Population ranking 1980 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Population, Total in 1980, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: China (981,235,000). A total of 216 economies reported a value that year.
| # | Country | people (1980) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 981,235,000 |
| 2 | India | 687,354,025 |
| 3 | United States | 227,225,000 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 148,950,540 |
| 5 | Russian Federation | 139,010,000 |
| 6 | Brazil | 121,207,461 |
| 7 | Japan | 116,807,000 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 88,016,432 |
| 9 | Pakistan | 82,291,010 |
| 10 | Germany | 78,288,576 |
| 11 | Nigeria | 73,764,641 |
| 12 | Mexico | 67,300,334 |
| 13 | Italy | 56,433,883 |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 56,314,216 |
| 15 | France | 55,274,184 |
| 16 | Viet Nam | 52,490,101 |
| 17 | Ukraine | 49,955,152 |
| 18 | Philippines | 48,043,740 |
| 19 | Thailand | 45,650,022 |
| 20 | Turkiye | 45,408,815 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1980 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1980 | 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 1980?
China, with 981,235,000 (people).
How many countries are included?
216 economies reported a value for SP.POP.TOTL in 1980. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.