Countries With the Fastest Growth in Population (5-Year Change)
Change in Population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Seychelles rose the most: by 24.6%, from 98,462 people to 122,730 people in the five years to 2025. United Arab Emirates is second (+22.5%), followed by Chad (+21.9%). 178 countries rose over that period; the median change among them was +6.48%.
- #1
- Seychelles · +24.6%
- Median
- +6.48%
- Coverage
- 178 countries
- Data year
- 2025
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | From | To | 5-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seychelles | 98,462 | 122,730 | +24.6% |
| 2 | United Arab Emirates | 9,401,000 | 11,513,000 | +22.5% |
| 3 | Chad | 17,225,000 | 21,004,000 | +21.9% |
| 4 | Syrian Arab Republic | 21,049,000 | 25,620,000 | +21.7% |
| 5 | Oman | 4,522,500 | 5,494,700 | +21.5% |
| 6 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 16,651,000 | 19,655,000 | +18% |
| 7 | Niger | 23,718,000 | 27,918,000 | +17.7% |
| 8 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 95,990,000 | 112,830,000 | +17.5% |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia | 31,553,000 | 36,974,000 | +17.2% |
| 10 | Angola | 33,451,000 | 39,040,000 | +16.7% |
| 11 | Mali | 21,714,000 | 25,199,000 | +16% |
| 12 | Mozambique | 30,784,000 | 35,632,000 | +15.7% |
| 13 | Tanzania | 60,973,000 | 70,546,000 | +15.7% |
| 14 | Yemen, Rep. | 36,135,000 | 41,774,000 | +15.6% |
| 15 | Uganda | 44,457,000 | 51,385,000 | +15.6% |
| 16 | Mauritania | 4,600,100 | 5,315,100 | +15.5% |
| 17 | Zambia | 19,059,000 | 21,914,000 | +15% |
| 18 | Burundi | 12,617,000 | 14,390,000 | +14.1% |
| 19 | Cameroon | 26,211,000 | 29,879,000 | +14% |
| 20 | South Sudan | 10,698,000 | 12,189,000 | +13.9% |
| 21 | Ethiopia | 118,920,000 | 135,470,000 | +13.9% |
| 22 | Malawi | 19,534,000 | 22,216,000 | +13.7% |
| 23 | Benin | 13,070,000 | 14,814,000 | +13.3% |
| 24 | Namibia | 2,728,800 | 3,092,800 | +13.3% |
| 25 | Côte d'Ivoire | 28,915,000 | 32,712,000 | +13.1% |
| 26 | Madagascar | 28,954,000 | 32,741,000 | +13.1% |
| 27 | Guinea | 13,371,000 | 15,100,000 | +12.9% |
| 28 | Equatorial Guinea | 1,716,500 | 1,938,400 | +12.9% |
| 29 | Senegal | 16,789,000 | 18,932,000 | +12.8% |
| 30 | Congo, Rep. | 5,752,800 | 6,484,400 | +12.7% |
| 31 | West Bank and Gaza | 4,803,300 | 5,413,600 | +12.7% |
| 32 | Solomon Islands | 744,500 | 838,650 | +12.6% |
| 33 | Malta | 515,490 | 579,700 | +12.5% |
| 34 | Afghanistan | 39,069,000 | 43,844,000 | +12.2% |
| 35 | Gambia, The | 2,515,700 | 2,822,100 | +12.2% |
| 36 | Vanuatu | 298,860 | 335,170 | +12.1% |
| 37 | Burkina Faso | 21,479,000 | 24,075,000 | +12.1% |
| 38 | Guinea-Bissau | 2,013,300 | 2,249,500 | +11.7% |
| 39 | Gabon | 2,322,500 | 2,593,100 | +11.7% |
| 40 | Iraq | 42,117,000 | 47,021,000 | +11.6% |
| 41 | Rwanda | 13,066,000 | 14,569,000 | +11.5% |
| 42 | Sierra Leone | 7,912,600 | 8,819,800 | +11.5% |
| 43 | Liberia | 5,149,500 | 5,731,200 | +11.3% |
| 44 | Nigeria | 214,000,000 | 237,530,000 | +11% |
