🌍 World Alive

Youngest populations (share aged 0–14) — 2026

Share of the population under 15. Very young populations mean rapid future growth even if fertility falls, because so many people have yet to reach childbearing age.

Central African Republic leads with 48.7% aged 0–14, followed by Somalia (46.6%) and Niger (46.2%). The median across the 217 countries with data is 22.0%. Data year: 2025.

Top 15

Central African Republic48.7%Somalia46.6%Niger46.2%Chad46.0%DR Congo45.9%Mali45.8%Mozambique44.2%Angola44.1%Burundi44.0%Uganda43.1%Afghanistan42.6%Mauritania42.4%Tanzania42.3%Benin41.3%Burkina Faso41.2%

All 217 countries

RankCountryAged 0–14PopulationYear
#1Flag of Central African Republic Central African Republic48.7%5,513,2822025
#2Flag of Somalia Somalia46.6%19,654,7392025
#3Flag of Niger Niger46.2%27,917,8312025
#4Flag of Chad Chad46.0%21,003,7052025
#5Flag of DR Congo DR Congo45.9%112,832,4732025
#6Flag of Mali Mali45.8%25,198,8212025
#7Flag of Mozambique Mozambique44.2%35,631,6532025
#8Flag of Angola Angola44.1%39,040,0392025
#9Flag of Burundi Burundi44.0%14,390,0032025
#10Flag of Uganda Uganda43.1%51,384,8942025
#11Flag of Afghanistan Afghanistan42.6%43,844,1112025
#12Flag of Mauritania Mauritania42.4%5,315,0652025
#13Flag of Tanzania Tanzania42.3%70,545,8652025
#14Flag of Benin Benin41.3%14,814,4602025
#15Flag of Burkina Faso Burkina Faso41.2%24,074,5802025
#16Flag of Cameroon Cameroon41.1%29,879,3372025
#17Flag of Yemen Yemen41.0%41,773,8782025
#18Flag of Zambia Zambia41.0%21,913,8742025
#19Flag of Guinea Guinea40.5%15,099,7272025
#20Flag of Nigeria Nigeria40.5%237,527,7822025
#21Flag of Ivory Coast Ivory Coast40.5%32,711,5472025
#22Flag of Togo Togo40.4%8,591,6262025
#23Flag of Zimbabwe Zimbabwe40.3%16,950,7952025
#24Flag of Sudan Sudan40.2%51,662,1472025
#25Flag of Malawi Malawi40.1%22,216,1202025
#26Flag of Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo39.9%6,484,4372025
#27Flag of Gambia Gambia39.7%2,822,0932025
#28Flag of Liberia Liberia39.1%5,731,2062025
#29Flag of Madagascar Madagascar38.9%32,740,6782025
#30Flag of Ethiopia Ethiopia38.8%135,472,0512025
#31Flag of Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau38.3%2,249,5152025
#32Flag of Samoa Samoa38.1%219,3062025
#33Flag of South Sudan South Sudan38.0%12,188,7882025
#34Flag of Vanuatu Vanuatu38.0%335,1692025
#35Flag of Senegal Senegal37.7%18,931,9662025
#36Flag of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone37.7%8,819,7942025
#37Flag of Palestine Palestine37.6%5,413,5962025
#38Flag of Eritrea Eritrea37.6%3,607,0032025
#39Flag of São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé and Príncipe37.5%240,2542025
#40Flag of Nauru Nauru37.2%12,0252025
#41Flag of Equatorial Guinea Equatorial Guinea37.1%1,938,4312025
#42Flag of Rwanda Rwanda37.0%14,569,3412025
#43Flag of Comoros Comoros36.9%882,8472025
#44Flag of Namibia Namibia36.7%3,092,8162025
#45Flag of Solomon Islands Solomon Islands36.6%838,6452025
#46Flag of Kenya Kenya36.3%57,532,4932025
#47Flag of Pakistan Pakistan36.2%255,219,5542025
#48Flag of Gabon Gabon36.2%2,593,1302025
#49Flag of Iraq Iraq36.0%47,020,7742025
#50Flag of Tajikistan Tajikistan35.9%10,786,7342025
#51Flag of Ghana Ghana35.4%35,064,2722025
