Is Asia the Most Populated Continent in the World?
Yes, Asia is the most populated continent in the world. It is also the largest continent. Located in both the northern and eastern hemispheres, it covers 30% of the world’s land area with 60% of the world’s current population. The estimated population of Asia in 2016 was 4.4 billion, while Africa stood at the second spot with a population of 1.2 billion. Meanwhile, Antarctica, which is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, does not have a permanent population. In the ‘summer’ months there are nearly 4,000 people on the Antarctic continent. These people are conducting and supporting scientific research and other work.
| Rank | Continent | Population in ‘000 (2016) | % of world pop. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Asia | 4,436,224 | 59.69% |
| 2 | Africa | 1,216,130 | 16.36% |
| 3 | Europe | 738,849 | 9.94% |
| 4 | North America | 579,024 | 7.79% |
| 5 | South America | 422,535 | 5.68% |
| 6 | Australia | 39,901 | 0.54% |
| 7 | Antarctica | 4 | 0% |
The two most populous countries are in Asia; China and India. At 1.37 billion, China is the most populated country in the world. It accounts for 31.69% of Asia’s total population and over 18% of the world’s population. India is next after China in terms of population at 1.29 billion, accounting for 29.36% of the continent’s population and 17.5% of the world’s population.
The top 10 most populous countries in Asia are listed in the table below:
| Country | Population |
|---|---|
| China | 1.37 billion |
| India | 1.29 billion |
| Indonesia | 255.46 million |
| Pakistan | 191.78 million |
| Bangladesh | 158.76 million |
| Japan | 126.89 million |
| Philippines | 102.96 million |
| Vietnam | 91.81 million |
| Iran | 78.77 million |
| Turkey | 78.21 million |
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