1. China

China tops the list with a population of 1,338,650,000 which amounts to around 19.53% of the total world population. The figures are according to the statistics provided by the Chinese Official Population Clock and exclude Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

2.India

India comes next with a population of 1,183,416,000 which amounts to approximately 17.26% of the world population. The figures have been provided by the Indian Offical Population Clock.

3.United States

The United States is a distant third with a population of 309,738,000 - roughly 4.52% of the total world population. The figures have been provided by the United States Offical Population Clock.

4. Indonesia

Indonesia comes next with a population of 234,181,400 which is around 3.42% of the total world population. The number is according to Statistics Indonesia provided in July 2010.

5. Brazil

Brazil with a population of 193,223,000 (2.82% approx. of world population) is next. The figure has been provided by the Brazilian Offical Population Clock.

6. Pakistan

India's neighbour Pakistan has an estimated population of 170,013,500 (2.48% approx. of world population) according to the Official Pakistani Population Clock, and is at position 6.

7. Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the other country from the sub-continent that finds itself in the list of 20 with a total population amounting to 162,221,000. The figure is an UN estimate and comes to 2.37% of the world population.
In the picture above Bangladeshi commuters cover themselves with umbrellas as they ride a tricycle van during a countrywide strike in Dhaka.

8. Nigeria

The African nation ranks eighth in the list with an approximate population of 154,729,000 (based on UN Estimate). This amounts to 2.26% of the total world population.

9. Russia

Russia figures next with a population of 141,927,297 (as on 1 January 2010, number provided by Federal State Statistics Service of Russia).

10. Japan

With a population of 127,380,000 (as on 1 June 2010), Japan is 10th in the list. The figures have been provided by Official Japan Statistics Bureau.

11. Mexico

Mexico is a close 11th to Japan with a population of 108,396,211 (as per 1 July 2010 figure provided by INEGI and National Population Statistics of Mexico). This is roughly 1.58% of the world population.

12. Philippines

Philippines with a total population of 94,013,200 (an estimated 1.37% of the world population) is after Mexico. This is a National Statistics Office medium projection.

13. Vietnam

Another Asian nation - Vietnam - with a population numbering around 85,789,573 (1.25% of world population) follows Philippines.

14. Germany

Germany comes next with a population of 81,757,600 (based on 1 January 2010 Eurostat estimate). This is only 1.19% of the world population.

15. Ethiopia

The country known for its dreadful famines comes next with a population numbering 79,221,000 (as per July 2008 statistics from Ethiopia Central Statistics Agency). The figure is equivalent to 1.16% of the total world population.

16. Egypt

The land of pyramids is a close 16th with a population of 78,720,000 which is around 1.15% of the world population. The figures are from the Official Egyptian Population clock.

17. Iran

The strife-torn nation is behind Egypt with an UN-estimated population of 74,196,000 (1.08% of world population).

18. Turkey

Turkey stands at number 18 in the list with the Turkish Statistical Institute provided estimate of 72,561,312 (as on 31 December 2009). This comes to around 1.06% of the world population.

19. Democratic Republic of Congo

The African nation with a UN-estimated population of 66,020,000 (0.96% of world population) comes next in the list.

20. France

The European country comes 20th with a population of 65,447,374 (this is an Official INSEE estimate provided on 1 January 2010 and comes to 0.95% of the world population).