Table # 3
Population Size by Continent

(Population given in Millions)
  1985 1987 1988 1990 1993 1998 2000 2003 2006
1 Asia Asia Asia Asia Asia Asia Asia Asia Asia
2,829 2,930 2,995 3,116 3,257 3,604 3,684 3,830 3,968
2 Africa Africa Africa Africa Africa Africa Africa Africa Africa
551 601 623 661 677 763 800 861 924
3 Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe Europe
492 495 497 501 513 728 * 728 727 732
4 La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer. La. Amer.
406 421 429 447 460 500 518 540 566
5 No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer. No. Amer.
264 270 272 278 287 301 306 323 332
* The definition of Europe changed with the break-up of the U.S.S.R.

Source: Population Reference Bureau Data Sheets:
1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006

Chart created by Russ Long