The pie charts compare the distribution of the world's population between five continents in 1950 and 2020.
Overall, Asia remained home to the majority of people, while Africa's share grew substantially and Europe's shrank. The proportions living in the Americas and Oceania stayed the same.
In 1950 Asia contained 55% of the world population, and Europe came second with 22%, followed by the Americas with 13%. Africa accounted for 9% and Oceania for just 1%. By 2020 Asia's share had risen modestly to 59%.
The biggest changes occurred in Africa and Europe. Africa's proportion almost doubled, from 9% to 17%, which lifted it from fourth to second place. Europe moved in the opposite direction, with its share falling from 22% to 10%, less than half of its previous figure. As a result, Europe, which had been the second most populous continent, dropped to fourth place behind the Americas.
The Americas stayed at 13% and Oceania at 1% throughout, so that these two regions were the only ones to show no change over the seventy-year period.