document_title: Elena Gilbert

question_text: who ends up with elena in the vampire diaries

text: Elena Gilbert

text: Casting and portrayal[edit]

text:
When I look in the mirror, I just feel different when I'm Katherine or when I'm Elena. My voice changes a little bit, I think, and even just mentally, I feel like I can get away with a lot more.[1]
“
”
—Dobrev

tag: div

text: On March 9, 2009, it was announced that Bulgarian-born Canadian actress Nina Dobrev, known for her portrayal of Mia Jones on Degrassi: The Next Generation, had joined the cast of The Vampire Diaries as Elena.[2] She was the second cast member to be announced following Steven R. McQueen, who plays Elena's brother Jeremy Gilbert.[3] Steve West Cinema Blend said the vampire brothers' battle over Elena will wreak havoc on the entire town.".[2] Executive producer Kevin Williamson recalled Dobrev auditioning while having the flu, which he described as the "worst audition ever", and they "didn't even look at her a second time". Dobrev went back home to Canada, yet, still wanting the part, she submitted a videotape audition, which saw her cast as Elena Gilbert.[4]

text: Dobrev said that after reading the script, she was drawn to Elena because she was "this average girl who was damaged in many ways".[5] Initially, she believed that she would be playing the "bad girl" Elena from the books, but the show wanted to go in a different direction for the character.[4] After researching, Dobrev discovered she would also play Elena's 534-year-old vampire doppelgänger Katherine Pierce whose characteristics are the "complete opposite".[5] Dobrev described this as "one of the rarest, coolest opportunities in television, to play two people on the same medium". She had confessed that she enjoys playing Katherine more than Elena.[5] Dobrev stated that she changes her appearance to distinguish Elena from her doppelgänger, Katherine; "Changing my hair helps me transform," she told Glamour.[6] Additionally, she said "I think I have one of the coolest characters on the show — I get to play two completely different people on opposite sides of the spectrum and I just have so much fun doing it".[4] Dobrev felt that her biggest challenge on The Vampire Diaries was distinguishing Katherine and Elena, and found it "interesting" to create a whole new character.[1] In the novels, Katherine originated from Germany. However, in the television series, she is Bulgarian, as is Dobrev, who can speak the language fluently . Dobrev said,  "The writers heard me speaking Bulgarian to my mom on the phone while I was on set one day. One thing led to the other and voila".[7]

text: Development[edit]

text: Characterization[edit]

text: In the books, Elena is considered "one of the popular girls" at her high school and always gets "anything she wants".[8] Executive producer of the television show, Julie Plec, said the Elena from the books was "really kind of selfish". In The Vampire Diaries, Elena's "selfishness" in the books as a human was never explored, because it "didn't ever feel like a characteristic" the show wanted for their heroine.[9] Plec said "We kind of abandoned that queen-bee popular complex that in a lot of ways defined early Elena in the books", while feeling that Elena's actual flaw is her "deep, deep connection to other people".[9] In the books, Elena had blonde hair, but has brown hair in the television show.[10] Describing Elena from the books, Dobrev said she is "one of those mean girls that gets what she wants, popular . . . and she's blonde and blue eyed". Williamson told her that "the angle we wanted to go for was the relatable, nice, girl next door, who the audience roots for".[4] Katherine, on the other hand, is penned as a "conniving, narcissistic, bitch".[4] Describing Elena years later, Dobrev said she evolved from a "younger, naive, sad, young girl" to a "strong woman".[1]

text: Romances[edit]

text: Before The Vampire Diaries, Elena dated Matt Donovan (Zach Roerig), who was unable to move past his feelings for her initially after their break-up.[11] Elena began dating Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), and later discovered he was a vampire.[12] As the episodes progressed, she developed a connection with Stefan's adventurous brother Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder), who consumes human blood, unlike Stefan, who has an animal blood diet.[13] Speaking about the different qualities Stefan and Damon bring to Elena, Dobrev said they have "different qualities that are very appealing", which combined make "the perfect man". She said "Stefan is committed and sweet and protective and loving, and Damon is spontaneous and crazy and fun and exciting".[5]

text: After Elena became a vampire, she became sired to Damon and they slept together. According to Plec during an interview with TVLine, Elena "really believes what she feels is 100 percent genuine and real", and the couple "wants to be together and realizes that they shouldn’t, yet really wants to. So what do they do?"[14] Stefan became heartbroken, feeling angry and betrayed, and lashed out at Damon and Elena.[15] In the season 4 finale, an unsired Elena confirms that she is in love with Damon, and the two kiss passionately. At the end of season 6, the two plan to become human, get married, and have children together, but their dream is abruptly compromised by Kai, who puts Elena into a magical coma. Damon remains entirely devoted to Elena throughout the remaining two seasons as Elena sleeps peacefully.  In the season 8 finale, she is revealed to be happily married to Damon. Elena considers Damon to be the love of her life and her soulmate.

text: Transition[edit]

text: Executive producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson agreed that in the book series, Elena was turned into a vampire too early, which was around page 200 of The Awakening.[16] Elena's transition into a vampire was planned for two years. Plec said: "That felt obviously too soon, and rushed, and we didn’t want to make a show about a teenage girl who instantly becomes a vampire. But we always knew that her journey would take her there eventually".[16] At the second season's conclusion, Elena was nearly turned into a vampire.[1] Dobrev was happy that she wasn't, because she felt "it would have been too soon", and also didn't think it was something Elena or she wanted.[1]

text: In the show's third season, Elena has a brain hemorrhage which was initially thought to be a concussion, and begins to die.[17] In what was described by the International Business Times as "the moment Vampire Diaries fans have been waiting for", Elena had to choose whether to be driven to Damon or Stefan to say goodbye to. At the time, Klaus was killed, meaning all vampires sprouting from his bloodline also die, which includes Damon and Stefan. She picks to say goodbye to Stefan.[17] However, all these vampires end up surviving when Klaus never really dies. To save her, Doctor Merideth Fell (Torrey DeVitto) fed Elena Damon's blood. Rebekah Mikaelson kills Elena on Wickery Bridge, unaware of the vampire blood in her system. She woke up as a vampire at the end of the season.[17] The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Plec, and described her transition as "monumental changes" which would have Elena in for a "wild ride". Plec said Elena becoming a vampire is "an awakening of a person who is about to go through a lot of changes", and "she is going to evolve as a person and her relationships are going to evolve accordingly".[18] While Stefan was afraid she would hurt someone, Damon thought it was inevitable and wanted to "rip the band-aid off".[18] Plec felt that "She’s, unfortunately, not getting the same advice from the two people she values most in the world. It’s going to make it more difficult for her",[18] while describing the situation as "a whole new Elena and it’s a whole new day. It’s a different dynamic between the three of them especially".[18]

text: Television series[edit]

text: Backstory[edit]

text: Elena Gilbert is born on June 22, 1992 in Mystic Falls, Virginia to John Gilbert (David Anders) and Isobel Flemming (Mia Kirshner) while they were still in highschool. With the help of John's brother Grayson, Isobel and John flee town days later, leaving Grayson and his wife Miranda to adopt Elena as their own. A doctor, Grayson fakes a birth certificate so that it appeared Elena was his daughter with Miranda. The next year, Miranda and Grayson had a child of their own, Jeremy Gilbert. Elena dates her childhood friend Matt Donovan, who was her first love. On 23 May 2009, Elena is picked up by her mother and father after getting in a fight with Matt while attending the party. The three of them later end up in a car accident, with their car driving off a bridge. Stefan Salvatore finds them, and saves Elena, but it was too late to save Grayson and Miranda, who died. It remained unknown for months who saved Elena, and it was considered a miracle that she lived. Her relationship with Matt ended when they broke up.

text: Storyline[edit]

text: Season 1[edit]

text: Elena, still empty after losing her parents, begins to fit back into school. She meets a mysterious new student named Stefan Salvatore. They connect instantly, and begin dating. She meets his older and malevolent brother, Damon. After researching, Elena realizes Stefan was alive in 1953. It is later revealed that he is a 162-year-old vampire. Damon also begins falling for Elena. Elena finds a picture of a woman named Katherine Pierce who looks exactly like her. Stefan reveals that it is the woman who made him and Damon feud 145 years ago, and the person who turned them into vampires. He also told her that he is the person that saved her the night of her parents death. At the end of season one, Elena discovers that Grayson and Miranda weren't her biological parents, and that a woman named Isobel and her uncle John, who she grew up hating, were.

