World Population Pyramid 1978

World
1978
Population: 4,292,097,501

Year

-5 -1   1978  +1 +5

Country

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z
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World in 1978

The population of the World in 1978 was 4,292,097,502. Over the previous ten years the population grew by 21.1%, up from 3,545,187,251 in 1968.

With a median age of 22.2 years, the World had a youth dependency ratio of 62.5 and an old-age dependency ratio of 9.8 per 100 people of working age. The pyramid is expansive: its wide base of young cohorts reflects high fertility and a rapidly growing population.

Share of the population by age group, 1950–2100

Data source: United Nations World Population Prospects, 2024 revision (medium variant) — last updated July 2024.

Population
4,292,097,502
Median age
22.2
0-14 %
36.3%
65+ %
5.7%
Child dependency
62.5
Old-age dependency
9.8
Pyramid shape
Births per woman

The World Bank does not publish this indicator for regions or continents.

Life expectancy at birth

The World Bank does not publish this indicator for regions or continents.

People supported per 100 workers
Dependency ratios, 1950–2100
Children Older adults
18355270
19502100
Where immigrants come from (2024)

281,808,905 immigrants live in World.

India18,533,845
China11,701,619
Mexico11,596,529
Ukraine9,769,216
Russian Federation9,134,094
Where emigrants live (2024)

303,611,211 people born in World live in other countries.

United States of America52,375,047
Germany16,750,084
Saudi Arabia13,683,841
United Kingdom11,845,479
France9,186,757
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Immigration statistics

Source: United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024.

What was the population of the World in 1978?
The World had a population of 4,292,097,502 in 1978.
How old is the population of the World?
The World's median age is 22.2 years.
How many children and older people live in the World?
5.7% of the World's population is 65 or older, and 36.3% is under 15.
What shape is the World's population pyramid, and what does it mean?
The World has an expansive pyramid: a wide base of young cohorts reflecting high fertility and continued population growth.

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