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List of continents and continental subregions by population

{{Short description|none}}

This is a list of continental landmasses, continents, and continental subregions by population. For statistical convenience, the populations of continental landmasses also include the populations of their associated islands.

{{Pie chart

| caption = World population by continent, {{UN population|Year}}

| label1 = Asia

| value1 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|Asia}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color1 = orange

| label2 = Africa

| value2 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|Africa}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color2 = yellow

| label3 = Europe

| value3 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|Europe}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color3 = blue

| label4 = North America

| value4 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|North America}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color4 = brown

| label5 = South America

| value5 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|South America}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color5 = red

| label6 = Oceania

| value6 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|Oceania}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color6 = green

| label7 = Antarctica

| value7 = {{#expr: 100 * {{formatnum:{{UN population|Antarctica}}|R}}/{{formatnum:{{UN population|World}}|R}} round 1}}

| color7 = white

}}

Distribution of populations by continental landmass

{{srn}}

class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers" style="text-align:right;"
class="static-row-header" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom;"

! valign="middle" | Continental landmass

| Population
{{nobold|({{UN population|Year}}){{UN population|ref}}}}{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population |title=Population |publisher=United Nations |access-date=July 25, 2021}}

| style=max-width:3em | %
(world)

| {{abbr|±% p.a.|Per Annum Growth Rate}}
(2010–2013)

| Sovereign states
(2025)

| De facto states
(2025)

| Non-self-governing
territory(ies) (2025)

| Other area(s)
(2025)

class="static-row-header " style="font-weight:bold;"

! scope=row | World

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|World}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.17%

| 197

| 8

| 17

| 34

scope=row | Africa-Eurasia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|6,833426385|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 86.4%

| 146

| 8

| 3

| 12

scope=row | America

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|1030037584|{{UN population|World}}}} || 0.96%

| 35

| 0

| 8

| 14

scope=row | Oceania{{efn|Comprising Australasia (mainland Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania), Melanesia (the Aru Islands, Island Melanesia, and New Guinea), Micronesia, and Polynesia.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Oceania}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 1.47%

| 16

| 0

| 6

| 7

scope=row | Antarctica

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Antarctica}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 0%

| 0

| 0

| 0

| 1

Distribution of populations by continent

{{srn}}

class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers" style="text-align:right;"
class="static-row-header" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom;"

! valign="middle" | Continent

| Population
{{nobold|({{UN population|Year}}){{UN population|ref}}}}{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/en/global-issues/population |title=Population |publisher=United Nations |access-date=July 25, 2021}}

| style=max-width:3em | %
(world)

| {{abbr|±% p.a.|Per Annum Growth Rate}}
(2010–2013)

| Sovereign states
(2025)

| De facto states
(2025)

| Non-self-governing
territory(ies) (2025)

| Other area(s)
(2025)

class="static-row-header " style="font-weight:bold;"

! scope=row | World

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|World}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.17%

| 197

| 8

| 17

| 34

scope=row | Asia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.04%

| 48

| 4

| 0

| 2

scope=row | Africa

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 2.57%

| 54

| 2

| 2

| 4

scope=row | Europe

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Europe}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 0.08%

| 44

| 2

| 1

| 6

scope=row | North America

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|North America}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 0.96%

| 23

| 0

| 7

| 11

scope=row | South America

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|South America}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 1.06%

| 12

| 0

| 1

| 3

scope=row | Oceania{{efn|Comprising the continent of Australia-New Guinea (the Aru Islands, Australia, the mainland regions of Papua New Guinea, and Western New Guinea), the East Melanesian Islands (the Islands Region of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu), Fiji, Micronesia, Polynesia, and the submerged continent of Zealandia (New Caledonia, New Zealand, and Norfolk Island).}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Oceania}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 1.47%

| 16

| 0

| 6

| 7

scope=row | Antarctica

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Antarctica}}|{{UN population|World}}}} || 0%

| 0

| 0

| 0

| 1

Distribution of populations by continental subregion

class="wikitable sortable static-row-numbers" style="text-align:right;"
class="static-row-header" style="text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom;"

! valign="middle" | Continental
subregion

| Population
{{nobold|({{UN population|Year}}){{UN population|ref}}}}

| style=max-width:3em | %
(world)

| {{abbr|±% p.a.|Per Annum Growth Rate}}
(2010–2013)

| Sovereign states
(2025)

| De facto state(s)
(2025)

| Non-self-governing
territory(ies) (2025)

| Other area(s)
(2025)

class="static-row-header " style="font-weight:bold;"

