a kid-sized snapshot based on current estimates:

Together, India and China are sometimes called “population billionaires” because each one has over a billion people more than any other country.

The UN expects:

Other big players are rising too. By around 2050, countries like Nigeria, Pakistan, and the United States will also hold large slices of the world’s population.

💡 Try this with AI Homework Helper. Have your child open the AI Homework Helper and type:

“Make a simple table comparing India’s and China’s population in 2025 and 2050 for kids.”

The tool can turn big, confusing numbers into a clear little chart they can sketch into their notebook.

Lists change slightly depending on the source, but a common ranking today looks like this:

You don’t have to memorize every position, but knowing the top 5 or top 10 most populated countries in the world helps kids:

A cool fact to share:

Just a small group of countries (including India and China) hold more than half of the world’s people.

When a country has a very large population, it can affect things like:

That doesn’t mean “big is bad” or “small is good.” It just means the country has a different kind of puzzle to solve. India’s huge population, for example, is often described as a “demographic opportunity” if enough jobs, schools, and support systems exist to match it.

Another big difference between India and China is age:

For kids, you can frame it like this:

“Imagine one country where most people are kids and teenagers, and another where most people are older adults. They’d need different kinds of schools, jobs, and healthcare, right?”

That’s why population isn’t just a number it shapes what life feels like in a place.

Turning numbers into pictures often makes everything click. You can:

All of these can turn a dry “countries by population” list into a visual your child remembers.

If you want to go one level deeper, you can show your child a population cartogram a kind of map where country sizes are based on population, not land area.

On maps like that:

Even if you don’t use that exact term, you can say:

“Here’s a special map where countries grow or shrink based on how many people live there, not how much land they have.”

🧩 Turn this into an AI-powered project Ask the AI Homework Helper:

“Give me step-by-step instructions for making a bar chart of the top 5 most populated countries using colored pencils.”

It can spell out each step so your child ends up with both a finished chart and a better grasp of the numbers.

Is India really the most populated country in the world now?

Yes. United Nations estimates show that India overtook China around April 2023 and now has the largest population in the world.

What is India’s population in 2025?

A recent UNFPA report suggests India’s population is roughly 1.46 billion people, with slow growth expected before it eventually peaks and begins to decline.

Does China still have more people than the United States?

Definitely. Even after dropping to second place, China still has far more people than the United States, which usually sits at #3 in most population rankings.

Which country will have the largest population in 2050?

Current projections say India will most likely still be the most populous country in 2050, with China, the US, Pakistan, Nigeria, and others following.

Which continent has the largest population?

That honor goes to Asia, home to India, China, and many other highly populated countries.

If your child is learning about world population by country, here’s the one-line summary they need to remember:

India is currently the most populated country in the world, with a slightly larger population than China.

From there, you can explore bigger questions:

And if you’d like a little backup as you go, the AI Homework Helper is always there to explain, quiz, and break things down at your child’s level: 👉 Try the AI Homework Helper on DIY.org