Population ranking 1978 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Population, Total in 1978, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: China (956,165,000). A total of 216 economies reported a value that year.
| # | Country | people (1978) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 956,165,000 |
| 2 | India | 655,728,229 |
| 3 | United States | 222,585,000 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 141,953,163 |
| 5 | Russian Federation | 137,060,000 |
| 6 | Brazil | 115,600,942 |
| 7 | Japan | 114,913,000 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 83,889,655 |
| 9 | Germany | 78,091,820 |
| 10 | Pakistan | 76,307,379 |
| 11 | Nigeria | 69,326,532 |
| 12 | Mexico | 63,979,046 |
| 13 | United Kingdom | 56,196,504 |
| 14 | Italy | 56,155,143 |
| 15 | France | 54,734,030 |
| 16 | Viet Nam | 50,249,552 |
| 17 | Ukraine | 49,521,243 |
| 18 | Philippines | 45,575,281 |
| 19 | Thailand | 43,788,976 |
| 20 | Turkiye | 43,645,306 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1978 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1978 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| China | #2 | #2 |
| India | #1 | #1 |
| United States | #3 | #3 |
| Indonesia | #4 | #4 |
| Russian Federation | #9 | #9 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Population in 1978?
China, with 956,165,000 (people).
How many countries are included?
216 economies reported a value for SP.POP.TOTL in 1978. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.