! scope=row | World

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|World}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.17%

| 197

| 8

| 17

| 34

scope=row | Southern Asia{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Afghanistan and Iran in Southern Asia.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Southern Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.32%

| 9

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Eastern Asia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Eastern Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.57%

| 5

| 1

| 0

| 2

class="static-row-header " style="font-weight:bold;"

! scope=row | Sub-Saharan Africa{{efn|Consisting of Eastern Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, and Western Africa.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Sub-Saharan Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 48

| 1

| 1

| 4

scope=row | South-eastern Asia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|South-Eastern Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.20%

| 11

| 0

| 0

| 0

class="static-row-header " style="font-weight:bold;"

! scope=row | Latin America and the Caribbean{{efn|Consisting of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=3|{{UN population|Latin America and the Caribbean}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 33

| 0

| 7

| 12

scope=row | Eastern Africa{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes the British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago), the Comoros, the French Southern Territories, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Réunion, Zambia, and Zimbabwe in Eastern Africa.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Eastern Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 2.89%

| 18

| 1

| 0

| 4

scope=row | South America{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Bouvet Island in South America.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|South America}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.06%

| 12

| 0

| 1

| 3

scope=row | Western Africa{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha in Western Africa.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Western Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 2.78%

| 16

| 0

| 1

| 0

scope=row | Northern America

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Northern America}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.85%

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 2

scope=row | Eastern Europe{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, as well as Siberia (Northern Asia) in Eastern Europe.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Eastern Europe}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.23%

| 10

| 1

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Western Asia{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes the South Caucasian countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, as well as Cyprus and Turkey in Western Asia.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Western Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.98%

| 18

| 3

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Northern Africa{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Western Sahara in Northern Africa.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Northern Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.70%

| 6

| 1

| 1

| 0

scope=row | Western Europe{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes the DACH countries and Liechtenstein in Western Europe.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Western Europe}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.25%

| 9

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Middle Africa{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Angola in Middle Africa.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Middle Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 2.79%

| 9

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Central America{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Mexico in Central America.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Central America}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.40%

| 8

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Southern Europe

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Southern Europe}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.24%

| 15

| 1

| 1

| 0

scope=row | Northern Europe{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes the Baltic states, the British Isles, and the Channel Islands in Northern Europe.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=2|{{UN population|Northern Europe}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.54%

| 10

| 0

| 0

| 6

scope=row | Central Asia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Central Asia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 1.43%

| 5

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Southern Africa

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Southern Africa}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.91%

| 5

| 0

| 0

| 0

scope=row | Caribbean

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Caribbean}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0.71%

| 13

| 0

| 6

| 9

scope=row | Australia and New Zealand{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Heard Island and McDonald Islands in Australia and New Zealand.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Australia}}+{{UN population|New Zealand}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 2

| 0

| 0

| 4

scope=row | Melanesia{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes Papua New Guinea in Melanesia.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Melanesia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 4

| 0

| 1

| 0

scope=row | Polynesia

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Polynesia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 5

| 0

| 4

| 1

scope=row | Micronesia{{efn|The UN geoscheme includes the United States Minor Outlying Islands in Micronesia.}}

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Micronesia}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| N/A

| 5

| 0

| 1

| 2

scope=row | Antarctica

| {{n+p|disp=table|sigfig=1|{{UN population|Antarctica}}|{{UN population|World}}}}

| 0%

| 0

| 0

| 0

| 1

Global, continental, and subregional totals from 1950 to {{UN_Population|Year}}

{{See also|United Nations geoscheme}}

= Africa =

{{columns-start|num=5}}

{{Historical population

|title = Eastern Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |66923000

|1960 |84305000

|1970 |110428000

|1980 |147512000

|1990 |198232000

|2000 |259373000

|2010 |342743000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Eastern Africa}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Middle Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |26401000

|1960 |32216000

|1970 |40846000

|1980 |53135000

|1990 |70886000

|2000 |96113000

|2010 |130598000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Middle Africa}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Northern Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |49222000

|1960 |63697000

|1970 |82883000

|1980 |106908000

|1990 |140117000

|2000 |171891000

|2010 |203717000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Northern Africa}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Southern Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |15588000

|1960 |19724000

|1970 |25454000

|1980 |32997000

|1990 |42049000

|2000 |51451000

|2010 |59067000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Southern Africa}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Western Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |70769000

|1960 |84946000

|1970 |106015000

|1980 |137414000

|1990 |180331000

|2000 |235235000

|2010 |307982000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Western Africa}}

