India had the highest population in the world in 2023. It overtook China and remained the most populous country in the years around that period.

Quick Scoop

  • Most populous country in 2023: India.
  • China was second, and the United States was third.
  • Some sources use slightly different population estimates, but they agree that India was number one by 2023.
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<table>
  <tr>
    <th>Rank</th>
    <th>Country</th>
    <th>Population estimate</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>1</td>
    <td>India</td>
    <td>About 1.44 billion [web:3][web:2]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>2</td>
    <td>China</td>
    <td>About 1.42 billion [web:3][web:2]</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>3</td>
    <td>United States</td>
    <td>About 343 million [web:2][web:3]</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Bottom line: if you’re asking “what country had the highest population in the world in 2023,” the answer is India.