| 45 | Gibraltar | 36,173 | 40,126 | +10.9% |
| 46 | Tajikistan | 9,749,300 | 10,787,000 | +10.6% |
| 47 | Kuwait | 4,400,300 | 4,865,300 | +10.6% |
| 48 | São Tomé and Principe | 217,440 | 240,250 | +10.5% |
| 49 | Cayman Islands | 68,684 | 75,844 | +10.4% |
| 50 | Sudan | 46,789,000 | 51,662,000 | +10.4% |
| 51 | Uzbekistan | 33,586,000 | 37,053,000 | +10.3% |
| 52 | Togo | 7,788,100 | 8,591,600 | +10.3% |
| 53 | Kenya | 52,217,000 | 57,532,000 | +10.2% |
| 54 | Comoros | 802,160 | 882,850 | +10.1% |
| 55 | Ghana | 31,888,000 | 35,064,000 | +9.96% |
| 56 | Israel | 9,215,100 | 10,123,000 | +9.85% |
| 57 | Central African Republic | 5,026,600 | 5,513,300 | +9.68% |
| 58 | Papua New Guinea | 9,815,700 | 10,763,000 | +9.65% |
| 59 | Turkmenistan | 6,949,900 | 7,618,800 | +9.62% |
| 60 | Eritrea | 3,291,300 | 3,607,000 | +9.59% |
| 61 | Canada | 38,029,000 | 41,652,000 | +9.53% |
| 62 | Zimbabwe | 15,527,000 | 16,951,000 | +9.17% |
| 63 | Kyrgyz Republic | 6,726,600 | 7,343,100 | +9.17% |
| 64 | Luxembourg | 630,420 | 686,970 | +8.97% |
| 65 | Ireland | 5,039,700 | 5,484,400 | +8.82% |
| 66 | Honduras | 10,120,000 | 11,006,000 | +8.75% |
| 67 | Bahrain | 1,472,200 | 1,600,400 | +8.71% |
| 68 | Pakistan | 235,000,000 | 255,220,000 | +8.6% |
| 69 | Botswana | 2,365,900 | 2,562,100 | +8.29% |
| 70 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 109,320,000 | 118,370,000 | +8.28% |
| 71 | Kiribati | 126,100 | 136,490 | +8.24% |
| 72 | Belize | 390,810 | 422,920 | +8.22% |
| 73 | Algeria | 44,042,000 | 47,435,000 | +7.7% |
| 74 | Guatemala | 17,357,000 | 18,688,000 | +7.67% |
| 75 | Australia | 25,649,000 | 27,614,000 | +7.66% |
| 76 | Singapore | 5,685,800 | 6,111,200 | +7.48% |
| 77 | Mongolia | 3,327,200 | 3,569,000 | +7.27% |
| 78 | Lao PDR | 7,346,500 | 7,873,000 | +7.17% |
| 79 | Djibouti | 1,105,200 | 1,184,100 | +7.14% |
| 80 | Andorra | 77,380 | 82,904 | +7.14% |
| 81 | Sint Maarten (Dutch part) | 41,008 | 43,923 | +7.11% |
| 82 | Iceland | 366,460 | 392,400 | +7.08% |
| 83 | British Virgin Islands | 37,135 | 39,732 | +6.99% |
| 84 | Kazakhstan | 19,482,000 | 20,844,000 | +6.99% |
| 85 | Timor-Leste | 1,326,100 | 1,418,500 | +6.97% |
| 86 | South Africa | 60,562,000 | 64,747,000 | +6.91% |
| 87 | Nicaragua | 6,565,300 | 7,007,500 | +6.74% |
| 88 | Cambodia | 16,725,000 | 17,848,000 | +6.71% |
| 89 | Bolivia | 11,816,000 | 12,582,000 | +6.48% |
| 90 | Panama | 4,293,300 | 4,571,200 | +6.47% |
| 91 | Qatar | 2,794,100 | 2,972,200 | +6.37% |
| 92 | Paraguay | 6,603,700 | 7,013,100 | +6.2% |
| 93 | Malaysia | 33,890,000 | 35,978,000 | +6.16% |
| 94 | Jordan | 10,865,000 | 11,521,000 | +6.04% |
| 95 | Haiti | 11,244,000 | 11,906,000 | +5.89% |
| 96 | Libya | 7,045,400 | 7,458,600 | +5.86% |
| 97 | Georgia | 3,722,700 | 3,935,800 | +5.72% |
| 98 | Lesotho | 2,235,700 | 2,363,300 | +5.71% |
| 99 | Bangladesh | 166,300,000 | 175,690,000 | +5.65% |
| 100 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 44,386 | 46,855 | +5.56% |
Showing the top 100 of 178. Premium downloads the full list as CSV or JSON.
