In 1800, the population of the area of modern-day Pakistan was estimated to be just over 13 million. Population growth in the 19th century would be gradual in the region, rising to just 19 million at the turn of the century. In the early 1800s, the British Empire slowly consolidated power in the region, eventually controlling the region of Pakistan from the mid-19th century onwards, as part of the British Raj. From the 1930s on, the population's growth rate would increase as improvements in healthcare (particularly vaccination) and sanitation would lead to lower infant mortality rates and higher life expectancy.
Independence
In 1947, the Muslim-majority country of Pakistan gained independence from Britain, and split from the Hindu-majority country of India. In the next few years, upwards of ten million people migrated between the two nations, during a period that was blemished by widespread atrocities on both sides. Throughout this time, the region of Bangladesh was also a part Pakistan (as it also had a Muslim majority), known as East Pakistan; internal disputes between the two regions were persistent for over two decades, until 1971, when a short but bloody civil war resulted in Bangladesh's independence. Political disputes between Pakistan and India also created tension in the first few decades of independence, even boiling over into some relatively small-scale conflicts, although there was some economic progress and improvements in quality of life for Pakistan's citizens. The late 20th century was also characterized by several attempts to become democratic, but with intermittent periods of military rule. Between independence and the end of the century, Pakistan's population had grown more than four times in total.
Pakistan today
Since 2008, Pakistan has been a functioning democracy, with an emerging economy and increasing international prominence. Despite the emergence of a successful middle-class, this is prosperity is not reflected in all areas of the population as almost a quarter still live in poverty, and Pakistan ranks in the bottom 20% of countries according to the Human Development Index. In 2020, Pakistan is thought to have a total population of over 220 million people, making it the fifth-most populous country in the world.
Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020
(in millions)
Characteristic
Population in millions
2020
220.89
2019
216.57
2018
212.23
2017
207.91
2016
203.63
2015
199.43
2014
195.31
2013
191.26
2012
187.28
2011
183.34
2010
179.42
2009
175.53
2008
171.65
2007
167.81
2006
164.02
2005
160.3
2004
156.66
2003
153.09
2002
149.55
2001
145.98
2000
142.34
1999
138.62
1998
134.84
1997
131.06
1996
127.35
1995
123.78
1994
120.36
1993
117.09
1992
113.91
1991
110.78
1990
107.65
1989
104.51
1988
101.39
1987
98.29
1986
95.22
1985
92.19
1984
89.21
1983
86.29
1982
83.43
1981
80.68
1980
78.05
1979
75.56
1978
73.2
1977
70.96
1976
68.83
1975
66.82
1974
64.91
1973
63.1
1972
61.38
1971
59.73
1970
58.14
1969
56.6
1968
55.1
1967
53.66
1966
52.26
1965
50.92
1964
49.63
1963
48.39
1962
47.2
1961
46.07
1960
44.99
1959
43.97
1958
43.01
1957
42.11
1956
41.27
1955
40.49
1954
39.77
1953
39.11
1952
38.52
1951
37.99
1950
37.54
1949
36.5
1948
35.3
1947
34.1
1946
32.9
1945
31.9
1944
31
1943
30.1
1942
29.2
1941
28.5
1940
27.8
1939
27.4
1938
26.9
1937
26.4
1936
26
1935
25.5
1934
25.1
1933
24.6
1932
24.2
1931
23.8
1930
23.4
1929
23
1928
22.8
1927
22.6
1926
22.4
1925
22.2
1924
22
1923
21.8
1922
21.7
1921
21.5
1920
21.3
1919
21.1
1918
21
1917
20.8
1916
20.6
1915
20.5
1914
20.3
1913
20.1
1912
20
1911
19.9
1910
19.8
1909
19.7
1908
19.6
1907
19.5
1906
19.4
1905
19.3
1904
19.2
1903
19.1
1902
19
1901
18.9
1900
18.8
1899
18.7
1898
18.6
1897
18.5
1896
18.4
1895
18.3
1894
18.2
1893
18.2
1892
18.1
1891
18
1890
17.9
1889
17.8
1888
17.7
1887
17.6
1886
17.5
1885
17.4
1884
17.3
1883
17.2
1882
17.2
1881
17.1
1880
17
1879
16.9
1878
16.8
1877
16.7
1876
16.6
1875
16.6
1874
16.5
1873
16.4
1872
16.3
1871
16.3
1870
16.2
1869
16.1
1868
16.1
1867
16
1866
15.9
1865
15.9
1864
15.8
1863
15.8
1862
15.7
1861
15.6
1860
15.6
1859
15.5
1858
15.5
1857
15.4
1856
15.4
1855
15.3
1854
15.3
1853
15.2
1852
15.2
1851
15.1
1850
15.1
1849
15
1848
15
1847
14.9
1846
14.9
1845
14.8
1844
14.8
1843
14.7
1842
14.7
1841
14.6
1840
14.6
1839
14.5
1838
14.5
1837
14.4
1836
14.4
1835
14.3
1834
14.3
1833
14.2
1832
14.2
1831
14.2
1830
14.1
1829
14.1
1828
14
1827
14
1826
13.9
1825
13.9
1824
13.9
1823
13.8
1822
13.8
1821
13.7
1820
13.7
1819
13.7
1818
13.6
1817
13.6
1816
13.6
1815
13.5
1814
13.5
1813
13.5
1812
13.4
1811
13.4
1810
13.4
1809
13.4
1808
13.3
1807
13.3
1806
13.3
1805
13.3
1804
13.2
1803
13.2
1802
13.2
1801
13.1
1800
13.1
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Gapminder, & UN DESA. (August 31, 2019). Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/
Gapminder, und UN DESA. "Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in millions)." Chart. August 31, 2019. Statista. Accessed December 11, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/
Gapminder, UN DESA. (2019). Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 11, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/
Gapminder, and UN DESA. "Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 31 Aug 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/
Gapminder & UN DESA, Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/ (last visited December 11, 2024)
Population of Pakistan from 1800 to 2020 (in millions) [Graph], Gapminder, & UN DESA, August 31, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1067011/population-pakistan-historical/