text: Season 2[edit]

text: In season two, she learns that she is a Petrova doppelgänger, having an appearance just like Katherine Pierce, which means that she has to be sacrificed to release Klaus' werewolf side. The sacrifice later happens, but Elena is saved, because John sacrificed himself for her after being put under a spell by Bonnie. However, her aunt Jenna is turned into a vampire and, as part of the sacrifice, is killed by Klaus, leaving Elena without a guardian. In the season two finale, while Damon is dying due to a werewolf bite, she forgives him for forcing her to drink his blood and kisses him with the thought that it might be Damon's last day, however Damon gets cured by drinking Klaus' blood.

text: Season 3[edit]

text: In season three, Elena does everything in her power to make Stefan get his humanity back, which was turned off by Klaus as payment for saving Damon from a werewolf bite in the latter part of season two. Meanwhile, she grows closer to Damon while working together on saving Stefan and trying to defeat Klaus, eventually even sharing a kiss. She later admits to Stefan that she has feelings for Damon as well but that she never stopped loving Stefan. While in Denver together, Elena kisses Damon, later telling him that she doesn't know how she feels about him. It is eventually revealed that Elena met Damon the night of her parent's death, though he compelled her to forget. She eventually chooses Stefan in the season finale but before she can tell him, Elena drowns while having vampire blood in her system. During the last moments of season three, she awakens as a vampire in transition.

text: Season 4[edit]

text: In season four, Elena is faced with the tough decision of whether to die or to feed on human blood so she can fully transition into a vampire. Elena, after realizing Stefan's desperation to keep her alive, decides to complete her transition. Her relationship with Stefan ends, allowing her to begin a proper romance with Damon. Although, it is later revealed there is a sire bond between them. Sometime later whilst searching for the cure for vampirism, Jeremy is fed to the immortal Silas by Katherine. As a result, Damon used the sire bond to convince her to turn off her humanity, due to her incredible grief over losing her brother and the last remaining member of her family. Elena became ruthless without her emotions, going on killing sprees and being very hateful towards her friends. Towards the end of season four, Damon kills Matt in front of Elena to trigger her grief. After revealing that Matt had the Gilbert Ring on, Elena's humanity was switched on and her emotions were focused on hate towards Katherine for killing Jeremy. Season four ended with Bonnie as a ghost after bringing Jeremy back to life and Elena fed Katherine the cure for vampirism in a moment of desperation as she was about to be killed. Elena had chosen Damon as the Salvatore that she loved.

text: Season 5[edit]

text:
In season five, Elena starts at Whitmore College and is happy after spending the summer with Damon. There she realises that Silas has taken Stefan's place and that Stefan is in that safe in a river constantly drowning. She and Damon then find the safe, only to find a dead body there meaning that someone opened the safe and Stefan is a Ripper again. However, Qyetsiyah had fried Stefan's brain causing him to suffer amnesia. While trying to bring him back, they almost kiss meaning that she still feels something for him. Qyetsiyah soon brings back Stefan's memories and says that Elena and Stefan were always meant to be as the Universe had to unite the doppelgängers of Silas and Amara. This leaves Damon and Elena questioning their relationship. Later on she is kidnapped and experimented on by Wes Maxfield, and she learns that her father also used to experiment on vampires.
Later, when Katherine is about to die as a result of all of her years catching up with her as a result of having the cure in her system, Katherine uses a spell and possesses Elena, a fact that her friends were initially unable to deduce. But once they did, they trapped Katherine and left her with no escape. Stefan stabbed her with the traveller dagger, but ghost Katherine reveals to Bonnie, shortly before trying to cross into the Other Side, that she had injected Dr. Maxfield's enhanced ripper/werewolf virus into Elena's body, infecting Elena. The gang is eventually able to find an antidote.
She unfortunately loses trust in Damon, partly because he killed her friend Aaron, so they break up, but realise they cannot survive being apart and get back together.
Once Markos and his traveller army begin to take over Mystic Falls, setting an anti-magic barrier around the town, the gang comes up with a plan to take out the travellers by killing them all at the same time, overpowering the anchor to the Other Side AKA Bonnie and creating a possible way out of the now-collapsing Other Side. Elena and Damon drive into the gas-filled Mystic Grill with most of the travellers in it, blowing it up and killing most of the people in it, including Elena and Damon. She wakes up as a ghost and finds her body, sending her to Bonnie, where she passes to the Other Side, and she and many others are able to pass back to the land of the living afterwards. But the spell that allows this is broken before Damon passes back through, and as Bonnie is the anchor, she is a part of the Other Side and shall therefore disappear along with it. This leaves the gang mourning the loss of Damon and Bonnie in the season finale.

text: Season 6[edit]

text:
In season six, Elena starts back at Whitmore, and is unable to set foot in her hometown. She is also unable to recover from Damon's death and starts lurking the borders of Mystic Falls in order to grab civilians, drink their blood, then compel them to forget, but as spirit magic no longer works in Mystic Falls, any of her victims who cross into the town remember the ordeal, putting her identity as a vampire at risk when one of her victims, Sarah, comes to town.
Elena begs Alaric to compel her to forget that she ever loved Damon, which Alaric is able to do, due to him being an Enhanced Original, with the ability to compel other vampires. She eventually wears him down and asks her friends to never remind her once the compulsion had been done. After a number of failed attempts, Alaric successfully compels her to forget her love for Damon. She however leaves Alaric with some of her reminders of Damon, should she ever need them again. She is told of her former feelings for Damon soon afterwards, but decides to stay the way she is, as she doesn't want to go back to being unhappy again. She starts to date her classmate, Liam.
Once Damon comes back to life, Alaric tries to convince Elena to allow him to undo the compulsion, a decision she is reluctant to make. She eventually decides to have him undo it, but Alaric goes back to being human again after crossing into Mystic Falls, causing him to lose his vampire status (he only stayed alive because his once fatal human injuries were healed), meaning he will not be able to do so. She is then left to finally come face-to-face with Damon and see if she'll still feel the same way about him. They eventually rekindle their relationship,Elena takes the cure that Bonnie gave Damon. At Alaric's wedding Kai ruins their wedding and casts a sleeping spell on Elena, linking her life to Bonnie's. She makes a sacrifice to let Bonnie live out her life until it is her turn. She bids goodbye to her friends and loved ones before parting ways but knows that she will see Damon, Stefan and Caroline again one day.

text: Season 7[edit]

text: Elena doesn't make an appearance but is heard calling Damon's name when he visits the Armory vault. It was a way of Sybill, the Siren, luring him into a trap.

text: Season 8[edit]

text: In the final episode, Elena makes an appearance. When a weakened Bonnie dies from the sounding bell, she meets Elena in a dream-like forest. Elena hugs her and wonders if she really has died. Enzo appears and says it isn't her time and takes Bonnie back to the world of the living. When Bonnie wakes up, it was Stefan who resuscitated her. Elena, asleep, is then taken to the Mystic Falls High School by Katherine and places her in the boiler room. Stefan tries to rescue Elena, but Katherine had Kai spell the boiler room, so that Elena can't be taken out of the room. After Bonnie had deflected the hellfire back into the bell, Bonnie passes out. Elena wakes up and wanders the school. Stefan meets up with her. It looks like Bonnie has died, but in fact Elena is still sleeping and Stefan's ghost came to visit her in her dream. He had taken the place of killing Katherine instead of Damon, since Damon is human after Stefan gave him the cure. He came to say goodbye. After a tearful hug and saying goodbye, Stefan goes into afterlife. Elena finally wakes up because Bonnie has broken the spell over her. Elena reunites with Damon and the rest of the gang. Elena gives Caroline the message Stefan whispered into her ear, saying he did hear her voice message and will love her forever. In the epilogue, Elena continued to studying medical school. After finishing her education, she went back to Mystic Falls and lived together with Damon, happily married for a long time. After living out her life, she crosses over to the afterlife where she finally reunites with her parents, Aunt Jenna and Uncle John.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Elena has received mainly positive reviews. Steve West of the Cinema Blend compared the story of The Vampire Diaries and the character of Elena to the popular vampire franchise, Twilight, and its protagonist Bella Swan. West said "Clearly Elena is way hotter than Bella, she has two immortal vampires fighting over her".[2] After she transitioned into a vampire, Carina Adly MacKenzie of Zap2it hoped that the "fierce" and "ripper" side of Elena would emerge when "someone messes with the people she loves".[19] McKenzie noted that when a person becomes a vampire, "their strongest personality traits are heightened", and hoped that wouldn't see Elena's "compassion and selflessness" double into "helping old ladies with their groceries and nursing injured animals back to health".[19] Robyn Ross of TV Guide also hoped that after Elena "has had a taste for blood", she would lose control. Prior to her becoming a vampire, Ross thought she was less fun and "slightly boring", and wanted Elena to follow her instinct and "stop protecting everyone's feelings".[20]

