The cartogram above is an updated version of this one from 10 years ago. Since that time a few things have changed.
- India has added nearly 200 million people, while China has “only” grown by 60 million (or two nearly Canadas).
- South Sudan and Kosovo both make an entrance.
- Germany’s population has declined by 1.3 million.
However, not everything is different:
- Japan’s population of 127 million is exactly what it was in the original map.
- Canada, Australia and Russia still look tiny relative to their Geographic area.
- Greenland is still nowhere to be found.
Also, a really neat feature of the map is that certain regions (e.g. Texas, Siberia, Crimea, etc.) are highlighted for extra perspective, along with major world cities. Look at Tokyo, it’s larger than Australia.
Finally in case you’re curious the following countries all have fewer than 250,00 people and are thus too small to appear on the map:
- Abkhazia*
- Samoa
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Saint Lucia
- Curaçao
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Kiribati
- Grenada
- Tonga
- Aruba
- Federated States of Micronesia
- Seychelles
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Andorra
- Dominica
- Greenland
- Marshall Islands
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- South Ossetia*
- Faroe Islands
- Sint Maarten
- Liechtenstein
- Monaco
- San Marino
- Palau
- Cook Islands
- Tuvalu
- Nauru
- Niue
- Vatican City
* Update: Many people seem to rather upset at the inclusion of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in the list above. TeaDranks, the creator of the map, based the data off of Wikipedia’s List of countries and dependencies by population, which has a footnote for each that their status is disputed. Since neither actually appear on the map itself, just in the list on the right, I’ll leave them above and let people draw their own conclusions.
To learn more about world population changes, have a look at:
- Limits to Growth: The 30-Year Update
- Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think
- Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
Notice anything else neat in the map above? Share it in the comments below:
Domihaj says
It’s not correct, no way Czech republic has 3 million (it’s around 10) and Austria 4 million (should be around 8).
Brilliant Maps says
Those numbers refer to the key on the left not population.
hotmail says
I don’t understand how anybody could not see, and not comprehend, the very clear reference to the key, and the population numbers tabulated, even explicitly naming the countries. But you can’t predict, or fix, stupid.
DP says
Abkhazia and South Ossetia are not countries
luk says
Abkhazia is Not an Independent Country it is a part of Georgia and whole world recognised this, only several countries and one of them is russia is trying to change this fact. more than 250 000 Georgians are refugees from Abkhazia since 90 and its by help of our ortodox brothers, even now 20% of Georgia is occupied by them and territory of Abkhazia too.
Brilliant Maps says
The map creator went with what is on Wikipedia, although I agree its an odd choice.
Holden says
in Wikipedia is all explained. Please correct this post.
luk says
oops, forgot about south ossetia i have just seen it, it’s also part of Georgia and occupied by russia )))
IsarFalter says
Abkhazia is no country or independent state, please correct this!
IsarFalter says
and to mark Crimea as a part of Russia on a english-written website, are you serious?^^
Temo Potaskaevi says
Abkhazia and South Osetia are not countries. They are part of Georgia. The territorial integrity of Georgia is recognized by the international society and exceptions are Russia and Nicaragua. Even though the source is Wikipedia, you should take some responsibility to control what is true and what is not. Thanks
el guest says
Why is Crimea “officially classified as part of russia”? Where is the official stamp?
Bob Abramms says
Similar 2015 World Population map was published by http://www.ODTmaps.com but with each square at 1 million people. See: http://odtmaps.com/detail.asp_Q_product_id_E_PopMap-2014 with press release at http://www.Expertclick.com/NRWire/Releasedetails.aspx?id=64685
ODT’s map was published in collaboration with Population Education ( see http://www.populationconnection.org . The hardcopy map is available from each organization in different formats and paper stocks. Their map also comes with historical thumbnail panels for 100,000BC, Birth of Christ, 1650, 1900 and population projections for the year 2150. A previous iteration
of the map was done for 2005, (see: http://odtmaps.com/detail.asp_Q_product_id_E_PopMap-35×52 ) and the two physical maps side-by-side are a jaw dropper.
Population Connection also offers a free 43-page user’s guide with classroom activities when
you purchase the map from them – http://www.populationconnection.org/site/PageNavigator/PopulationMapnewsrelease.html
Minh Truong says
Very nice map!
MacsenMcBain says
“Palestine” is not a country. It was never a sovereign state. It’s a mythical nationality invented by arabs (including an Egyptian named Arafat) in an attempt to rationalize their hatred of Jews.