List of continents and continental subregions by population
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.
Article
List of continents and continental subregions by population
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.
Distribution of populations by continental landmass
List of continents and continental subregions by population
<table><thead><tr><th>Continental landmass</th><th>Population (2021)</th><th>% (world)</th><th>±% p.a. (2010–2013)</th><th>Sovereign states (2025)</th><th>De facto states (2025)</th><th>Non-self-governing territories (2025)</th><th>Other area(s) (2025)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>World</td><td>7,909,295,151</td><td>100%</td><td>1.17%</td><td>197</td><td>8</td><td>17</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>Africa-Eurasia</td><td>6,833,426,385</td><td>86.4%</td><td>86.4%</td><td>146</td><td>8</td><td>3</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>America</td><td>1,030,037,584</td><td>13%</td><td>0.96%</td><td>35</td><td>0</td><td>8</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td>Oceania</td><td>44,491,724</td><td>0.6%</td><td>1.47%</td><td>16</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Antarctica</td><td>0</td><td>0%</td><td>0%</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>
Distribution of populations by continent
List of continents and continental subregions by population
<table><thead><tr><th>Continent</th><th>Population (2021)</th><th>% (world)</th><th>±% p.a. (2010–2013)</th><th>Sovereign states (2025)</th><th>De facto states (2025)</th><th>Non-self-governing territory(ies) (2025)</th><th>Other area(s) (2025)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>World</td><td>7,909,295,151</td><td>100%</td><td>1.17%</td><td>197</td><td>8</td><td>17</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>Asia</td><td>4,694,576,167</td><td>59.4%</td><td>1.04%</td><td>48</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Africa</td><td>1,393,676,444</td><td>17.6%</td><td>2.57%</td><td>54</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Europe</td><td>745,173,774</td><td>9.4%</td><td>0.08%</td><td>44</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>North America</td><td>595,783,465</td><td>7.5%</td><td>0.96%</td><td>23</td><td>0</td><td>7</td><td>11</td></tr><tr><td>South America</td><td>434,254,119</td><td>5.5%</td><td>1.06%</td><td>12</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Oceania</td><td>44,491,724</td><td>0.6%</td><td>1.47%</td><td>16</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>7</td></tr><tr><td>Antarctica</td><td>0</td><td>0%</td><td>0%</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>
Distribution of populations by continental subregion
List of continents and continental subregions by population
<table><thead><tr><th>Continental subregion</th><th>Population (2021)</th><th>% (world)</th><th>±% p.a. (2010–2013)</th><th>Sovereign states (2025)</th><th>De facto state(s) (2025)</th><th>Non-self-governing territory(ies) (2025)</th><th>Other area(s) (2025)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>World</td><td>7,909,295,151</td><td>100%</td><td>1.17%</td><td>197</td><td>8</td><td>17</td><td>34</td></tr><tr><td>Southern Asia</td><td>1,989,452,478</td><td>25.2%</td><td>1.32%</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Asia</td><td>1,663,696,923</td><td>21.0%</td><td>0.57%</td><td>5</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Sub-Saharan Africa</td><td>1,137,938,708</td><td>14.4%</td><td>N/A</td><td>48</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>South-eastern Asia</td><td>675,796,065</td><td>8.5%</td><td>1.20%</td><td>11</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Latin America and the Caribbean</td><td>656,098,097</td><td>8.30%</td><td>N/A</td><td>33</td><td>0</td><td>7</td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Africa</td><td>461,141,845</td><td>5.8%</td><td>2.89%</td><td>18</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>South America</td><td>434,254,119</td><td>5.5%</td><td>1.06%</td><td>12</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Western Africa</td><td>418,544,337</td><td>5.3%</td><td>2.78%</td><td>16</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Northern America</td><td>375,278,947</td><td>4.7%</td><td>0.85%</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Europe</td><td>291,464,162</td><td>3.7%</td><td>0.23%</td><td>10</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Western Asia</td><td>289,733,123</td><td>3.7%</td><td>1.98%</td><td>18</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Northern Africa</td><td>255,737,736</td><td>3.2%</td><td>1.70%</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Western Europe</td><td>195,381,649</td><td>2.5%</td><td>0.25%</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Middle Africa</td><td>190,267,973</td><td>2.4%</td><td>2.79%</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Central America</td><td>177,661,929</td><td>2.2%</td><td>1.40%</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Southern Europe</td><td>152,130,606</td><td>1.9%</td><td>0.24%</td><td>15</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Northern Europe</td><td>106,197,357</td><td>1.3%</td><td>0.54%</td><td>10</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td>Central Asia</td><td>75,897,577</td><td>1.0%</td><td>1.43%</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Southern Africa</td><td>67,984,554</td><td>0.9%</td><td>0.91%</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Caribbean</td><td>44,182,048</td><td>0.6%</td><td>0.71%</td><td>13</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Australia and New Zealand</td><td>31,050,816</td><td>0.4%</td><td>N/A</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Melanesia</td><td>12,188,834</td><td>0.2%</td><td>N/A</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Polynesia</td><td>717,467</td><td>0.009%</td><td>N/A</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Micronesia</td><td>534,606</td><td>0.007%</td><td>N/A</td><td>5</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Antarctica</td><td>0</td><td>0%</td><td>0%</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table>