text: Elena's romances with Stefan and Damon have become a popular craze with viewers, who have nicknamed them "Stelena" and "Delena".[21] Andy Swift of the website HollywoodLife praised Elena's relationship with Damon, which was a combination of real love and a sired bond, hoping they would live "happily ever after".[21] Vlada Gelman of TVLine, however, felt that their romance was "over in a rather mature way for a young love triangle" and questioned whether Elena was "ready to jump into a relationship with Damon right away" while Stefan was still in the picture.[22]

text: Merchandising[edit]

text: Tonner Doll Company, Inc. created dolls for Elena and Katherine along with Stefan and Damon, from 1864.[23][24]


document_title: The Legend of the Blue Sea

question_text: the legend of the blue sea hero name

question_tokens: the legend of the blue sea hero name

root

text: The Legend of the Blue Sea

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: The television series centers on the love story of Heo Joon-jae (Lee Min-ho), the son of a rich businessman who becomes a handsome and clever con-man after his parents' divorce, and a mermaid named Shim Cheong (Jun Ji-hyun).Focusing on rebirth, fate, and unrequited love, their tale is juxtaposed with the parallel story of their Joseon era incarnations, town head Kim Dam-ryeong and the mermaid Se-hwa.

tag: p

text: Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa[edit]

text: During the Joseon era, a mermaid saves Kim Dam-ryeong from drowning when they were still young. Following the incident, they became friends and Dam-ryeong named her Se-hwa, after his younger sister. They ended up falling in love, but one day Dam-ryeong was forced by his family to marry another girl. Devastated by the news, Se-hwa decides to leave Dam-ryeong forever. Nevertheless, Dam-ryeong's love for Se-hwa forced him to leave his wife and to jump into the ocean to look for the mermaid. The distraught Se-hwa erases his memories of her and their love so that he may not look for her again.

text: After years of separation, the two grow as adults. Their paths cross again as Se-hwa was found by town folks trapped in a cave after a storm, and was brought to Dam-ryeong, now a town official. Their broken relationship starts back again. On the other hand, a nobleman named Yang made murderous attempts to steal Se-hwa for his own and to overthrow Dam-ryeong. Investigations on the covert killings of some individuals all indicate Yang as the instigator of the crimes. Dam-ryeong also saved a weak Se-hwa from Yang’s concubine who apparently has beaten her to cry since mermaid tears turn into pearls.

text: Meanwhile, Dam-ryeong keeps on experiencing dreams of himself, Se-hwa, and their foes in the future, and feared that the same ill-fate that afflicts himself and Se-hwa will replay itself. To warn his future self, he commissions a soon-to-be artifact—a time capsule containing a portrait of himself with a message to his future self that “everything is repeating itself” and he has to protect the mermaid from danger, particularly the reincarnations of Yang and anyone related to him. As Dam-ryeong was about to strike down Yang for his crimes, he is arrested for his relationship with Se-hwa and was sentenced to be exiled.

text: Whilst Dam-ryeong was escorted on boat for his exile, Yang and his associates search for Se-hwa. Urged by his suspicions, he requested the boat to turn around and fought with Yang and his gang. As men aim their harpoons, Dam-ryeong plunges into the water just as a harpoon, hurled by Yang’s son, hits him from behind, saving Se-hwa. To end both of their lives, Se-hwa thrusts the harpoon deeper and stabs herself. The boats sink, carrying Dam-ryeong’s belongings with them, and Dam-ryeong’s jadeite bracelet apparently slides off from the dying Se-hwa’s arm. Yang and his concubine were executed by sword and monkshood poison, respectively, for their crimes.

text: Joon-jae and Shim Cheong[edit]

text: In the modern days, young Heo Joon-jae runs away from home after the divorce of his parents. His father Heo Il-joong (Choi Jung-woo) adopts stepson Chi-hyun (Lee Ji-hoon) and marries Kang Seo-hee (Hwang Shin-hye). Joon-jae’s mother Mo Yoo-ran (Na Young-hee) works as a housekeeper. In his search for his mother, Joon-jae becomes a con-artist, using his good looks, wits, and skills in hypnotism in conducting scams with his mentor Jo Nam-doo (Lee Hee-joon) and computer hacking genius Tae-oh (Shin Won-ho). His affections are chased after by his college classmate, Cha Shi-ah.

text: Using the money he earned from his scams, Joon-jae flies to Spain, where he meets a mysterious pretty woman who went inside his hotel room unseen. He calls the police and sends her to jail, but Joon-jae retrieves her after being curious about the jadeite bracelet he saw on the woman’s arm. Nam-doo receives from Joon-jae a photo of the woman with the jadeite and confirms over the phone that the jadeite is genuine and of high price. Meanwhile, Joon-jae is being chased by gunmen being hired by a rich businesswoman who has fallen for Joon-jae’s scams. He brings the mysterious woman with him throughout the pursuit, until they end up cornered on a cliff facing the sea. They jump into the water, and the woman, who was revealed to be a mermaid unbeknownst to Joon-jae, kisses him to erase his memories of her but promises to follow him to Seoul.

text: Joon-jae returns to Seoul and is tormented by the gaps in his memories and by Jo Nam-doo’s claims of him being with a girl with an expensive jadeite. After months of swimming and traveling, the mermaid also arrives in Seoul wandering around the city, until she runs into Joon-jae. He recognizes her to be the woman Nam-doo is referring to and interrogates her on her identity and why he cannot remember her, although the mermaid hesitates to answer. He brings her to his home and names her Shim Cheong. They live together and steadily gets closer with each other.

text: Kang Seo-hee hires the fugitive Ma Dae-young (Sung Dong-il) to kill Joon-jae as part of her scheme to inherit Heo Il-joong's fortune. She also has secretly introduced Heo Il-joong with small yet potent doses of anticholinergic and monkshood extract, contributing to his failing health, particularly his vision. Chi-hyun dutifully nurses him, completely unaware of his mother's treachery. Ma Dae-young attempts several times to finish both Joon-jae and Shim Cheong but failed. Shim Cheong uses her power to erase Ma Dae-young's memories and, in the process, learns the sad fate of their Joseon era incarnations Kim Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa.

text: Linked by dreams, mysterious artifacts, including the jadeite bracelet, a vase with an image of a mermaid kissing a man in modern-day clothes, and the portrait of Kim Dam-ryeong with the inscription “everything is repeating itself", Joon-jae also learns of Dam-ryeong's world and his own fate, concluding that he and Shim Cheong are reincarnations of Kim Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa. Through his consultations with Professor of Neuropsychiatry Jin Kyung-won (Lee Ho-jae), he is able to retrieve his lost memories and the full rendering of his dreams about Kim Dam-ryeong and Se-hwa. He can also hear Shim Cheong's inner voice; he learns that she is indeed a mermaid and that, unless she returns to the sea, her heart will harden and stop beating if he will not love her.

text: Joon-jae and Shim-cheong lived comfortably with each other despite conflicts and the fear of the impending ill-fate. Joon-jae also finds his mother Mo Yoo-ran, who quit her job as housekeeper. On the other hand, Chi-hyun learns that his real father is Ma Dae-young and he is Kang Seo-hee's lover. He also learns of Kang Seo-hee's crimes and reluctantly consents to them. Kang Seo-hee finally kills Heo Il-joong, using a strong dose of monkshood. Joon-jae, with the help of Shim Cheong, Jo Nam-doo, Tae-oh, and police officer-detective Hong Dong-pyo (Park Hae-soo), busts Kang Seo-hee, revealing her real name to be"Kang Ji-hyun" and her schemes finally revealed. A maddened Chi-hyun steals a gun and aims at Joon-jae but Shim Cheong takes the shot to save him. Kang Seo-hee is detained while Chi-hyun attempts to kill himself with monkshood poison.

