Population aged 15-24 years (youth) (2026)

India is projected to top the global rankings for population aged 15-24 years (youth), recording 255.2 million in 2026, followed by China (164.5 million) and Pakistan (52.0 million). Nigeria (51.3 million) and the United States (46.2 million) complete the top 5. Indonesia (46.0 million) and Bangladesh (33.3 million) follow close behind. Brazil (29.8 million), Ethiopia (29.0 million), and the Philippines (22.3 million) round out the top ten. The spread across the top ten is substantial: India would have 11× the figure recorded by the Philippines (22.3 million). Six of the top ten are in Asia, with three from Southern Asia. Among these countries, Nigeria is projected to see the largest year-over-year change at +3.4%.