Pakistan population pyramid 2026
259,299,792 people in 2026 (projected). Pakistan still has a classic expansive pyramid, with each age band wider than the one above and children under 5 forming the largest group of all.
- 2026 population
- 259.3Mrank 5 of 237
- Median age
- 20.8 yearsoldest rank 192
- Fertility rate
- 3.44births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful4.4% age 65+
Pakistan population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Pakistan age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 35.8% of the population, while 4.4% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 59.8% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Pakistan’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 67.3: about 67 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (59.9 children and 7.4 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Pakistan’s population pyramid
A late and gradual fertility decline
Pakistan is one of the few large countries whose pyramid in 2026 still widens at every step down. Ages 0–4 hold about 12.5% of the population and ages 5–9 about 11.8%, while people aged 65 and over make up only about 4.5%. Fertility stayed near 6.5–7 children per woman until the late 1980s and has fallen gradually since, to about 3.4 in the UN estimates, still well above replacement level. The contrast with its neighbors is sharp: Bangladesh, which had similar fertility in the 1970s, had already fallen to about 2.2 by 2020, as the Pakistan vs Bangladesh comparison shows. Low contraceptive use and limited reach of family planning services are the most frequently cited reasons for the slower decline.
The base is starting to change. The difference between the 0–4 and 10–14 bands is now much smaller than in 2000, when the youngest band was far wider than any other. That narrowing gap is the first sign of a pyramid beginning to steepen.
Momentum and an unusual early sex ratio
Because each cohort entering adulthood is larger than the last, Pakistan’s population will keep growing for decades even as fertility falls; this is population momentum in its clearest form. Ages 15–29 alone hold about 28% of the population today.
Historical pyramids also show a striking male surplus. The UN estimates about 119 men per 100 women in 1950, with the gap visible in every adult band. Excess female mortality, undercounting of women in early censuses and the population movements of Partition have all been suggested as causes, and their relative weight is debated. By 2026 the overall ratio has fallen to about 102.5, close to typical levels, as female survival has improved.
Under the UN medium scenario Pakistan grows from about 259 million in 2026 to about 372 million by 2050, one of the largest absolute increases in the world, with a median age still only about 26.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Pakistan’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
In the UN medium scenario births outnumber deaths in every year through 2100. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Pakistan is projected to record 6,935,665 births (about one birth every 4.6 seconds) and 1,664,087 deaths, a natural increase of 5,271,578. Net migration adds −1,144,738 people, ranking #214 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 153,335,247 births, 36,409,926 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −20,201,828. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −16,824,529 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 70.6 years32.8 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 65.7 years35.4 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 13.9 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 46.5per 1,000 births · 235 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 55.9per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.9 yearssex ratio at birth 105.5
Women in Pakistan are projected to live 4.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 235 to 46.5 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #18 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.9 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Pakistan
The median age of 20.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.44 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 68.1 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 259,299,792 | #5 | Largest first |
| Median age | 20.8 years | #192 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.44 | #44 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.6% | #65 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 68.1 years | #189 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 4.4% | #178 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Pakistan
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 32,275,222 | 12.4% | 16.5M / 15.8M |
| 2 | 5–9 | 30,598,141 | 11.8% | 15.6M / 15M |
| 3 | 10–14 | 29,925,437 | 11.5% | 15.3M / 14.6M |
| 4 | 15–19 | 28,104,069 | 10.8% | 14.4M / 13.7M |
| 5 | 20–24 | 23,873,549 | 9.2% | 12.2M / 11.7M |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Pakistan has 131,268,590 males and 128,031,202 females. That is 102.5 males per 100 females, ranking #41 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 50.6% of the population and females for 49.4%. There are 3,237,388 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 84.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.5 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Pakistan has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 35,849,260 in 1950 to 259,299,792 in 2026, a change of 623%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.3 to 20.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 42.8% to 35.8%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 1.8% to 4.4%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately. See the Pakistan population pyramid in 1950 for the full starting shape.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Pakistan’s population is projected to grow by about 43%, reaching 371,863,793 in 2050. The median age changes from 20.8 to 26.3 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.0 percentage points to 6.4%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 28.9%. The Pakistan population pyramid for 2050 shows the projected shape in detail. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The population is still rising at the end of the UN medium projection in 2100, when it reaches 511,000,618. The page therefore does not assign a peak year beyond the available horizon.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 35,849,260 | 17.3 | 6.80 | 34.2 | 1,645,719 | 996,213 | +50,005 | +1.9% |