#52Flag of Tonga Tonga34.9%103,7422025
#53Flag of Kiribati Kiribati34.4%136,4882025
#54Flag of Lesotho Lesotho34.1%2,363,3252025
#55Flag of Marshall Islands Marshall Islands33.9%36,2822025
#56Flag of Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea33.1%10,762,8172025
#57Flag of Timor-Leste Timor-Leste33.1%1,418,5172025
#58Flag of Tuvalu Tuvalu33.0%9,4922025
#59Flag of Eswatini Eswatini33.0%1,256,1742025
#60Flag of Botswana Botswana32.0%2,562,1222025
#61Flag of Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan31.9%7,343,0642025
#62Flag of Mongolia Mongolia31.6%3,568,9782025
#63Flag of Egypt Egypt31.6%118,365,9952025
#64Flag of Micronesia Micronesia31.5%113,6832025
#65Flag of Uzbekistan Uzbekistan31.3%37,053,4282025
#66Flag of Turkmenistan Turkmenistan31.2%7,618,8472025
#67Flag of Guatemala Guatemala31.0%18,687,8812025
#68Flag of Haiti Haiti30.8%11,906,0952025
#69Flag of Honduras Honduras30.3%11,005,8502025
#70Flag of Jordan Jordan30.2%11,520,6842025
#71Flag of Algeria Algeria29.9%47,435,3122025
#72Flag of Laos Laos29.8%7,873,0462025
#73Flag of Cambodia Cambodia29.5%17,847,9822025
#74Flag of Bolivia Bolivia29.4%12,581,8432025
#75Flag of Kazakhstan Kazakhstan29.1%20,843,7542025
#76Flag of Guyana Guyana28.9%835,9862025
#77Flag of Djibouti Djibouti28.8%1,184,0762025
#78Flag of Syria Syria28.4%25,620,4272025
#79Flag of Paraguay Paraguay28.4%7,013,0782025
#80Flag of Nicaragua Nicaragua28.3%7,007,5022025
#81Flag of Nepal Nepal28.1%29,618,1182025
#82Flag of Bangladesh Bangladesh27.6%175,686,8992025
#83Flag of Israel Israel27.2%10,122,8002025
#84Flag of Philippines Philippines27.1%116,786,9622025
#85Flag of Libya Libya26.8%7,458,5552025
#86Flag of Fiji Fiji26.8%933,1542025
#87Flag of American Samoa American Samoa26.3%46,0292025
#88Flag of Belize Belize26.3%422,9242025
#89Flag of Dominican Republic Dominican Republic26.2%11,520,4872025
#90Flag of Guam Guam25.9%168,9992025
#91Flag of South Africa South Africa25.7%64,747,3192025
#92Flag of Lebanon Lebanon25.6%5,849,4212025
#93Flag of Suriname Suriname25.3%639,8502025
#94Flag of Morocco Morocco25.2%38,430,7702025
#95Flag of Venezuela Venezuela24.9%28,516,8962025
#96Flag of Cape Verde Cape Verde24.7%527,3262025
#97Flag of Panama Panama24.5%4,571,1892025
#98Flag of El Salvador El Salvador24.4%6,365,5032025
#99Flag of Oman Oman24.3%5,494,6912025
#100Flag of Indonesia Indonesia24.2%285,721,2362025
#101Flag of India India24.2%1,463,865,5252025
#102Flag of Mexico Mexico24.1%131,946,9002025
#103Flag of Myanmar Myanmar24.1%54,850,6482025
#104Flag of Ecuador Ecuador23.9%18,289,8962025
#105Flag of Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia23.6%36,973,5552025
#106Flag of Peru Peru23.6%34,576,6652025
#107Flag of Tunisia Tunisia23.6%12,348,5732025
#108Flag of Vietnam Vietnam22.9%101,598,5272025
#109Flag of Iran Iran22.0%92,417,6812025
#110Flag of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka21.7%21,756,0002025
#111Flag of Malaysia Malaysia21.3%35,977,8382025
#112Flag of Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands21.2%43,5412025
#113Flag of Azerbaijan Azerbaijan21.2%10,246,9962025
#114Flag of New Caledonia New Caledonia21.1%295,3332025
#115Flag of Saint Martin Saint Martin21.1%24,9412025
