India had the world’s largest population according to the United Nations’ 2024 estimate.
The United Nations estimated India’s population at about 1.45 billion in 2024, placing it ahead of China. India’s population is spread across a vast and varied territory, with especially dense concentrations in the northern plains, coastal regions, and major urban corridors. The country contains thousands of communities and many major language groups.
India’s population grew rapidly during the twentieth century as mortality declined and life expectancy increased. Fertility has since fallen substantially, and the national rate is near or below the level needed for long-term population replacement. Because India has a relatively young age structure compared with many countries, its total population can continue growing for a period even as average family size declines.
Population estimates are not exact counts; they are statistical projections based on censuses, surveys, births, deaths, and migration. India’s most recent full census was conducted in 2011, so international estimates are especially useful for tracking its changing demographic position.