text: As Shim Cheong, being a mermaid, survives the fatal injury, Joon-jae learns that Ma Dae-young is visiting Professor Jin Kyung-won. As Joon-jae, Jo Nam-doo, and Officer Hong Dong-pyo rush to get him, Ma Dae-young recovers his memories of his past life and learns the death of his incarnation, Mr. Yang, and Yang’s concubine, revealed to be by the hands of Park Moo, Jo Nam-doo's incarnation. Just as Professor Jin Kyung-won was about to be murdered, Joon-jae arrives, and Ma Dae-young is seized by the police. Shim Cheong is discharged afterwards, but she still feels pain in her heart due to the gunshot. In order to fully recover, she has to go back into the water. Shim Cheong erases the memories of Joon-jae and of everyone who knew her. Before returning to the sea to recover, Shim Cheong was able to wipe out the memories of all the people she met in Seoul except her child friend named Yoo-na (Shin Rin-ah). Yoo-na shared afterwards that she has been dreaming about her Joseon era incarnation, that she is the daughter of a fisherman and a mermaid, and returns to the ocean.

text: Three years passed since Shim Cheong left. Joon-jae becomes a prosecutor, Jo Nam-doo works as a lecturer, and Tae-oh is engaged to Cha Shi-ah (Shin Hye-sun). Shim Cheong fully recovers her health and returns to Seoul. Despite his lost memories, Joon-jae recognizes Shim Cheong and it is revealed that he has been recording his life with Shim Cheong in case his memories are lost again. With this, Joon-jae had ultimately accomplished Kim Dam-ryeong’s reminder to protect Shim Cheong from danger and they had evaded the bad fate that had been in store for them. The couple were finally married and lived happily in a home by the sea.

text: Cast[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text:
Jun Ji-hyun as Se-hwa / Shim Chung[5]

Kal So-won as child Se-hwa
Shin Eun-soo as teenage Se-hwa[6]

A mermaid in the Joseon era / A modern-day mermaid who arrives in Seoul to follow her only love, Joon-jae. She has super strength and the ability to read and erase one's memory.
Lee Min-ho as Kim Dam-ryung / Heo Joon-jae

Jeon Jin-seo as child Kim Dam-ryung / Heo Joon-jae
Park Jin-young as teenage Kim Dam-ryung / Heo Joon-jae

The town head and son of a magistrate in the Joseon era who fell in love with a mermaid / A modern-day con-man who uses his looks and wit to transform into different people and conduct scams. He eventually met a mermaid whom he fell in love with again in his present life.

tag: ul

text: Supporting[edit]

text: Lee Hee-joon as Jo Nam-doo / Park Moo[7]

text: Shin Hye-sun as Cha Shi-ah[8]

text: Shin Won-ho as Tae-oh[9]

text: Lee Ji-hoon as Heo Chi-hyun[10]

text:
Na Young-hee as Mo Yoo-ran[11]

Shim Yi-young as young Mo Yoo-ran

text:
Hwang Shin-hye as Kang Seo-hee[12]

Oh Yeon-ah as young Kang Seo-hee / Mr. Yang's concubine

text: Sung Dong-il as Mr. Yang / Ma Dae-young[13]

text: Choi Jung-woo as Heo Il-joong[14]

text: Moon So-ri as Ahn Jin-joo[15]

text: Recurring[edit]

text: Park Hae-soo as Hong Dong-pyo

text:
Park Ji-il as Manager Nam

Choi Kwon as young Manager Nam in Joseon era

text: Shin Rin-ah as Seo Yoo-na

text: Hong Jin-kyung as Shim Chung's homeless friend[16]

text: Lee Jae-won as Cha Dong-shik

text: Lee Ho-jae as Professor Jin Kyung-won

text: Special appearances[edit]

text:
Go Gyu-pil as Han Sung-tae, a Myungdong Capital CEO (ep.1)
Kim Sung-ryung as Jang Jin-ok, Han Sung-tae's wife, a Myungdong Capital Madam (ep.1-3)
Krystal Jung as Min-ji, a flight attendant (ep.1)[17]
Ahn Jae-hong as Thomas, a missionary (ep.2)
Cha Tae-hyun as a Han River con-man (ep.4)[18]
Kim Kang-hyun as a police officer (ep.5)
Park Jin-joo as a nurse (ep.6)
Jo Jung-suk as Yoo Jung-hoon, a merman (ep.7-8)[19]
Jeong Yoo-mi as Kim Hye-jin (ep.8)[20]
Kim Sun-young as an ajumma in the jjimjilbang (ep.11)
Im Won-hee as a doctor (ep.19)
Kim Seul-gi as a mermaid (ep.20)

text: Production[edit]

text: Filming began on August 19, 2016 in Goesan, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. The production team then flew to Palau to film underwater scenes.[21] The cast and crew flew to Spain on September 11 where they filmed in A Coruña, Ribadeo, Lugo, Tossa de Mar and Castell de Santa Florentina[22][23][24] in Canet de Mar, as well as Begur (Es Cau Swimming Pool), Sitges (Town Hall and other backdrops) and Barcelona (exteriors of Palau de la Música Catalana, etc.),[25][26] among other places in Catalonia and Galicia (Spain).[27][28] The first script reading was held on October 8, 2016, two months after production began, due to the busy schedules of the actors. It lasted three hours and covered the first four episodes.[29]

text: This drama served as a reunion for both Lee Ji-hoon and Shin Hye-sun who debuted together in the 2012 KBS2 hit school drama School 2013[30] as well as Jun Ji-hyun and Hong Jin-kyung who previously worked together in the 2013 SBS hit drama My Love from the Star.[31]

text: Original soundtrack[edit]

text:
The Legend of the Blue Sea
Original Soundtrack

Soundtrack album by Various Artists

Released
January 20, 2017 (2017-01-20) (digital)[32]
January 24, 2017 (2017-01-24) (2CD)[33]

Genre
Soundtrack

Label

Jellyfish
LOEN

[32]
L100005295[33]

Producer
Hwang Se-jun (executive)

tag: table

text: OST Part 1[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Love Story[34]"

Kim Jang-woo
Kim Ji-hyang

Kim Ji-hyang
MELODESIGN

Lyn
3:24

2.
"Love Story" (Inst.)

Kim Ji-hyang
MELODESIGN

3:24

Total length:
6:48

text: OST Part 2[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"A World That Is You" (그대라는 세상)
Han Joo
Lee Yoo-jin
Yoon Mi-rae
3:37

2.
"A World That Is You" (그대라는 세상 (Inst.))

Lee Yoo-jin

3:37

Total length:
7:14

text: OST Part 3[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Lean on You" (너에게 기울어가)
Kim Ji-hyang
MELODESIGN
Jung-yup (Brown Eyed Soul)
3:46

2.
"Lean on You" (너에게 기울어가 (Inst.))

MELODESIGN

3:46

Total length:
7:32

text: OST Part 4[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Shy Boy[35]" (설레이는 소년처럼)
Shin Hae-chul

Glory Face
Jo Yong-ho

Ha Hyun-woo (Guckkasten)
3:31

2.
"Shy Boy" (설레이는 소년처럼 (Inst.))

Glory Face
Jo Yong-ho

3:31

Total length:
7:02

text: OST Part 5[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Somewhere Someday[36]" (어디선가 언젠가)
Kim Eana

Hwang Se-jun
MELODESIGN

Sung Si-kyung
4:32

2.
"Somewhere Someday" (어디선가 언젠가 (Inst.))

Hwang Se-jun
MELODESIGN

4:32

Total length:
9:04

text: OST Part 6[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Wind Flower" (바람꽃)

Hana
Tom & Jerry

Tom & Jerry
Lee Sun-hee
4:11

2.
"Wind Flower" (바람꽃 (Inst.))

Tom & Jerry

4:11

Total length:
8:22

text: OST Part 7[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Fool" (바보야)
Honey Pot
Honey Pot
Ken (VIXX)
3:14

2.
"Fool" (바보야 (Inst.))