About the top 10
#1 Seychelles
Seychelles ranks #1 on this list with +24.6%.
- Capital
- Victoria
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 122,730 people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.39 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,449 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 76.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.5% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in protected terrestrial area share · #3 in physicians per 1,000 · #8 in male population share.
#2 United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates ranks #2 on this list with +22.5%.
- Capital
- Abu Dhabi
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 11.51 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$552.32 billion (2024)
- GDP per person
- US$50,274 (2024)
- Life expectancy
- 83.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 86% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah.
Also ranks #1 in population growth rate · #1 in internet users share · #2 in male population share.
#3 Chad
Chad ranks #3 on this list with +21.9%.
- Capital
- N'Djamena
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 21 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.47 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,022 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 55.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 27.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: N'Djamena.
Also ranks #1 in fertility rate · #2 in birth rate · #2 in maternal mortality ratio.
#4 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #4 on this list with +21.7%.
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#5 Oman
Oman ranks #5 on this list with +21.5%.
- Capital
- Muscat
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 5.49 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$109.6 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$19,947 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 80.2 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 79.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Muscat.
Also ranks #1 in cereal yield · #1 in crop production index · #3 in population growth rate.
#6 Somalia, Fed. Rep.
Somalia, Fed. Rep. ranks #6 on this list with +18%.
- Capital
- Mogadishu
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 19.66 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$13 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$661.2 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 59 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 55.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: North East State of Somalia, Mogadishu.
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of undernourishment · #2 in population ages 0-14 share · #2 in age dependency ratio (young).
#7 Niger
Niger ranks #7 on this list with +17.7%.
- Capital
- Niamey
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 27.92 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$21.65 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$775.4 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.4 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 18.4% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Niamey.
Also ranks #1 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #2 in under-5 mortality rate · #3 in population ages 0-14 share.
#8 Congo, Dem. Rep.
Congo, Dem. Rep. ranks #8 on this list with +17.5%.
- Capital
- Kinshasa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 112.83 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$91.03 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$806.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kinshasa, Mbuji-Mayi, Kananga.
Also ranks #1 in renewable energy share · #1 in poverty headcount ratio · #1 in mineral rents share of gdp.
#9 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia ranks #9 on this list with +17.2%.
- Capital
- Riyadh
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- High income
- Population
- 36.97 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$1.28 trillion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$34,537 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 79 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 84.6% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Medina.
Also ranks #2 in population growth rate · #2 in crop production index · #2 in pm2.5 air pollution exposure.
#10 Angola
Angola ranks #10 on this list with +16.7%.
- Capital
- Luanda
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Lower middle income
- Population
- 39.04 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$122.17 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$3,130 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 64.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 71.5% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Luanda, Quilamba Quiaxi.
Also ranks #4 in gini index · #4 in oil rents share of gdp · #5 in income share of richest 10%.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Change in Population over the five years to each country's latest year, as a percentage of the earlier value. Only countries that rose are listed.
Source: The World Bank, indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Population, total: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN); Statistical databases and publications from national statistical offices, National Statistical Offices (NSOs); Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, Eurostat (ESTAT).
Values are shown as published (changes are computed from the published values). Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.