#116Flag of Türkiye Türkiye21.0%85,878,5562025
#117Flag of Argentina Argentina21.0%45,851,3782025
#118Flag of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint Vincent and the Grenadines20.9%99,9242025
#119Flag of Greenland Greenland20.7%56,8312025
#120Flag of Brunei Brunei20.6%466,3302025
#121Flag of Georgia Georgia20.5%3,935,7662025
#122Flag of Bhutan Bhutan20.4%796,6822025
#123Flag of Colombia Colombia20.0%53,425,6352025
#124Flag of Kosovo Kosovo20.0%1,576,8762025
#125Flag of Faroe Islands Faroe Islands19.9%54,9002025
#126Flag of Seychelles Seychelles19.8%122,7302025
#127Flag of Moldova Moldova19.5%2,360,5272025
#128Flag of Brazil Brazil19.4%212,812,4052025
#129Flag of Maldives Maldives19.0%529,6762025
#130Flag of Grenada Grenada19.0%117,3032025
#131Flag of Armenia Armenia19.0%3,086,7002025
#132Flag of North Korea North Korea18.9%26,571,0362025
#133Flag of French Polynesia French Polynesia18.5%282,4652025
#134Flag of Bahrain Bahrain18.4%1,600,3662025
#135Flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Kitts and Nevis18.3%46,9222025
#136Flag of Costa Rica Costa Rica18.3%5,152,9502025
#137Flag of Jamaica Jamaica18.3%2,837,0772025
#138Flag of Ireland Ireland18.1%5,484,3672025
#139Flag of Kuwait Kuwait18.0%4,865,2982025
#140Flag of Palau Palau17.9%17,6632025
#141Flag of Uruguay Uruguay17.9%3,384,6882025
#142Flag of Montenegro Montenegro17.9%623,1292025
#143Flag of New Zealand New Zealand17.9%5,324,7002025
#144Flag of Australia Australia17.7%27,614,4112025
#145Flag of Dominica Dominica17.6%65,8712025
#146Flag of Gibraltar Gibraltar17.6%40,1262025
#147Flag of Bahamas Bahamas17.5%403,0332025
#148Flag of Iceland Iceland17.5%392,4042025
#149Flag of Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago17.5%1,367,7642025
#150Flag of Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda17.5%94,2092025
#151Flag of Saint Lucia Saint Lucia17.2%180,1492025
#152Flag of United States United States17.1%341,784,8572025
#153Flag of Barbados Barbados17.1%282,6232025
#154Flag of Russia Russia17.0%143,513,3282025
#155Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom17.0%69,487,0002025
#156Flag of Sweden Sweden16.7%10,596,6202025
#157Flag of Albania Albania16.6%2,349,5802025
#158Flag of Chile Chile16.5%19,859,9212025
#159Flag of North Macedonia North Macedonia16.5%1,820,9092025
#160Flag of Aruba Aruba16.5%108,7852025
#161Flag of United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands16.5%103,7922025
#162Flag of France France16.2%68,720,3372025
#163Flag of Cyprus Cyprus16.1%1,370,7542025
#164Flag of Cayman Islands Cayman Islands16.1%75,8442025
#165Flag of United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates16.0%11,513,1492025
#166Flag of Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Islands16.0%46,8552025
#167Flag of Norway Norway15.9%5,610,8702025
#168Flag of Belarus Belarus15.9%9,085,9912025
#169Flag of Luxembourg Luxembourg15.7%686,9702025
#170Flag of Belgium Belgium15.7%11,941,7812025
#171Flag of Slovakia Slovakia15.6%5,413,8132025
#172Flag of Denmark Denmark15.6%6,009,1692025
#173Flag of Romania Romania15.6%19,020,2712025
#174Flag of China China15.4%1,406,585,0002025
#175Flag of Estonia Estonia15.3%1,366,4752025
