Animal Population
Shark Population by Country 2026
Shark Population (Estimated Range)
100k to 1M
10k or Less
10k to 100k
Multi-Million
Shark Population (Estimated Range)
6 countries
2 countries
10 countries
9 countries
Country | Shark Population (Estimated Range) 2021↓ | |
|---|---|---|
 | United States | Multi-Million |
 | Australia | Multi-Million |
 | India | 100k to 1M |
 | Brazil | 100k to 1M |
 | Mexico | 100k to 1M |
 | Japan | 100k to 1M |
 | Philippines | 100k to 1M |
 | South Africa | 100k to 1M |
 | Thailand | 10k to 100k |
 | South Korea | 10k to 100k |
 | Spain | 10k to 100k |
 | Madagascar | 10k to 100k |
 | Ecuador | 10k to 100k |
 | New Zealand | 10k to 100k |
 | Costa Rica | 10k to 100k |
 | Fiji | 10k to 100k |
 | Maldives | 10k to 100k |
 | Bahamas | 10k to 100k |
 | Kenya | 10k or Less |
 | Canada | 10k or Less |
 | Venezuela | 10k or Less |
 | Sri Lanka | 10k or Less |
 | Malawi | 10k or Less |
 | Tunisia | 10k or Less |
 | Sweden | 10k or Less |
 | Iceland | 10k or Less |
 | Seychelles | 10k or Less |
- Shark population figures are shown as estimated ranges rather than exact counts, as sharks are highly mobile and difficult to track consistently across open oceans.
- Countries labeled as “Multi-Million” are believed to host shark populations exceeding one million, though precise totals are not available due to monitoring limits.
- Population estimates vary in reliability depending on factors such as coastline length, fishing pressure, research coverage, and reporting standards, meaning figures should be interpreted as broad indicators rather than exact totals.
Snapshot
-
The United States and Australia have the largest shark populations, each estimated in the multi-million range due to extensive coastlines and diverse marine habitats.
-
Several countries, including India, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and South Africa, fall into the 100,000 to 1 million range, reflecting large ocean access but smaller overall habitat scale.
-
Countries such as Canada, Sweden, Iceland, Sri Lanka, and Seychelles report 10,000 or fewer sharks, typically due to colder waters, smaller coastlines, or limited marine ecosystems.
Estimated Shark Population Range A broad estimate of how many sharks may inhabit a country’s surrounding waters, shown as ranges rather than exact counts due to tracking limits.
Multi-Million Classification Used for countries where shark populations are believed to exceed one million, though exact totals are unknown.
Predominant Shark Habitat The main marine or freshwater environments where sharks are most commonly found within a country’s territory.
Countries With the Largest Shark Populations
Shark populations tend to be highest in countries with long coastlines and access to large, biologically rich ocean areas. Warm waters, coral reefs, and wide continental shelves all create the kind of environments where sharks can thrive.
Based on the data, the United States and Australia stand out clearly, each classified in the multi-million range. That scale reflects not just ocean size, but diversity—both countries border multiple seas and support dozens of shark species. A step below that, several countries fall into the 100,000 to 1 million range, including India, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, the Philippines, and South Africa. These nations have extensive coastlines along major oceans, making sharks a common and stable presence in their surrounding waters, even if exact counts are harder to pin down.
Countries With the Smallest Shark Populations
Countries with smaller shark populations are typically those with limited coastlines, colder waters, or fewer suitable marine habitats. In these places, sharks may still be present, but in much lower numbers and often concentrated in specific areas rather than spread widely.
According to the data, countries such as Canada, Sweden, Iceland, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, and Seychelles fall into the 10,000 or fewer category. In colder regions like Canada, Sweden, and Iceland, sharks tend to be limited to certain species that can tolerate lower temperatures. In smaller or island nations like Seychelles and Sri Lanka, shark populations are constrained by geographic size and narrower marine ecosystems. These lower ranges don’t mean sharks are absent—but they are far less common than in countries with vast, warm-water coastlines.
