Curious about just How Many Cars Are In The World in 2025? The answer might surprise you. Globally, there are approximately 1.644 billion vehicles on Earth. Interestingly, while the United States is often associated with car culture, it only accounts for about 17% of these vehicles. Let’s delve deeper into the global landscape of car ownership and explore fascinating automotive statistics, including cars per capita worldwide.
While many might assume North America leads in vehicle ownership, Asia/Oceania takes the top spot, housing over a third of the world’s vehicles and representing a rapidly expanding automotive market. Europe comes in second place with 26% of the global vehicle share, while North America follows in third with 23%.
For a clearer picture of how many cars are in the world, here’s a regional breakdown of vehicles on the road in 2025, encompassing cars and trucks:
- Asia/Oceania: 619 million vehicles
- Europe: 431 million vehicles (comprising 282 million in EU countries and 149 million in non-EU countries)1
- North America: 370 million vehicles
- South America: 105 million vehicles
- Middle East: 69 million vehicles
- Africa: 50 million vehicles
- Antarctica: Approximately 75 vehicles
Global Vehicle Ownership: Cars Per Capita by Region
Moving beyond total numbers, examining vehicles per capita provides valuable insights into car ownership distribution across different regions. Here’s a look at vehicles per capita by world region:
- North America: 0.72 vehicles per capita / 720 vehicles per thousand people
- Europe: 0.58 vehicles per capita / 578 vehicles per thousand people
- South America: 0.24 vehicles per capita / 240 vehicles per thousand people
- Middle East: 0.14 vehicles per capita / 137 vehicles per thousand people
- Asia/Oceania: 0.13 vehicles per capita / 129 vehicles per thousand people
- Africa: 0.04 vehicles per capita / 38 vehicles per thousand people
- Antarctica: 0.05 vehicles per capita / 50 vehicles per thousand people
Top Countries for Cars Per Capita
When we zoom in on individual countries, the United States and New Zealand emerge as frontrunners in vehicle ownership per person. Both nations boast approximately 0.9 vehicles for every resident.
Below are the top countries ranked by vehicles per capita, alongside their GDP per capita for context:
- New Zealand: 0.90 vehicles per capita / 895 vehicles per thousand people / $43,000 GDP per capita2
- United States: 0.89 vehicles per capita / 890 vehicles per thousand people / $62,000 GDP per capita
- Estonia: 0.82 vehicles per capita / 821 vehicles per thousand people / $42,800 GDP per capita1
- Cyprus: 0.79 vehicles per capita / 785 vehicles per thousand people / $26,624 GDP per capita1
- Luxembourg: 0.78 vehicles per capita / 784 vehicles per thousand people / $115,873 GDP per capita1
- Australia: 0.77 vehicles per capita / 772 vehicles per thousand people / $48,300 GDP per capita1
- Canada: 0.77 vehicles per capita / 770 vehicles per thousand people / $47,600 GDP per capita
- Italy: 0.76 vehicles per capita / 757 vehicles per thousand people / $40,600 GDP per capita1
- Iceland: 0.72 vehicles per capita / 720 vehicles per thousand people / $55,300 GDP per capita1
- Poland: 0.60 vehicles per capita / 604 vehicles per thousand people / $34,700 GDP per capita1
- France: 0.60 vehicles per capita / 599 vehicles per thousand people / $44,500 GDP per capita1
It’s crucial to be discerning when sourcing data online, as information regarding car ownership can sometimes be inconsistent or incomplete. Notably, the term “motorisation rate” or “motorization rate” is frequently used in Europe and Asia to denote cars per capita.
Nations Exceeding One Car Per Person
For a unique perspective, consider micro-nations. The Republic of San Marino, a small country, stands out with a remarkable average of more than one car per person, specifically 1.3 vehicles per person. This positions San Marino as a trivia answer for the nation with the highest car ownership per capita. However, it’s worth noting that advantageous vehicle tax policies in San Marino might contribute to registrations from outside its borders.
- Republic of San Marino: Approximately 1,300 vehicles per thousand people / $63,500 GDP per capita
Monaco also exhibits high vehicle ownership with around 0.91 vehicles per person:
- Principality of Monaco: Approximately 910 vehicles per thousand people / $165,000 GDP per capita
While Andorra, another tax haven, is sometimes mentioned, verifiable data on vehicle registration remains elusive.
Motorcycles vs. Cars: Focusing on Car Statistics
This analysis concentrates on cars, vans, and trucks, excluding motorcycles. Countries with substantial motorcycle populations, like Taiwan, are not reflected in these car-centric statistics. Taiwan, for example, has a high motorcycle ownership rate but a lower car ownership rate compared to other developed nations.
Countries with the Lowest Car Ownership Rates
On the opposite end of the spectrum, several countries exhibit the lowest car ownership per capita. These nations and their corresponding GDP per capita are listed below:
- Democratic Republic of Congo: 0.004 vehicles per capita / about 4 vehicles per thousand people / $5,500 GDP per capita
- Pakistan: 0.02 vehicles per capita / 20 vehicles per thousand people / $5,500 GDP per capita
- Vietnam: 0.03 vehicles per capita / 25 vehicles per thousand people / $6,800 GDP per capita
- Kenya: 0.03 vehicles per capita / 30 vehicles per thousand people / $3,300 GDP per capita
- Ghana: 0.04 vehicles per capita / 40 vehicles per thousand people / $4,500 GDP per capita
- Nigeria: 0.05 vehicles per capita / 50 vehicles per thousand people / $5,900 GDP per capita
- India: 0.05 vehicles per capita / 50 vehicles per thousand people / $7,100 GDP per capita
- Philippines: 0.05 vehicles per capita / 50 vehicles per thousand people / $8,400 GDP per capita
- Iraq: 0.05 vehicles per capita / 50 vehicles per thousand people / $16,900 GDP per capita
- Egypt: 0.08 vehicles per capita / 75 vehicles per thousand people / $11,600 GDP per capita
Antarctica is estimated to have around 0.05 vehicles per capita based on its year-round population. For context, Russia has a vehicles per capita of 0.37 as of 2020.
Frequently Asked Questions About Global Car Ownership
How many vehicles are estimated to be in the world in 2025?
Approximately 1.644 billion vehicles are estimated to be in use worldwide in 2025. Around 17% of these are located in the United States.
Are there more houses or cars globally?
There are more houses than cars worldwide. Estimates suggest around 2.3 billion houses exist globally, compared to 1.644 billion vehicles.
Do cars outnumber humans on Earth?
No, humans significantly outnumber cars. With a global population of around 8.1 billion people, there are approximately 4.9 humans for every car in 2025. This translates to about 0.20 cars per capita, or 203 cars per thousand people.
What is the total number of vehicles in North America?
North America accounts for 370 million vehicles.
How many vehicles are there in South America?
South America has 105 million vehicles on the road.
What is the total number of vehicles in Europe?
Europe collectively has 431 million vehicles, with 282 million in EU member countries and 149 million in non-EU countries.
Which countries lead in vehicles per capita?
New Zealand and the United States are nearly tied for the highest vehicles per capita. San Marino, despite its small size, records an even higher rate due to unique registration factors.
Which countries have the lowest vehicles per capita?
Countries like Pakistan, Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, and Kenya have some of the lowest vehicles per capita globally.
Citing This Article and Data
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1Source: ACEA report and cars.edu.vn forecast for 2025
2Source: OICA data projected through 2022 and cars.edu.vn forecast for 2025
