Global HIV-Positive Population Rankings

by Writersroom Boardwalk: Health

The gap between the highest and lowest entries on this ranked list of 50 nations is stark when you trace the numbers down from the top. South Africa leads with an estimated 7,800,000 people living with HIV, a figure that sits well above the next entry. India follows at 2,600,000, while Mozambique comes in third with 2,500,000. The count drops to Nigeria at 2,000,000, then Tanzania holding 1,800,000, Uganda with 1,500,000, and Zambia at 1,400,000. Kenya and Zimbabwe tie for the eighth spot, each reporting 1,300,000 cases. Moving further down, the United States and Russia are tied at approximately 1,200,000, followed by Brazil with 1,100,000. Malawi registers 990,000, the Democratic Republic of Congo has 610,000, and Ethiopia sits at 600,000. Thailand and Indonesia both show 570,000, Cameroon accounts for 510,000, Ivory Coast has 410,000, Mexico reports 400,000, Angola holds 370,000, Botswana stands at 360,000, and Pakistan rounds out the provided data with 350,000. These figures represent a ranked list from 1 to 50 based on HIV-positive population size, yet the source notes these as estimates rather than exact numbers. A specific disclaimer appears to clarify this: Note: These are estimates, not exact numbers. Attribution draws from World Population Review - HIV Rates by Country 2026, UNAIDS, WHO - Global HIV Estimates, CDC, AIDSVu, and Russian Federal HIV Surveillance - Russia.