Population ranking 1998 — the top 20 economies
The twenty largest economies by Population, Total in 1998, ranked by the exact World Bank figures. The leader: China (1,241,935,000). A total of 217 economies reported a value that year.
The leader, China, stood at 1,241,935,000. The twentieth economy, France, reported 60,190,684 — a 21× spread inside the top 20 alone. Of 217 economies reporting that year, these twenty are the ones usually quoted.
| # | Country | people (1998) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 1,241,935,000 |
| 2 | India | 1,018,665,080 |
| 3 | United States | 275,854,000 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 209,826,788 |
| 5 | Brazil | 169,159,655 |
| 6 | Russia | 147,670,784 |
| 7 | Pakistan | 146,522,356 |
| 8 | Bangladesh | 129,622,332 |
| 9 | Japan | 126,400,000 |
| 10 | Nigeria | 119,846,254 |
| 11 | Mexico | 95,575,245 |
| 12 | Germany | 82,047,195 |
| 13 | Philippines | 75,791,024 |
| 14 | Viet Nam | 75,299,660 |
| 15 | Egypt | 69,943,294 |
| 16 | Iran | 64,519,859 |
| 17 | Turkiye | 63,734,383 |
| 18 | Ethiopia | 63,363,524 |
| 19 | Thailand | 61,522,630 |
| 20 | France | 60,190,684 |
Where are they now?
The top five of 1998 and their rank in the latest published year:
| Country | Rank in 1998 | Rank today |
|---|---|---|
| China | #2 | #2 |
| India | #1 | #1 |
| United States | #3 | #3 |
| Indonesia | #4 | #4 |
| Brazil | #7 | #7 |
Other years
Frequently asked questions
Which country had the largest Population in 1998?
China, with 1,241,935,000 (people).
How many countries are included?
217 economies reported a value for SP.POP.TOTL in 1998. Coverage widens over time — earlier years include fewer reporting economies.