Population ranking 1971 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Population, Total in 1971, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: China (841,105,000). A total of 216 economies reported a value that year.
| # | Country | people (1971) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 841,105,000 |
| 2 | India | 558,096,387 |
| 3 | United States | 207,661,000 |
| 4 | Russian Federation | 131,155,000 |
| 5 | Indonesia | 118,833,702 |
| 6 | Japan | 105,697,000 |
| 7 | Brazil | 97,739,273 |
| 8 | Germany | 78,312,842 |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 70,276,758 |
| 10 | Pakistan | 61,847,899 |
| 11 | Nigeria | 57,214,684 |
| 12 | United Kingdom | 55,896,223 |
| 13 | Italy | 54,073,490 |
| 14 | France | 52,499,553 |
| 15 | Mexico | 52,412,558 |
| 16 | Ukraine | 47,573,287 |
| 17 | Viet Nam | 42,449,276 |
| 18 | Philippines | 38,518,659 |
| 19 | Turkiye | 37,518,611 |
| 20 | Thailand | 36,937,387 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1971 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1971 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| China | #2 | #2 |
| India | #1 | #1 |
| United States | #3 | #3 |
| Russian Federation | #9 | #9 |
| Indonesia | #4 | #4 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Population in 1971?
China, with 841,105,000 (people).
How many countries are included?
216 economies reported a value for SP.POP.TOTL in 1971. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.