Honey Pot

3:14

Total length:
6:28

text: OST Part 8[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Why Would I Do Like This" (내가 왜 이럴까)
Noh Ah-ram (Coffee Boy)
Noh Ah-ram
Coffee Boy
3:14

2.
"Why Would I Do Like This" (내가 왜 이럴까 (Inst.))

Noh Ah-ram

3:14

Total length:
6:28

text: OST Part 9[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Day By Day[37]" (하루에 하나씩)

ZigZag Note
Kang Myung-shin

ZigZag Note
Kang Myung-shin

Park Yoon-ha
3:09

2.
"Day By Day" (하루에 하나씩 (Inst.))

ZigZag Note
Kang Myung-shin

3:09

Total length:
6:18

text: OST Part 10[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"If Only" (만에 하나)

Min Yeon-jae
Lee Dae-sung (BIGTONE)

KingMing
Kim Dong-hwi

Se-jeong (Gugudan)
4:16

2.
"If Only" (만에 하나 (Inst.))

KingMing
Kim Dong-hwi

4:16

Total length:
8:32

text: OST Part 11[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Love Road" (사랑길)
Kim Ji-hyang
MELODESIGN
Min Chae
3:54

2.
"Love Road" (사랑길 (Inst.))

MELODESIGN

3:54

Total length:
7:48

text: Instrumental[edit]

text: I.[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Sound Of Ocean"
Ryo Yoshimata
Ryo Yoshimata

2.
"Memories"
Yoshimata
Yoshimata

3.
"The Last Time"
Yoshimata
Yoshimata

Total length:
8:21

text: II.[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Lyrics
Music
Artist
Length

1.
"Hidden Story" (숨겨진 이야기)
Second Moon
Second Moon
Second Moon feat. Han Ah-reum

2.
"My Name" (나의 이름)

Second Moon
Second Moon feat. Han Ah-reum

3.
"The Way to Meet You" (너를 찾아 가는길)
Second Moon
Second Moon
Second Moon

4.
"At This Time" (다음 이시간에)
Second Moon
Second Moon
Second Moon

Total length:
9:45

text: Charted songs[edit]

text:
Title
Year
Peak chart positions
Sales
Remarks

KOR
Gaon

"Love Story"
(Lyn)
2016

21

KOR: 181,202+[38]

Part 1

"A World That Is You"
(Yoon Mi-rae)
10

KOR: 208,326+[39]

Part 2

"Lean on You"
(Jung-yup (Brown Eyed Soul))
46

KOR: 89,521[40]

Part 3

"Shy Boy"
(Ha Hyun-woo (Guckkasten))
64

KOR: 51,209[41]

Part 4

"Somewhere Someday"
(Sung Si-kyung)
11

KOR: 274,787+[42]

Part 5

"Wind Flower"
(Lee Sun-hee)
27

KOR: 167,441+[43]

Part 6

"Fool"
(Ken (VIXX))
78

KOR: 44,708+[44]

Part 7

"If Only"
Se-jeong (Gugudan)
2017
35

KOR: 56,719+[45]

Part 10

text: Reception[edit]

text: Due to the star power of Jun and Lee, the series maintained the first place ranking for its timeslot and surpassed 20% viewership ratings.[46][47] The series also fared well overseas, having been exported to all major regions around the world, including Southeast Asia, the Americas and Europe.[1] Despite the show's success, it was criticized for lack of originality, as many viewers felt that the 'parallel timeline' and 'romance between a human and supernatural being' were recycled elements of writer Park's previous series My Love From the Star (2013-2014).[1] Additionally, it was slammed for bad editing, loose plot and lack of chemistry.[48] However, Jun's performance as a mermaid was met with overall high praise; with The Straits Times saying that she is "brilliant as the otherworldly goofball who is blissfully unaware of the mission to save her self-worth" and Yonhap News Agency highlighting her "trademark lanky, slender yet at times powerful and dramatic performance".[49][50]

text: Ratings[edit]

text: In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

text:
Episode #
Date
Average audience share

TNmS Ratings[51]
AGB Nielsen[52]

Nationwide
Seoul National Capital Area
Nationwide
Seoul National Capital Area

1
November 16, 2016
15.4% (4th)
18.9% (3rd)
16.4% (4th)
18.0% (2nd)

2
November 17, 2016
16.2% (4th)
20.1% (3rd)
15.1% (4th)
16.4% (4th)

3
November 23, 2016
18.6% (4th)
19.6% (2nd)
15.7% (4th)
17.2% (4th)

4
November 24, 2016
17.9% (4th)
21.3% (3rd)
17.1% (4th)
18.4% (3rd)

5
November 30, 2016
16.4% (4th)
20.4% (2nd)
16.8% (3rd)
20.5% (1st)

6
December 1, 2016
18.1% (2nd)
20.2% (1st)
18.9% (2nd)
22.1% (1st)

7
December 7, 2016
15.8% (4th)
18.1% (2nd)
17.4% (2nd)
19.2% (1st)

8
December 8, 2016
17.4% (3rd)
19.7% (1st)
17.4% (2nd)
19.1% (2nd)

9
December 14, 2016
14.8% (5th)
16.4% (2nd)
16.6% (2nd)
18.8% (2nd)

10
December 15, 2016
16.8% (4th)
19.2% (2nd)
17.5% (2nd)
19.3% (2nd)

11
December 21, 2016
17.7% (3rd)
20.1% (2nd)
16.7% (3rd)
18.1% (2nd)

12
December 22, 2016
16.3% (4th)
18.0% (2nd)
17.3% (3rd)
18.7% (2nd)

13
December 28, 2016
15.8% (4th)
18.4% (2nd)
16.0% (4th)
17.2% (3rd)

14
January 4, 2017
15.1% (4th)
18.1% (3rd)
17.8% (3rd)
18.7% (2nd)

15
January 5, 2017
15.9% (3rd)
19.4% (2nd)
18.3% (3rd)
20.1% (2nd)

16
January 11, 2017
15.1 (4th)
19.0% (2nd)
18.9% (3rd)
20.7% (2nd)

17
January 12, 2017
18.9% (3rd)
22.2% (2nd)
20.8% (2nd)
23.0% (2nd)

18
January 18, 2017
16.5% (3rd)
18.4% (2nd)
18.3% (3rd)
19.9% (2nd)

19
January 19, 2017
18.7% (3rd)
20.4% (2nd)
21.0% (2nd)
22.2% (2nd)

20
January 25, 2017
16.2% (4th)
18.4% (2nd)
17.9% (3rd)
18.8% (2nd)

Average
16.7%
19.3%
17.6%
19.3%

Special
December 29, 2016
14.5% (8th)
13.3% (4th)
11.2% (7th)
12.3% (4th)

text: On December 29, 2016, SBS aired a movie-like special episode summarizing the first half of the drama focusing on the relationship between Shim Cheong and Heo Joon-jae.[53]

text: Awards and nominations[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Recipient
Result

2016
24th SBS Drama Awards[54]
Grand Prize (Daesang)

Jun Ji-hyun

Nominated

Lee Min-ho

Nominated

Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Genre & Fantasy Drama
Won

Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Genre & Fantasy Drama

Jun Ji-hyun

Nominated

Excellence Award, Actor in a Fantasy Drama

Lee Hee-joon

Nominated

Excellence Award, Actress in a Fantasy Drama

Shin Hye-sun

Nominated

Hwang Shin-hye

Nominated

Special Award, Actor in Fantasy Drama

Sung Dong-il

Won

Lee Ji-hoon

Nominated

Special Award, Actress in a Fantasy Drama

Oh Yeon-ah

Nominated

K-Wave Star Award

Lee Min-ho

Nominated

Jun Ji-hyun

Nominated

Best Couple

Lee Min-ho and Jun Ji-hyun

Won

Top 10 Stars

Lee Min-ho

Won

Jun Ji-hyun

Won

Idol Academy Award - Best Eating (Meokbang)
Won

text: International broadcast[edit]