Global, continental, and subregional totals from 1950 to 2021
Africa
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>228,902,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>284,887,000</td><td>+2.21%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>365,626,000</td><td>+2.53%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>477,965,000</td><td>+2.72%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>631,614,000</td><td>+2.83%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>814,063,000</td><td>+2.57%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>1,044,107,000</td><td>+2.52%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>1,393,676,444</td><td>+2.66%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Americas
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>340,459,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>425,357,000</td><td>+2.25%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>519,522,000</td><td>+2.02%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>619,252,000</td><td>+1.77%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>727,522,000</td><td>+1.62%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>840,614,000</td><td>+1.46%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>943,952,000</td><td>+1.17%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>1,031,377,044</td><td>+0.81%</td></tr></tbody></table>
North America
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>226,719,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>276,291,000</td><td>+2.00%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>326,036,000</td><td>+1.67%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>376,390,000</td><td>+1.45%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>429,653,000</td><td>+1.33%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>490,818,000</td><td>+1.34%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>546,867,000</td><td>+1.09%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>597,122,924</td><td>+0.80%</td></tr></tbody></table>
South America
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>113,739,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>149,066,000</td><td>+2.74%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>193,486,000</td><td>+2.64%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>242,862,000</td><td>+2.30%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>297,869,000</td><td>+2.06%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>349,796,000</td><td>+1.62%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>397,085,000</td><td>+1.28%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>434,254,119</td><td>+0.82%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Asia
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>1,394,018,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>1,686,698,000</td><td>+1.92%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>2,120,430,000</td><td>+2.31%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>2,625,584,000</td><td>+2.16%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>3,202,475,000</td><td>+2.01%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>3,714,470,000</td><td>+1.49%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>4,169,850,000</td><td>+1.16%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>4,694,576,167</td><td>+1.08%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Europe
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>549,089,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>605,619,000</td><td>+0.98%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>657,221,000</td><td>+0.82%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>693,859,000</td><td>+0.54%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>721,086,000</td><td>+0.39%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>726,407,000</td><td>+0.07%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>735,395,000</td><td>+0.12%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>745,173,774</td><td>+0.12%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Oceania
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>12,682,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>15,784,000</td><td>+2.21%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>19,688,000</td><td>+2.23%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>22,972,000</td><td>+1.55%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>26,971,000</td><td>+1.62%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>31,068,000</td><td>+1.42%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>36,411,000</td><td>+1.60%</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>39,901,000</td><td>+1.54%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>44,491,724</td><td>+2.20%</td></tr></tbody></table>
World
<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pop.</th><th>±% p.a.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1950</td><td>2,525,149,000</td><td>— </td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>3,018,344,000</td><td>+1.80%</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>3,682,488,000</td><td>+2.01%</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>4,439,632,000</td><td>+1.89%</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>5,309,668,000</td><td>+1.81%</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>6,126,622,000</td><td>+1.44%</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>6,929,725,000</td><td>+1.24%</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>7,909,295,151</td><td>+1.21%</td></tr></tbody></table>