The statistic shows the distribution of global population as of mid 2017, by continent. As of 2017, about 59.63 percent of global population was living in Asia.
The total world population amounted to 7.5 billion people on the planet. See figures for the total population by continent here.Global population
Due to medical advances, better living conditions and the increase of agricultural productivity, the world population is expected to grow. Mortality rates are decreasing and the median age of the world population increased over the last few years from 24 years in 1995 to 29.6 years in 2015.
According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 7.38 billion people were counted in 2015. The number of people is estimated to grow steadily and in 2100, the global population is estimated to be approximately at 11.18 billion people.
The countries with the highest population growth rate in 2016 were mostly African countries. Compared to the previous year, the South Sudan's population grew by about 3.92 percent in 2016. The country with the highest population decline rate in 2016 was Cook Islands. In Cook Islands, the population decreased by about 2.88 percent compared to the previous year.
Asia is the most populous continent on earth. China was the country with the largest population. In mid 2016, about 1.38 billion people lived in China.