text:
In Cambodia, the series will be dubbed in Khmer language by Hang Meas HDTV as "ទេពមច្ឆាឆ្លងជាតិ". It will air sometime in the second half of 2017.[55]
In Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia and Brunei, the series aired exclusively on ONE TV Asia, within 24 hours of its original telecast.[56][57]
In Vietnam, it premiered on November 17, 2016 on HTV2's YouTube channel. Each episode was available to stream 12 hours after the original South Korean broadcast under the title Huyền thoại biển xanh with Vietnamese subtitles.[58][58]
In Hong Kong, the drama aired on myTV SUPER. It premiered on November 17, 2016.[59]
In the Philippines, the drama is available to stream on Iflix 24 hours after its original South Korean broadcast with English subtitles.[60][61] ABS-CBN will air it in May 8, 2017 at 5:00 pm PST, replacing Minute To Win It: Last Duo Standing its Kapamilya Gold block. Meanwhile, the network's regional stations will air the drama at 9:30am PST in order to avoid conflict with regional editions of its flagship evening newscast. On August 18, 2017, ABS-CBN confirmed that Legend of the Blue Sea will re-air on the network's coveted Primetime Bida 10:00 timeslot. It will be aired for all of the nation and will be airing on September 4, 2017 replacing Weightlifting Fairy. It will be dubbed in Filipino.[62][63][64]
In Sri Lanka, the drama is available to stream on-demand on Iflix with English and Sinhalese subtitles. During its original run, Iflix exclusively streamed episodes of the drama 24 hours after its original South Korean broadcast with English subtitles between November 17, 2016 and January 26, 2017.[65]
In the Los Angeles DMA, US the drama airs every Wednesday & Thursday with English subtitles, free over-the-air on Asian American-oriented channel, LA18 (channel 18) from December 7, 2016 to February 9, 2017.[66]
In Canada, the drama airs on Korean Canadian-oriented channel, All TV.[67]
In Thailand, it will premiere on True4U in January 2017, dubbed as ngeụ̄xk s̄āw tạw r̂āy kạb nāy t̂m tǔn ("เงือกสาวตัวร้ายกับนายต้มตุ๋น"; literally: Sassy Mermaid & Mr. Fraud).[68]
In Taiwan, episodes of the drama are available to stream on iQiyi.[69] It will also premiere in China on TVC in February, 2017.[70]
In Japan, the series is currently aired on Eisei Gekijo (a cable TV channel) from February 26, 2017.[71]
The drama is available to stream on Viki with subtitles in a variety of languages created by a volunteer community.[72]


question_text: who created the department of health education and welfare

text: History[edit]

text: Federal Security Agency[edit]

text: The Federal Security Agency (FSA) was established on July 1, 1939, under the Reorganization Act of 1939, P.L. 76-19. The objective was to bring together in one agency all federal programs in the fields of health, education, and social security. The first Federal Security Administrator was Paul V. McNutt.[3]

text: The new agency originally consisted of the following major components: (1) Office of the Administrator, (2) Public Health Service (PHS), (3) Office of Education, (4) Civilian Conservation Corps, and (5) Social Security Board.

text: Origins[edit]

text:
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text:
These components, however, are traceable to the early days of the Republic. On July 16, 1798, President John Adams signed an act creating the Marine Hospital Service to furnish treatment to sick and disabled American merchant seamen. On April 29, 1878, the first Federal Quarantine Act enlarged the Service's responsibilities to include prevention of epidemics from abroad. On August 14, 1912, the name was changed to the Public Health Service (PHS). On May 26, 1930, the Hygienic Laboratory of the Service was redesignated the National Institutes of Health (NIH). PHS was transferred from the Treasury Department to the FSA in 1939.
Even though the first steps toward public education were taken in 1647 by the Massachusetts Bay Colony and land was set aside for public schools by the Congress of the Confederation in 1785, the idea of universal, free public schools did not become firmly established until the Civil War era. Even then, only half of the States had an efficient public school system. In 1867, Congress established the Department of Education to promote the cause of education and collect and disseminate facts and statistics about education. Until it was transferred to the FSA, the Office of Education and its predecessor organization had been part of the Department of the Interior.
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was born during the Great Depression to provide employment for American youth and advance conservation of the Nation's natural resources. It operated from April 5, 1933, until June 30, 1942. During that time, the CCC provided work training to 3 million men and advanced conservation by more than 25 years. It was an independent agency until it came to FSA.
The Nation's social security and public assistance programs also were born during the Depression with approval of the Social Security Act on August 14, 1935. The initial Act of 1935 established the Social Security Board to administer Titles I, II, III, IV, and X of the Act. It remained an independent organization until its transfer to FSA. The Social Security Act Amendments of 1939 revised and expanded basic provisions of the program and eligibility requirements and extended protection to aged wives, dependent children and certain survivors of insured workers.
Organized in 1855 and incorporated by the Kentucky Legislature in 1858, the American Printing House for the Blind was established to produce educational materials for the blind and since 1879 has received an allocation of federal funds to help support this activity. Federal responsibility regarding the Printing House was transferred to FSA from the Treasury Department on July 1, 1939.
Established in 1935 to provide youth with work training, the National Youth Administration later trained young people for jobs in war industries. It was supervised by the Office of the Administrator from the time FSA was created in 1939 until 1942, when it was transferred to the War Manpower Commission.

text: Early years[edit]

text:
Under a Reorganization Plan that became effective on June 30, 1940, the organization of the Federal Security Agency (FSA) was enlarged:[3]

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was transferred from the Department of Agriculture; and
Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, Freedmen's Hospital, and
Federal functions relating to Howard University and the Columbia Institution for the Deaf were transferred to FSA from the Department of the Interior

As a result of pressure for the federal government to control adulterated and misbranded foods and drugs, the Food and Drugs Act was enacted on June 30, 1906. These responsibilities were entrusted to the Bureau of Chemistry in the Department of Agriculture in 1907 and were organized into a Food, Drug and Insecticide Administration in 1927, renamed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1931. Transferred to FSA in 1940, FDA also was responsible for administering the Tea Importation Act (1897), the Filled Milk Act (1923), the Caustic Poison Act (1927), and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1938).
Saint Elizabeths Hospital, created by Act of Congress in 1852 as the Government Hospital for the Insane, received its first patients on January 15, 1855. Founder of Saint Elizabeth's was Dorothea Dix, the most prominent humanitarian of the era. The name was changed by Act of Congress in 1916. Freedmen's Hospital was an outgrowth of the Bureau for the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees authorized by the Act of March 3, 1865. In 1871, the hospital was transferred to the Department of the Interior.
Howard University' was established by an act of March 2, 1867, to provide higher education for Negroes. Education for the deaf was made available in the District of Columbia through the Columbia Institution for the Deaf established by the Act of February 16, 1857. The name was changed to Gallaudet College in 1954.

The Vocational Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1943 expanded functions relating to vocational rehabilitation and assigned them to the Federal Security Administrator, who established the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation on September 4, 1943, to carry out these functions. Since the original Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920, certain vocational rehabilitation and vocational education activities had been a responsibility of the Office of Education, first when it was part of the Department of Interior, then after it became part of FSA in 1939.
Impact of World War II

World War II had a broad impact on the social programs of FSA. Between 1941 and 1947, the Government recognized the need to maintain essential health and welfare services. The Federal Security Administrator also served as coordinator of the Office of Health, Welfare, and related Defense Activities, renamed the Office of Defense, Health, and Welfare Services in September 1941, which provided health care, education, and related services necessitated by the war effort. It was responsible for adjusting the distribution of remaining professional personnel to meet the requirements of the population. In 1943, the Office's title was again changed to the Office of Community War Services, which was abolished on June 30, 1947.
The FDA during the war was charged with maintaining food standards to insure delivery of properly tested foods and drugs to the military establishment.
The Public Health Service was in charge of protecting both the general population and military personnel against epidemics and carrying out medical research. DHHS history

text: Post-WWII[edit]

text: Organizational Changes[3]

text: When the war ended, President Truman moved to "strengthen the arm of the federal government for better integration of services in the fields of health, education, and welfare."

text:
1946

Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1946, effective July 16, 1946, abolished the three-member Social Security Board, creating in its place, the Social Security Administration, headed by a Commissioner of Social Security. The plan transferred the Children's Bureau (created in 1912), exclusive of its Industrial Division, from the Department of Labor to FSA, where it became part of the Social Security Administration (SSA); the US Employees Compensation Commission, formerly an independent organization, to the Office of the Administrator of FSA; functions of the Department of Commerce regarding vital statistics to the FSA Administrator, who delegated them to the Surgeon General of the Public Health Service.
Legislation of major importance to the Agency also was passed in 1946: the National Mental Health Act; the Vocational Education Act; the Federal Employees Health Act; the 1946 Amendments to the Social Security Act; and the Hospital Survey and Construction Act.

