The pie charts compare the distribution of the global population across various regions in 1900 and 2000. Overall, while Asia and Europe remained the most populous regions, their shares of the world population declined over the century. In contrast, Africa and Latin America saw an upward trend, while the total global population experienced a massive fourfold increase.
In 1900, Asia accounted for the largest share of the population at 60%, followed by Europe (including Russia) at 25%. By 2000, although these two regions still held the top positions, their proportions had decreased. Asia’s share (renamed Asia Pacific) dipped slightly to 54%, whereas Europe’s figure saw a more dramatic drop, nearly halving to 14%.
Regarding the other regions, Africa’s population share grew from 4% in 1900 to 10% in 2000. Similarly, Latin America and the Caribbean saw an increase from 3% to 8%. Meanwhile, the percentage of people in North America remained constant at 5%, and “Others” stayed at 3%. It is also notable that a new category, the Middle East and North Africa, was introduced in the 2000 chart, representing 6% of the total 6 billion people.