Population, long-run history: compare countries

See Population, long-run history for up to four countries side by side.

Countries being compared

Four countries are being compared, the most the chart can show clearly. Remove one to add another.

Population, long-run history by country

Annual, Persons, thousands

Source: Maddison Project Database 2023

Population, long-run history: latest observations by country
Date	United Kingdom	United States	Germany	Spain
Dec 31, 1999	58,946	279,040	81,439	40,378
Dec 31, 2000	59,149	282,162	81,474	40,563
Dec 31, 2001	59,377	284,969	81,534	40,775
Dec 31, 2002	59,631	287,625	81,595	41,433
Dec 31, 2003	59,903	290,108	81,566	42,205
Dec 31, 2004	60,217	292,805	81,473	42,869
Dec 31, 2005	60,682	295,517	81,354	43,672
Dec 31, 2006	61,098	298,380	81,190	44,370
Dec 31, 2007	61,593	301,231	81,009	45,246
Dec 31, 2008	62,100	304,094	80,781	45,993
Dec 31, 2009	62,539	306,772	80,500	46,378
Dec 31, 2010	63,040	309,327	80,301	46,573
Dec 31, 2011	63,567	311,583	80,292	46,746
Dec 31, 2012	63,989	313,878	80,443	46,777
Dec 31, 2013	64,392	316,060	80,663	46,603
Dec 31, 2014	64,885	318,386	81,000	46,465
Dec 31, 2015	65,400	320,739	81,704	46,420
Dec 31, 2016	65,941	323,072	82,366	46,460
Dec 31, 2017	66,335	325,122	82,674	46,543
Dec 31, 2018	66,732	326,838	82,923	46,739
Dec 31, 2019	67,095	328,330	83,110	47,116
Dec 31, 2020	67,380	331,512	83,178	47,366
Dec 31, 2021	67,651	332,032	83,213	47,342
Dec 31, 2022	68,093	333,288	83,811	47,625

Source: Bolt, J. and van Zanden, J.L. (2024), Maddison style estimates of the evolution of the world economy: A new 2023 update, Journal of Economic Surveys, 1-41, DOI 10.1111/joes.12618. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. The original sources are listed on each page.

All data sources

Original sources of these estimates

GDP pc: 2008 - 2022: Total Economy Database the Conference Board for all countries included in TED. Otherwise UN national accounts statistics

United Kingdom

1: Scheidel, W. and Friesen, S. J., ‘The size of the economy and the distribution of income in the Roman Empire’, Journal of Roman Studies, 99 (2009), pp. 61–91
1252–1700 (England): Broadberry, S.N., B. Campbell, A. Klein, M. Overton and B. van Leeuwen (2015), British Economic Growth 1270-1870 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1700–1870: Broadberry, S.N., B. Campbell, A. Klein, M. Overton and B. van Leeuwen (2015), British Economic Growth 1270-1870 Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1870-1950: C.H. Feinstein, National Income Expenditure and Output of the United Kingdom 1855-1965, Cambridge, 1972

United States

1650 - 1790: McCusker, John J., ‘Colonial Statistics’, Historical Statistics of the United States: Earliest Time to the Present, in S. B. Carter, S. S. Gartner, M. R. Haineset al. New York, Cambridge University Press. V-671.
1790 - 1870: Sutch, R. (2006). National Income and Product. Historical Statistics of the United States: Earliest Time to the Present, in S. B. Carter, S. S. Gartner, M. R. Haineset al. New York, Cambridge University Press III-23-25.
1800-1830: Prados de la Escosura, L. (2009). “Lost Decades? Economic Performance in Post-Independence Latin America,” Journal of Latin America Studies 41: 279–307. (updated data)
1820-1950: GDP movement from Maddison (1995a), amended for 1820–70 to include income of the indigenous population (taken to be $400 per capita in 1820 and 1870).

Germany

1500-1850: Pfister, U. (2022). Economic Growth in Germany, 1500–1850. The Journal of Economic History, 82(4), 1071–1107
1850-1950: Hoffmann, Grumbach and Hesse, op. cit., pp. 454-5.

Spain

1: Scheidel, W. and Friesen, S. J., ‘The size of the economy and the distribution of income in the Roman Empire’, Journal of Roman Studies, 99 (2009), pp. 61–91
1270-1850: Álvarez-Nogal, C. and L. Prados de la Escosura (2013). "The Rise and Fall of Spain (1270-1850)," Economic History Review, 66, 1, 1-37, using their annual benchmarks
1850–2011: Prados de la Escosura, L. (2017), Spanish Economic Growth, 1850-2015 (London: Palgrave Macmillan)