1947. In 1947, the Administrator directed the establishment of a central library, consolidating the resources of three independent libraries at the SSA, the Office of Education, and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. This library eventually became the central library of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
1948

By 1948, the retail price of food had risen 114 percent over the 1935-39 base, yet the monthly benefits under Social Security had not changed since the 1939 amendments had established a base level. On October 1, 1948, increases in Social Security benefits were authorized.
Other key pieces of legislation passed in 1948 included bills creating the National Heart Institute and the National Institute of Dental Research. On June 16, 1948, the name of the National Institute of Health was changed to the National Institutes of Health.
On June 30, 1948, the President signed the Water Pollution Bill, delegating national water pollution responsibilities to the Public Health Service.
Also in 1948, legislation authorized the transfer of the Federal Credit Union program from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to the SSA.

1949

The Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 gave the Federal Security Administrator authority to dispose of surplus federal propel property to tax-supported or nonprofit educational institutions for health or educational purposes.
During 1949, the Federal Security Agency began the establishment of 10 FSA regional offices to replace the 11 previously operated by the SSA and consolidated those being operated by other FSA constituents into one common regional office structure. Previous to the consolidation, constituent agencies were maintaining five and, in some cases, six independent regional offices in a single city.

1950

On May 24, 1950, Reorganization Plan No. 19 of 1950 transferred from FSA to the Department of Labor the Bureau of Employees Compensation and the Employees Compensation Appeals Board. Then, the FSA abolished the Office of Special Services that had administered the two transferred units plus the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) and the Food and Drug Administration. The effect of this action was to elevate OVR and FDA to agency status.
In 1950, two important national conferences required months of staff work by FSA personnel. The Mid-century White House Conference on Children and Youth was held in Washington, D.C. in December 1950. Nearly 6,000 representatives of 100,000 local and community groups throughout the country met to discuss the "spiritual values, democractic practice, and the dignity and worth of the individual." In August of that year, a Conference on Aging was called by the FSA Administrator to study the needs and problems of the older segment of the population.
In September 1950, Congress authorized the impacted aid program-to relieve the impact on local school facilities of a heavy influx of federal civilian and military personnel-and in FY 1951 appropriated $96.5 million for school construction under P.L. 81-815, September 23, 1950, and $23 million for school operating expenses under P.L. 81-874, September 30, 1950.
The Social Security Act Amendments of 1950 added to the social security rolls about 10 million persons who previously had been ineligible. These persons included agricultural workers and selfemployed small shop owners. Others who benefitted from the changes were the elderly and those who had job-related disabilities. This expansion of beneficiaries was made possible by revisions to the oldage and survivors insurance and long-term disability insurance sections of the original Act.

1951. In May 1951, a citizens committee, the National Mid-century Committee for Children and Youth, was established to provide national follow-up to the problems discussed at the White House Conference. Staff of the Children's Bureau worked closely with the Committee until it was dissolved in 1953.
1952. The year 1952 was a period of transition for FSA. Despite the contributions made by the Agency during and before the Korean War, most of the defense-related activities in FSA were being phased out. The FDA continued to study chemical and bacteriological warfare agents but other FSA components were mobilized to provide disaster relief and health care assistance to a number of foreign countries. Technical assistance, under the federal "Point IV" and Mutual Security Agency programs, provided needed help to many underdeveloped countries. The Agency also furnished guidance for foreign representatives sent to this country to study American programs and methods in the fields of health and education. Later in the year, FSA accelerated its response to the Nation's social needs.
1953. FSA Becomes DHEW

By 1953, the Federal Security Agency's programs in health, education, and social security had grown to such importance that its annual budget exceeded the combined budgets of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Labor and Interior and affected the lives of millions of people.
Consequently, in accordance with the Reorganization Act of 1949, President Eisenhower submitted to the Congress on March 12, 1953, Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953, which called for the dissolution of the Federal Security Agency and elevation of the agency to Cabinet status as the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. All of the responsibilities of the Federal Security Administrator would be transferred to the Secretary of Health, Education, end Welfare and the components of FSA would be transferred to the Department. A major objective of the reorganization was to improve administration of the functions of the Federal Security Agency. The plan was approved April 1, 1953, and became effective on April 11, 1953.

text: Unlike statutes authorizing the creation of other executive departments, the contents of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953 were never properly codified within the United States Code, although Congress did codify a later statute ratifying the Plan. Today, the Plan is included as an appendix to Title 5 of the United States Code. The result is that HHS is the only executive department whose statutory foundation today rests on a confusing combination of several codified and uncodified statutes.[citation needed]

text:
List of Federal Security Agency Administrators

Name
Dates of service

Paul V. McNutt[4]
July 13, 1939 – September 14, 1945

Watson B. Miller[4]
October 11, 1945 – August 26, 1947

Oscar R. Ewing[4]
August 27, 1947 – January 20, 1953

Oveta Culp Hobby[4]
January 21, 1953 – April 11, 1953

text: Department of Health, Education, and Welfare[edit]

text: The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) was created on April 11, 1953, when Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953 became effective. HEW thus became the first new Cabinet-level department since the Department of Labor was created in 1913. The Reorganization Plan abolished the FSA and transferred all of its functions to the Secretary of HEW and all components of the Agency to the Department. The first Secretary of HEW was Oveta Culp Hobby, a native of Texas, who had served as Commander of the Women's Army Corps in World War II and was editor and publisher of the Houston Post. Sworn in on April 11, 1953, as Secretary, she had been FSA Administrator since January 21, 1953.

text: The six major program-operating components of the new Department were the Public Health Service, the Office of Education, the Food and Drug Administration, the Social Security Administration, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and St. Elizabeth's Hospital. The Department was also responsible for three federally aided corporations: Howard University, the American Printing House for the Blind, and the Columbia Institution for the Deaf (Gallaudet College since 1954).[4]

text:
List of Secretaries of Health, Education, and Welfare[4]

Name
Dates of service

Oveta Culp Hobby
April 11, 1953 – July 31, 1955

Marion B. Folsom
August 1, 1955 – July 31, 1958

Arthur Flemming
August 1, 1958 – January 19, 1961

Abraham Ribicoff
January 21, 1961 – July 13, 1962

Anthony J. Celebrezze
July 31, 1962 – August 17, 1965

John W. Gardner
August 18, 1965 – March 1, 1968

Wilbur J. Cohen (designate)
March 22, 1968 – May 16, 1968

Wilbur J. Cohen
May 16, 1968 – January 20, 1969

Robert H. Finch
January 21, 1969 – June 23, 1970

Elliot L. Richardson
June 24, 1970 – January 29, 1973

Caspar W. Weinberger
February 12, 1973 – August 8, 1975

Forrest David Mathews
August 8, 1975 – January 20, 1977

Joseph A. Califano Jr.
January 20, 1977 – August 3, 1979

Patricia Roberts Harris
August 3, 1979 – May 4, 1980

text: Department of Health and Human Services[edit]

text: The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was renamed the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in 1979,[5] when its education functions were transferred to the newly created United States Department of Education under the Department of Education Organization Act.[6] HHS was left in charge of the Social Security Administration, agencies constituting the Public Health Service, and Family Support Administration.

text: In 1995, the Social Security Administration was removed from the Department of Health and Human Services, and established as an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States Government.

text: HHS is administered by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate. The United States Public Health Service (PHS) is the main division of the HHS and is led by the Assistant Secretary for Health. The current Secretary, Alex Azar, assumed office on January 29, 2018, upon his appointment by President Trump and confirmation by the Senate.

text: The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the uniformed service of the PHS, is led by the Surgeon General who is responsible for addressing matters concerning public health as authorized by the Secretary or by the Assistant Secretary of Health in addition to his or her primary mission of administering the Commissioned Corps.

text: Federal, state, and local health departments[edit]

text: There are three tiers of health departments, the federal health department, state health department and local health department. In relation with state and local government, the federal government provides states with funding to ensure that states are able to retain current programs and are able to implement new programs. The coordination between all three health departments is critical to ensure the programs being implemented are well structured and suited to the corresponding level of health department. The health department at state level needs to safeguard good relations with legislators as well as governors in order to acquire legal and financial aid to guarantee the development and enhancements of the programs. Assemblies are set up to guide the relationships between state and local health departments. The state sets up the regulations and health policies whereas the local health departments are the ones implementing the health policies and services.[7][8]

text: Office of Inspector General[edit]

text: The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) investigates criminal activity for HHS. The special agents who work for OIG have the same title series "1811", training and authority as other federal criminal investigators, such as the FBI, ATF, DEA and Secret Service. However, OIG Special Agents have special skills in investigating white collar crime related to Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse. Organized crime has dominated the criminal activity relative to this type of fraud.

