Countries in Asia
Asia is the worlds largest and most populated continent, spanning the northern and eastern hemispheres. Asia accounts for 30 percent of the world’s surface area and 60 percent of the global population. It also has the greatest current growth rate, with its population almost trebling throughout the twentieth century. In 2016, Asia’s population was expected to be 4.4 billion people.
Asia is the eastern 4/5 of Eurasia, bordered on the east by the Pacific Ocean, on the south by the Indian Ocean, and on the north by the Arctic Ocean. Asia is made up of 48 different nations. Asia’s population was expected to be 4,434,846,235 in 2016. Although there are around 40 million Russians living in Asia or east of the Ural Mountains, Russia is not included in the Asian population.
Asia is home to the two countries with the most people: China and India. With a population of 1,377,124,512 people in 2016, China is the world’s most populated nation. It is home to 31.69 percent of Asia’s population and more than 18 percent of the global population. With a population of 1,285,800,000, India is not far behind, accounting for 29.36% of the continent’s population and 17.5 percent of the global population. India’s population is expected to overtake China’s by 2022 when both countries’ populations would be at 1.45 billion.
| Country of Origin | Population |
|---|---|
| China | 1.37 billion |
| India | 1.299 billion |
| Indonesia | 255.46 million |
| Pakistan | 191.78 million |
| Bangladesh | 158.76 million |
| Japan | 126.89 million |
| The Philippines | 102.96 million |
| Vietnam | 91.81 million |
| Iran | 78.77 million |
| Turkey | 78.21 million |
The Maldives is the least populated country in Asia, with about 345,000 people living there.
The Maldives is also one of the world’s smallest nations, covering just 298 square kilometers (115 square miles) and consisting entirely of water. The population density of this small nation is 1,065 people per square kilometer (2,758 people per square mile), making it the world’s 12th most densely inhabited country.
Brunei, Asia’s 50th least populated nation, follows the Maldives with an estimated population of 421,000 in 2016.
Brunei is a country in Southeast Asia that is separated into two halves and is flanked by Sarawak, Malaysia. It is the only sovereign state entirely on the island of Borneo, and it is one of the wealthiest nations in the world thanks to its natural gas and petroleum reserves, with a public debt of less than 3%.
The Ten least populous countries in Asia include:
| Country | Growth Rate |
|---|---|
| Maldives | 345,000 |
| Brunei | 421,000 |
| Macau | 641,000 |
| Bhutan | 760,000 |
| Timor-Leste | 1.24 million |
| Bahrain | 1.78 million |
| Qatar | 2.11 million |
| Armenia | 3 million |
| Mongolia | 3.02 million |
| Georgia | 3.73 million |
Comparison to Other Continents
Asia is the most populated continent, with Africa coming in second. Africa is the world’s second-largest and most populated continent, with a population of 1.21 billion people in 2016. Africa has a land area of 30.2 million square kilometers (11.7 million square feet), including islands, and a population of 15% of the world’s population.
Following Africa is Europe, which has a population of 738 million people, accounting for 11% of the world’s total population in 2016. Europe is the world’s second-smallest continent, covering just 2% of the planet’s surface and 6.8% of its land area. Russia occupies 40% of the continent’s surface area, although Asia’s landmass is substantially larger and has a higher population density. Europe has 134 people per square mile, whereas Asia has 203 people per square mile.
Asia’s Population Growth
Asia’s growth rate is extremely high, having tripled in the past century. It’s also in a great position to facilitate this expansion, thanks to its abundance of resources and ecological and biological diversity.
Unfortunately, Asia’s rapid economic development and rapid growth are putting its scarce resources at risk due to rapid expansion, loss of natural patterns, and urbanization.
Asia’s population is expected to continue to grow for some time, putting pressure on the region’s resources.
National populations are expected to expand in every Asian country except Japan and Kazakhstan until 2050, according to current forecasts.
During this period, the population of certain nations, such as Afghanistan, Nepal, and Pakistan, will double, while India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other countries will see a particularly rapid increase.
Unfortunately, it is now predicted that the nations with the greatest growth would be those with the lowest incomes in the world and that these countries will be the least able to cope with the additional resource burden.
Asia Population Projections
| Year | Population | Density (km²) | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2095 | 4,810,600,748 | 149.69 | -0.37% |
| 2090 | 4,899,513,772 | 152.45 | -0.35% |
| 2085 | 4,985,334,810 | 155.12 | -0.32% |
| 2080 | 5,066,990,316 | 157.66 | -0.29% |
| 2075 | 5,141,282,233 | 159.97 | -0.25% |
| 2070 | 5,205,101,080 | 161.96 | -0.19% |
| 2065 | 5,255,032,856 | 163.51 | -0.12% |
| 2060 | 5,287,833,234 | 164.53 | -0.05% |
| 2055 | 5,300,293,496 | 164.92 | 0.04% |
| 2050 | 5,288,908,527 | 164.57 | 0.14% |
| 2045 | 5,251,853,075 | 163.41 | 0.25% |
| 2040 | 5,187,624,840 | 161.42 | 0.36% |
| 2035 | 5,095,060,979 | 158.54 | 0.49% |
| 2030 | 4,972,816,889 | 154.73 | 0.62% |
| 2025 | 4,821,384,779 | 150.02 | 0.00% |