South Asia population
1,692,252,900 people live in South Asia — 20.6% of everyone alive, across 6 economies. India alone holds 87% of the region; the three largest (India, Bangladesh, Nepal) hold 99%. Population-weighted growth is +0.88% a year, so the region adds about 14,939,382 people annually. The fastest-growing country is Bangladesh (+1.22%/yr); the oldest society is Sri Lanka (12.5% aged 65+).
All 6 countries in South Asia
| Rank | Country | Population | Growth /yr | Share of region | World rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |  India | 1,463,865,525 | +0.89% | 86.5% | #1 |
| #2 |  Bangladesh | 175,686,899 | +1.22% | 10.4% | #8 |
| #3 |  Nepal | 29,618,118 | −0.11% | 1.8% | #52 |
| #4 |  Sri Lanka | 21,756,000 | −0.73% | 1.3% | #62 |
| #5 |  Bhutan | 796,682 | +0.65% | 0.0% | #165 |
| #6 |  Maldives | 529,676 | +0.35% | 0.0% | #171 |
Largest cities in South Asia
| # | City | Country | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dhaka | Bangladesh | 36,585,479 |
| 2 | Kolkata | India | 22,549,738 |
| 3 | Mumbai | India | 20,203,056 |
| 4 | Bengaluru | India | 13,187,098 |
| 5 | Chennai | India | 11,153,205 |
| 6 | Delhi | India | 11,034,555 |
| 7 | Chattogram | Bangladesh | 4,983,553 |
| 8 | Savar | Bangladesh | 3,557,381 |
| 9 | Kathmandu | Nepal | 3,231,516 |
| 10 | Gazipur | Bangladesh | 2,674,697 |
| 11 | Sylhet | Bangladesh | 1,242,548 |
| 12 | Kandy | Sri Lanka | 785,519 |
City figures as shown on each city page (official unit total, UN urban area, or GeoNames administrative city).
Explore
Compare: India vs Bangladesh, India vs Nepal, Bangladesh vs Nepal, Nepal vs Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka vs Bhutan.
Rankings: largest countries, fastest-growing, oldest, densest.
Other regions: East Asia & Pacific, Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & Caribbean, Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, North America, Sub-Saharan Africa.
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A region total is not the experience of every country
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.