| 1960 | 45,709,310 | 18.0 | 6.80 | 44.1 | 2,134,315 | 917,177 | 0 | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 60,166,720 | 17.1 | 6.80 | 52.9 | 2,652,339 | 858,742 | −58,281 | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 82,291,010 | 17.1 | 6.73 | 57.2 | 3,591,364 | 992,962 | +1,078,229 | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 116,155,576 | 16.9 | 6.36 | 59.7 | 4,981,901 | 1,250,170 | +275,242 | +3.5% |
| 2000 | 154,879,127 | 17.0 | 5.35 | 61.9 | 5,659,445 | 1,378,251 | +252,869 | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 199,239,047 | 18.8 | 4.40 | 64.4 | 6,679,478 | 1,532,271 | −431,902 | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 235,001,746 | 19.8 | 3.77 | 65.7 | 6,726,852 | 1,715,724 | −559,291 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 247,504,495 | 20.3 | 3.61 | 67.6 | 6,882,058 | 1,600,313 | −1,619,557 | +1.5% |
| 2024* | 251,269,164 | 20.4 | 3.55 | 67.8 | 6,887,798 | 1,619,471 | −1,401,173 | +1.5% |
| 2026* | 259,299,792 | 20.8 | 3.44 | 68.1 | 6,935,665 | 1,664,087 | −1,144,738 | +1.6% |
| 2030* | 276,883,255 | 21.6 | 3.25 | 68.6 | 7,144,899 | 1,768,670 | −769,020 | +1.7% |
| 2040* | 324,937,697 | 24.0 | 2.87 | 70.0 | 7,560,140 | 2,092,899 | −668,197 | +1.5% |
| 2050* | 371,863,793 | 26.3 | 2.58 | 71.3 | 7,496,455 | 2,482,247 | −507,801 | +1.2% |
| 2060* | 414,441,120 | 28.5 | 2.37 | 72.6 | 7,492,332 | 2,991,992 | −497,488 | +1.0% |
| 2070* | 451,260,265 | 30.9 | 2.20 | 73.9 | 7,365,978 | 3,557,239 | −506,821 | +0.7% |
| 2080* | 479,745,112 | 33.2 | 2.09 | 75.3 | 7,092,865 | 4,153,351 | −542,085 | +0.5% |
| 2090* | 499,173,314 | 35.3 | 2.00 | 76.7 | 6,789,458 | 4,714,876 | −526,419 | +0.3% |
| 2100* | 511,000,618 | 37.3 | 1.93 | 78.2 | 6,456,828 | 5,140,264 | −459,844 | +0.2% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 16,488,846 | 15,786,376 | 32,275,222 | 12.4% |
| 5–9 | 15,616,826 | 14,981,315 | 30,598,141 | 11.8% |
| 10–14 | 15,277,513 | 14,647,924 | 29,925,437 | 11.5% |
| 15–19 | 14,384,799 | 13,719,270 | 28,104,069 | 10.8% |
| 20–24 | 12,191,582 | 11,681,967 | 23,873,549 | 9.2% |
| 25–29 | 10,780,912 | 10,339,988 | 21,120,900 | 8.1% |
| 30–34 | 9,358,205 | 8,946,808 | 18,305,013 | 7.1% |
| 35–39 | 8,155,151 | 7,856,983 | 16,012,134 | 6.2% |
| 40–44 | 6,884,276 | 6,761,252 | 13,645,528 | 5.3% |
| 45–49 | 5,522,608 | 5,467,725 | 10,990,333 | 4.2% |
| 50–54 | 4,506,199 | 4,530,074 | 9,036,273 | 3.5% |
| 55–59 | 3,730,300 | 3,823,345 | 7,553,645 | 2.9% |
| 60–64 | 3,079,323 | 3,257,358 | 6,336,681 | 2.4% |
| 65–69 | 2,321,595 | 2,570,145 | 4,891,740 | 1.9% |
| 70–74 | 1,485,133 | 1,749,910 | 3,235,043 | 1.2% |
| 75–79 | 842,542 | 1,058,918 | 1,901,460 | 0.7% |
| 80–84 | 454,234 | 585,327 | 1,039,561 | 0.4% |
| 85–89 | 154,812 | 211,234 | 366,046 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 30,774 | 49,218 | 79,992 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 2,882 | 5,795 | 8,677 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 78 | 272 | 350 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Pakistan’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Solomon Islands98% overlap · median age 20.9
- Iraq98% overlap · median age 21.1
- State of Palestine98% overlap · median age 20.3
- Ghana98% overlap · median age 21.6
- Comoros98% overlap · median age 20.7
- Sierra Leone98% overlap · median age 19.9
Compare Pakistan with other countries
Side-by-side pages put two pyramids on the same percentage scale, with a full indicator table and the projected change to 2050.
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Pakistan.
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Charts and tables may be reused with attribution. Please link to this page and credit the United Nations as the data source.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Pakistan Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/pakistan/
MLA
“Pakistan Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/pakistan/.
Chicago
World Population Pyramid. “Pakistan Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/pakistan/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pakistan in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Pakistan's population in 2026 is projected at 259,299,792.
What is the median age in Pakistan?
The projected median age in Pakistan in 2026 is 20.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Pakistan?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.44 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Pakistan's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 43%, from 259.3M to 371.9M.
What share of Pakistan is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 4.4% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 6.4%.
How many babies are born in Pakistan each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 6,935,665 births and 1,664,087 deaths in 2026, about one birth every 4.6 seconds. Births exceed deaths by 5,271,578.
What is life expectancy in Pakistan for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 70.6 years for women and 65.7 years for men, a gap of 4.9 years in favour of women.
Does Pakistan have more immigrants or emigrants?
Pakistan is projected to lose about 1,144,738 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −20,201,828.
What is the sex ratio in Pakistan?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 102.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.