What does total population mean?

Measurement contract

Metric key

metric.population

Unit

people (persons)

Reference period

Annual; country-level measurement; observation year preserved from source

Source indicator

SP.POP.TOTL

Alternative terms

population, people, residents, pop, demographics

Cross-country comparison

Allowed with same-year alignment and the documented caveats

Method

World Bank WDI brings together population estimates from UN population publications and national statistical sources. Estimates use censuses and demographic information on births, deaths, and migration.

Interpretation limits

• This is a midyear estimate rather than a census-day count.
• Population estimates can be revised when censuses or migration estimates change.
• Country-level figures do not describe local population growth. Preserve source footnotes, including preliminary estimates.