Which Asian country is the most populous?

India is the most populous country in Asia. Its population exceeds 1.4 billion people, making it the world’s largest national population as well.

India overtook China in population around 2023, according to United Nations estimates. Its population is spread across a vast range of landscapes, from the Himalayan foothills and the Indo-Gangetic Plain to the Deccan Plateau and coastal regions. Uttar Pradesh is the most populous Indian state and has a population comparable to that of a large country.

A common mix-up is choosing China because China was the world’s most populous country for decades and remains one of Asia’s demographic giants. Indonesia is also highly populous, ranking among the world’s largest countries by population, but it has fewer residents than India. Russia spans both Europe and Asia, yet its total population is far smaller.