Population, total in Least developed countries
Least developed countries: Population, total was 1.21 billion in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
1.21 billion
Change on year
up 2.3%
Rank
22nd
of 47 groups
All-time high
1.21 billion
in 2025
All-time low
245.05 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population, total in Least developed countries, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, total in Least developed countries is 1.21 billion, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 26.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, total in Least developed countries peaked at 1.21 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 245.05 million, in 1960.
That places Least developed countries 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population, total in Least developed countries, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 245.05 million | — |
| 1961 | 250.99 million | +2.4% |
| 1962 | 257.17 million | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 263.56 million | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 270.19 million | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 277.08 million | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 284.18 million | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 291.56 million | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 299.25 million | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 307.14 million | +2.6% |
| 1970 | 315.01 million | +2.6% |
| 1971 | 322.42 million | +2.4% |
| 1972 | 330.14 million | +2.4% |
| 1973 | 338.90 million | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 347.94 million | +2.7% |
| 1975 | 356.74 million | +2.5% |
| 1976 | 365.44 million | +2.4% |
| 1977 | 374.18 million | +2.4% |
| 1978 | 383.55 million | +2.5% |
| 1979 | 393.59 million | +2.6% |
| 1980 | 402.88 million | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 411.91 million | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 422.41 million | +2.5% |
| 1983 | 433.95 million | +2.7% |
| 1984 | 445.72 million | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 457.62 million | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 469.59 million | +2.6% |
| 1987 | 481.82 million | +2.6% |
| 1988 | 494.13 million | +2.6% |
| 1989 | 506.71 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 519.41 million | +2.5% |
| 1991 | 532.30 million | +2.5% |
| 1992 | 546.60 million | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 562.17 million | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 577.71 million | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 593.31 million | +2.7% |
| 1996 | 609.12 million | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 624.98 million | +2.6% |
| 1998 | 641.09 million | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 657.28 million | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 673.27 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 689.51 million | +2.4% |
| 2002 | 706.88 million | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 724.71 million | +2.5% |
| 2004 | 742.30 million | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 760.31 million | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 778.79 million | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 797.08 million | +2.3% |
| 2008 | 815.84 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 835.27 million | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 854.94 million | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 875.27 million | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 896.24 million | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 917.78 million | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 939.75 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 961.92 million | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 984.76 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 1.01 billion | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 1.03 billion | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 1.06 billion | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.08 billion | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 1.11 billion | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 1.13 billion | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 1.16 billion | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 1.19 billion | +2.3% |
| 2025 | 1.21 billion | +2.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 274.62 million | 245.05 million | 307.14 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 352.79 million | 315.01 million | 393.59 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 452.67 million | 402.88 million | 506.71 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 586.40 million | 519.41 million | 657.28 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 752.40 million | 673.27 million | 835.27 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 952.84 million | 854.94 million | 1.06 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.15 billion | 1.08 billion | 1.21 billion | 6 |
Countries ranked near Least developed countries
More climate change data for Least developed countries
- Urban population 444.81 million (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.32 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, annual growth rate 3.67 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.3664 units per person (2025)
- Urban population growth 3.6% (2025)
- Population growth 2.3% (2025)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 20.33 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 56.96 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, total in Least developed countries?
- Population, total in Least developed countries was 1.21 billion in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The highest recorded value was 1.21 billion in 2025.
- What is the lowest population, total recorded in Least developed countries?
- The lowest recorded value was 245.05 million in 1960.
- How does Least developed countries rank for population, total?
- Least developed countries ranks 22nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population, total rising or falling in Least developed countries?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Least developed countries data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population, total. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Total population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship. The values shown are midyear estimates.