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Low income Countries Ranked by Population (2025)

Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).

Summary

Ethiopia ranks #1 with 135.47 million people. Congo, Dem. Rep. is second with 112.83 million people, 20.1% behind. The top five are Ethiopia, Congo, Dem. Rep., Sudan, Uganda and Afghanistan. Together the top 10 account for 72.9% of the total across the 25 Low income countries listed. The median across all 25 is 24.08 million people; Guinea-Bissau is last at 2.25 million people. Ethiopia's figure has risen 95% since 2001 (69.49 million people to 135.47 million people in 2025).

#1
Ethiopia · 135.47 million people
Median
24.08 million people
Coverage
25 Low income countries
Data year
2025
Last updated
2026-11-14
Top 10: PopulationBar chart of the top 10: 1. Ethiopia 135.47 million; 2. Congo, Dem. Rep. 112.83 million; 3. Sudan 51.66 million; 4. Uganda 51.39 million; 5. Afghanistan 43.84 million; 6. Yemen, Rep. 41.77 million; 7. Mozambique 35.63 million; 8. Madagascar 32.74 million; 9. Niger 27.92 million; 10. Korea, Dem. People's Rep. 26.57 million.Ethiopia135.47 millionCongo, Dem. Rep.112.83 millionSudan51.66 millionUganda51.39 millionAfghanistan43.84 millionYemen, Rep.41.77 millionMozambique35.63 millionMadagascar32.74 millionNiger27.92 millionKorea, Dem. People's Re…26.57 million
Top 10: Population (people). Bar chart of the top 10: 1. Ethiopia 135.47 million; 2. Congo, Dem. Rep. 112.83 million; 3. Sudan 51.66 million; 4. Uganda 51.39 million; 5. Afghanistan 43.84 million; 6. Yemen, Rep. 41.77 million; 7. Mozambique 35.63 million; 8. Madagascar 32.74 million; 9. Niger 27.92 million; 10. Korea, Dem. People's Rep. 26.57 million.
Population over time, top 5Ethiopia: 69.49 million in 2001 to 135.47 million in 2025; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 52.13 million in 2001 to 112.83 million in 2025; Sudan: 28.52 million in 2001 to 51.66 million in 2025; Uganda: 24.75 million in 2001 to 51.39 million in 2025; Afghanistan: 20.28 million in 2001 to 43.84 million in 2025.033.87 million67.74 million101.6 million135.47 million200120132025EthiopiaCongo, Dem. Rep.SudanUgandaAfghanistan
Population over time, top 5 (people). Ethiopia: 69.49 million in 2001 to 135.47 million in 2025; Congo, Dem. Rep.: 52.13 million in 2001 to 112.83 million in 2025; Sudan: 28.52 million in 2001 to 51.66 million in 2025; Uganda: 24.75 million in 2001 to 51.39 million in 2025; Afghanistan: 20.28 million in 2001 to 43.84 million in 2025.
Share of the total: PopulationEthiopia 17.7%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 14.7%; Sudan 6.7%; Uganda 6.7%; Afghanistan 5.7%; All others 48.5%18%15%49%

Ethiopia 17.7%Congo, Dem. Rep. 14.7%Sudan 6.7%Uganda 6.7%Afghanistan 5.7%All others 48.5%

Share of the total: Population, as a share of 25 Low income countries. Ethiopia 17.7%; Congo, Dem. Rep. 14.7%; Sudan 6.7%; Uganda 6.7%; Afghanistan 5.7%; All others 48.5%.

Full ranking

Low income Countries Ranked by Population, 2025
RankCountryPopulation (people)
1Ethiopia135,470,000
2Congo, Dem. Rep.112,830,000
3Sudan51,662,000
4Uganda51,385,000
5Afghanistan43,844,000
6Yemen, Rep.41,774,000
7Mozambique35,632,000
8Madagascar32,741,000
9Niger27,918,000
10Korea, Dem. People's Rep.26,571,000
11Syrian Arab Republic25,620,000
12Mali25,199,000
13Burkina Faso24,075,000
14Malawi22,216,000
15Chad21,004,000
16Somalia, Fed. Rep.19,655,000
17Rwanda14,569,000
18Burundi14,390,000
19South Sudan12,189,000
20Sierra Leone8,819,800
21Liberia5,731,200
22Central African Republic5,513,300
23Eritrea3,607,000
24Gambia, The2,822,100
25Guinea-Bissau2,249,500

About the top 10

#6 Yemen, Rep.

Yemen, Rep. ranks #6 on this list with 41.77 million people.

Capital
Sanaa, Aden
Continent
Asia
Income group
Low income
Population
41.77 million people (2025)
Life expectancy
69.4 years (2024)
Urban population
37% of population (2025)
International tourist arrivals
398,000 arrivals (2015)
CO2 emissions per person
0.261 t CO2e per person (2024)

Largest cities: Sanaa, Aden.

Also ranks #2 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #2 in prevalence of wasting (under-5) · #12 in unemployment rate.

Full country profile

#10 Korea, Dem. People's Rep.

Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks #10 on this list with 26.57 million people.

Capital
Pyongyang
Continent
Asia
Income group
Low income
Population
26.57 million people (2025)
Life expectancy
73.7 years (2024)
Urban population
64.2% of population (2025)
CO2 emissions per person
2.5 t CO2e per person (2024)
Currency
North Korean won

Largest cities: Pyongyang.

Also ranks #2 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #3 in armed forces personnel · #6 in female labour force participation.

Full country profile

Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.

Related rankings

Source and method

Population: each country's latest value (2020–2025), ranked from highest to lowest.

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. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.