}}

{{columns-end}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Total Africa

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |228902000

|1960 |284887000

|1970 |365626000

|1980 |477965000

|1990 |631614000

|2000 |814063000

|2010 |1044107000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Africa}}

}}

= Americas =

{{Historical populations

|title = Total Americas

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |340459000

|1960 |425357000

|1970 |519522000

|1980 |619252000

|1990 |727522000

|2000 |840614000

|2010 |943952000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Latin America and the Caribbean}}|R}} + {{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Northern America}}|R}}}}

}}

== North America ==

{{columns-start|num=3}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Caribbean

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |17076000

|1960 |20724000

|1970 |25306000

|1980 |29748000

|1990 |34198000

|2000 |38314000

|2010 |41621000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Caribbean}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Central America

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |38029000

|1960 |51400000

|1970 |69702000

|1980 |92425000

|1990 |114823000

|2000 |138780000

|2010 |161117000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Central America}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Northern America

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |171615000

|1960 |204167000

|1970 |231029000

|1980 |254217000

|1990 |280633000

|2000 |313724000

|2010 |344129000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Northern America}}

}}

{{columns-end}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Total North America

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |226719000

|1960 |276291000

|1970 |326036000

|1980 |376390000

|1990 |429653000

|2000 |490818000

|2010 |546867000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Caribbean}}|R}} + {{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Central America}}|R}} + {{formatnum:{{UN_Population|Northern America}}|R}}}}

}}

== South America ==

{{Historical populations

|title = Total South America

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |113739000

|1960 |149066000

|1970 |193486000

|1980 |242862000

|1990 |297869000

|2000 |349796000

|2010 |397085000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|South America}}

}}

= Asia =

{{columns-start|num=5}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Central Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |18131000

|1960 |24616000

|1970 |33156000

|1980 |41277000

|1990 |50407929

|2000 |55117000

|2010 |62139000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Central Asia}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Eastern Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |666586000

|1960 |788145000

|1970 |978113000

|1980 |1173372000

|1990 |1368592000

|2000 |1496284000

|2010 |1575320000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Eastern Asia}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = South-eastern Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |164900000

|1960 |213838000

|1970 |281521000

|1980 |358106000

|1990 |445665000

|2000 |526179000

|2010 |596708000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|South-Eastern Asia}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Southern Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |493443000

|1960 |593943000

|1970 |741603000

|1980 |939043000

|1990 |1189261000

|2000 |1451933000

|2010 |1702969000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Southern Asia}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Western Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |50957000

|1960 |66156000

|1970 |86037000

|1980 |113786000

|1990 |148552000

|2000 |184957000

|2010 |232703000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Western Asia}}

}}

{{columns-end}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Total Asia

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |1394018000

|1960 |1686698000

|1970 |2120430000

|1980 |2625584000

|1990 |3202475000

|2000 |3714470000

|2010 |4169850000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Asia}}

}}

= Europe =

{{columns-start|num=4}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Eastern Europe

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |220171000

|1960 |253630000

|1970 |276396000

|1980 |295042000

|1990 |310027000

|2000 |303789000

|2010 |294591000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Eastern Europe}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Northern Europe

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |78030000

|1960 |81790000

|1970 |87305000

|1980 |89833000

|1990 |92040000

|2000 |94397000

|2010 |99682000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Northern Europe}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Southern Europe

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |108633000

|1960 |117879000

|1970 |127617000

|1980 |138495000

|1990 |143404000

|2000 |145058000

|2010 |153360000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Southern Europe}}

}}

{{column}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Western Europe

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |142256000

|1960 |152320000

|1970 |165903000

|1980 |170489000

|1990 |175615000

|2000 |183163000

|2010 |187762000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Western Europe}}

}}

{{columns-end}}

{{Historical populations

|title = Total Europe

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |549089000

|1960 |605619000

|1970 |657221000

|1980 |693859000

|1990 |721086000

|2000 |726407000

|2010 |735395000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Europe}}

}}

= Oceania =

{{Historical populations

|title = Total Oceania

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |12682000

|1960 |15784000

|1970 |19688000

|1980 |22972000

|1990 |26971000

|2000 |31068000

|2010 |36411000

|2016 |39901000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|Oceania}}

}}

= World =

{{Historical populations

|title = Total World

|align = none

|shading = off

|percentages = pagr

|1950 |2525149000

|1960 |3018344000

|1970 |3682488000

|1980 |4439632000

|1990 |5309668000

|2000 |6126622000

|2010 |6929725000

|{{UN_Population|Year}} |{{UN_Population|World}}

}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

See also

{{Portal|Geography}}

References

{{reflist}}

Sources

  • All figures come from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130404064129/http://esa.un.org/unpd/wpp/Excel-Data/population.htm 2015 Revision] of the United Nations World Population Prospects.

Population, list

Continents