#176Flag of Latvia Latvia15.2%1,847,7852025
#177Flag of Czechia Czechia15.1%10,886,8782025
#178Flag of Cuba Cuba15.0%10,937,2032025
#179Flag of Qatar Qatar15.0%2,972,2152025
#180Flag of Canada Canada15.0%41,651,6532025
#181Flag of Netherlands Netherlands14.9%18,087,6332025
#182Flag of Switzerland Switzerland14.9%9,092,4362025
#183Flag of Sint Maarten Sint Maarten14.8%43,9232025
#184Flag of Curaçao Curaçao14.6%156,2632025
#185Flag of Mauritius Mauritius14.5%1,243,7412025
#186Flag of Lithuania Lithuania14.5%2,888,7742025
#187Flag of Slovenia Slovenia14.5%2,130,9862025
#188Flag of Poland Poland14.5%36,435,8612025
#189Flag of Thailand Thailand14.4%71,619,8632025
#190Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria14.4%6,433,3022025
#191Flag of Hungary Hungary14.4%9,514,2512025
#192Flag of Finland Finland14.3%5,646,4362025
#193Flag of Serbia Serbia14.3%6,549,1432025
#194Flag of Liechtenstein Liechtenstein14.2%41,0242025
#195Flag of Austria Austria14.1%9,208,1632025
#196Flag of British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands14.1%39,7322025
#197CHI Channel Islands14.0%168,4662025
#198Flag of Isle of Man Isle of Man13.9%84,1182025
#199Flag of Germany Germany13.9%83,491,2492025
#200Flag of Monaco Monaco13.8%38,3412025
#201Flag of Macau Macau13.7%685,9002025
#202Flag of Croatia Croatia13.7%3,876,2002025
#203Flag of Ukraine Ukraine13.7%38,980,3762025
#204Flag of Bermuda Bermuda13.4%64,5552025
#205Flag of Malta Malta12.9%579,7042025
#206Flag of Greece Greece12.9%10,413,9622025
#207Flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina12.8%3,140,0952025
#208Flag of Portugal Portugal12.7%10,804,8712025
#209Flag of Spain Spain12.6%49,355,1432025
#210Flag of San Marino San Marino11.9%34,1092025
#211Flag of Singapore Singapore11.7%6,111,1752025
#212Flag of Italy Italy11.7%58,915,6562025
#213Flag of Andorra Andorra11.6%82,9042025
#214Flag of Puerto Rico Puerto Rico11.2%3,184,8352025
#215Flag of Japan Japan11.2%123,366,7342025
#216Flag of Hong Kong Hong Kong10.3%7,498,9002025
#217Flag of South Korea South Korea10.2%51,684,5642025

Other rankings

Largest countries by population, Smallest countries and territories by population, Fastest-growing countries, Fastest-shrinking countries, Highest birth rates, Lowest birth rates, Highest fertility rates, Oldest populations (share aged 65+), Most densely populated countries, Least densely populated countries, Highest life expectancy, Most urbanised countries, Richest countries by GDP per capita.

Source: World Bank Indicators (latest available year per country, shown in the last column). Countries with no value for this indicator are omitted, not scored as zero.

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The definition determines the ranking

This page is a structured reference entry. Its sources, geographic definition and reference dates determine what the figures mean; it is not independent reporting about the causes of change. Read the accompanying explanation before comparing different places or vintages.

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Interpretation reviewed 12 October 2026. Underlying reference years are stated on the page; this is not a fresh census or dataset refresh.