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Population Match: Country Population Tips and Reference Numbers
Population Match gives you a target such as 120 million and a region. You pick countries whose populations add up to about that number. The better your feel for the numbers, the higher you score.
The numbers to memorise
These are rounded estimates for about 2024:
- India and China: each about 1.4 billion.
- United States: about 340 million.
- Indonesia: about 280 million. Pakistan: about 250 million.
- Nigeria: about 230 million. Brazil: about 210 million.
- Russia, Mexico, Japan, Ethiopia and Egypt: between about 110 and 145 million.
- Germany: about 84 million. France and the United Kingdom: about 68 to 69 million. Italy: about 59 million.
How to build a combination
- Start with the largest country that fits under the target.
- Fill the gap with one or two mid-sized countries.
- Use a small country to fine-tune the last few percent.
For a target of 120 million in Europe you could start with Germany (84M), then add a country of about 36M such as Poland (37M).
How the rating works
You are rated from 1 to 10 by how far your total is from the target: within 2 percent is a 10, within 4 percent a 9, 7 percent an 8, 10 percent a 7, and so on down to a 1 for more than 65 percent off. On Hard the percentages are halved, so you must be twice as accurate.
Difficulty
Easy shows each country's population and a progress bar. Medium hides populations. Hard hides them and rates you more strictly.
About the data
Populations are rounded estimates, so your total may be off by a little from official statistics. The answer screen shows one real combination that would have worked.
Frequently asked questions
Why do the regions look partial?
Each region lists a selection of countries across all sizes. Very small countries are not included.
Do I have to use many countries?
No. One large country can be enough if it matches the target.
Keep learning
Related guides: Population Showdown, Mystery Country, Capital Hunt. Or browse all game guides and the country pages.