text: HHS-OIG investigates tens of millions of dollars in Medicare fraud each year. In addition, OIG will continue its coverage of all 50 states and the District of Columbia by its multi-agency task forces (PSOC Task Forces) that identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who willfully avoid payment of their child support obligations under the Child Support Recovery Act.

text: HHS-OIG agents also provide protective services to the Secretary of HHS, and other department executives as necessary.

text: In 2002, the department released Healthy People 2010, a national strategic initiative for improving the health of Americans.

text: With the passage of the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act of 2009 of 2009, and the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the Office of the Inspector General has taken an emboldened stance against healthcare related non-compliance, most notably for violations of Stark Law and the Anti-Kickback Statute.[9]

text: In 2015, the OIG issued a fraud alert as a warning to hospitals and healthcare systems to monitor and comply with their physician compensation arrangements.[10]

text: Recent years have seen dramatic increases in both the number and the amounts of Stark Law violation settlements, prompting healthcare experts to identify a need for automated solutions that manage physician arrangements by centralizing necessary information with regard to physician-hospital integration.[11] Contract management software companies such as Meditract provide options for health systems to organize and store physician contracts. Ludi Inc introduced DocTime Log®, an SaaS solution that specifically addresses this growing concern, automating physician time logging in compliance with contract terms to eliminate Stark Law and Anti-Kickback Statute violations.[12]

text: Criticisms and controversies[edit]

text: In 2016, a published US Senate report revealed that several dozen unaccompanied children from Central America, some as young as fourteen years old, were released from custody to traffickers where they were sexually assaulted, starved or forced to work for little or no pay.[13] The HHS sub agency Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) released approximately 90,000 unaccompanied children during 2013-2015 but did not track their whereabouts or properly screen families accepting these children.[14]

text: To prevent similar episodes, the Homeland Security and Health and Human Services Departments signed a memorandum of understanding in 2016, and agreed to establish joint procedures within one year for dealing with unaccompanied migrant children. As of 2018 they have failed to do so. Between October and December 2017, officials from ORR tried to contact 7,635 children and their sponsors. From these calls, officials learned that 6,075 children remained with their sponsors. Twenty-eight had run away, five had been removed from the United States and fifty-two had relocated to live with a non sponsor. However, officials have lost track of 1,475 children.[15] ORR claims it is not legally liable for the safety and status of the children once released from custody.[16]

text: Strengthening Communities Fund[edit]

text: In June 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services created the Strengthening Communities Fund[17] as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The fund was appropriated $50 million to be given as grants to organizations in the United States who were engaged in Capacity Building programs. The grants were given to two different types of capacity builders:

text: State, Local and Tribal governments engaged in capacity building: grants will go to state local and tribal governments to equip them with the capacity to more effectively partner with faith-based or non-faith based nonprofit organizations.[18]

text: and building up nonprofit organization's abilities to tackle economic problems. State, Local and Tribal governments can receive up to $250,000 in two year grants

text: Nonprofit Social Service Providers engaged in capacity building: they will make grants available to nonprofit organizations who can assist other nonprofit organizations in organizational development, program development, leadership, and evaluations. Nonprofits can receive up to $1 million in two year grants.

text: Organization[edit]

text: The Department of Health and Human Services is led by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, a member of the United States Cabinet appointed by the President of the United States with the consent of the United States Senate. The Secretary is assisted in managing the Department by the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services, who is also appointed by the President. The Secretary and Deputy Secretary are further assisted by seven Assistant Secretaries, who serve as top Departmental administrators.

text: As of Jan. 20, 2018, this is the top level of the organizational chart. HHS provides further organizational detail on its website.

text: Several agencies within HHS are components of the Public Health Service (PHS), as noted below.

text:
Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and Chief of Staff

The Executive Secretariat (ES)
Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA)

Headquarters Staff
Regional Offices
Office of Human Resources

Office of Health Reform (OHR)
Office of the Secretary

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources (ASFR)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Legislation (ASL)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE)
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) - PHS component
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA)
Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Departmental Appeals Board (DAB)
Office of the General Counsel (OGC)
Office of Global Affairs (OGA) - PHS component
Office of Inspector General (OIG)
Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals (OMHA)
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)

Operating Divisions

Administration for Children and Families (ACF)
Administration for Community Living (ACL)
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) - PHS component
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) - PHS component
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - PHS component
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - PHS component
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) - PHS component
Indian Health Service (IHS) - PHS component
National Institutes of Health (NIH) - PHS component
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) - PHS component

text: Budget and finances[edit]

text: The Department of Health and Human Services was authorized a budget for fiscal year 2015 of $1.020 trillion. The budget authorization is broken down as follows:[19]

text:
Program
Funding (in billions)

Management and Finance

Departmental Management
$1.4

Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund
$1.4

Operating Divisions

Food and Drug Administration
$2.6

Health Resources and Services Administration
$10.4

Indian Health Service
$4.8

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
$6.7

National Institutes of Health
$30.4

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
$3.4

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
$0.4

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
$906.8

Administration for Children and Families
$51.3

Administration for Community Living
$2.1

TOTAL
1,020.3

text: Former operating divisions and agencies[edit]

text:
Social Security Administration, made independent in 1995.
Health Care Financing Administration, renamed to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

text: Programs[edit]

text: The Department of Health and Human Services' administers 115 programs across its 11 operating divisions.[20] The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) aims to "protect the health of all Americans and provide essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves."[21] These federal programs consist of social service programs, civil rights and healthcare privacy programs, disaster preparedness programs, and health related research. HHS offers a variety of social service programs geared toward persons with low income, disabilities, military families, and senior citizens. [22] Healthcare rights are defined under HHS in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which protect patient’s privacy in regards to medical information, protects workers health insurance when unemployed, and sets guidelines surrounding some health insurance. HHS collaborates with the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and Office of Emergency Management to prepare and respond to health emergencies.[23][24] A broad array of health related research is supported or completed under the HHS; secondarily under HHS, the Health Resources & Service Administration houses data warehouses and makes health data available surrounding a multitude of topics.[25] [26] HHS also has vast offering of health related resources and tools to help educate the public on health policies and pertinent population health information. Some examples of available resources include disease prevention, wellness, health insurance information, as well as links to healthcare providers and facilities, meaningful health related materials, public health and safety information.[27][28][29][30][31][32]

text: Some highlights include:

text:
Health and social science research
Preventing disease, including immunization services
Assuring food and drug safety
Medicare (health insurance for elderly and disabled Americans) and Medicaid (health insurance for low-income people)
Health information technology
Financial assistance and services for low-income families
Improving maternal and infant health, including a Nurse Home Visitation to support first-time mothers
Head Start (pre-school education and services)
Faith-based and community initiatives
Preventing child abuse and domestic violence
Substance abuse treatment and prevention
Services for older Americans, including home-delivered meals
Comprehensive health services for Native Americans
Assets for Independence
Medical preparedness for emergencies, including potential terrorism
Child support enforcement[33]

text: Freedom of Information Act processing performance[edit]

text: In the latest Center for Effective Government analysis of 15 federal agencies which receive the most Freedom of Information Act (United States) (FOIA) requests published in 2015 (using 2012 and 2013 data, the most recent years available), the DHHS ranked second to last, earning an F by scoring 57 out of a possible 100 points, largely due to a low score on its particular disclosure rules. It had deteriorated from a D- in 2013.[34]

text: Health care reform[edit]

text: The 2010 United States federal budget established a reserve fund of more than $630 billion over 10 years to finance fundamental reform of the health care system.[35]

text: Related legislation[edit]

text:
1946: Hospital Survey and Construction Act (Hill-Burton Act) PL 79-725
1949: Hospital Construction Act PL 81-380
1950: Public Health Services Act Amendments PL 81-692
1955: Poliomyelitis Vaccination Assistance Act PL 84-377
1956: Health Research Facilities Act PL 84-835
1960: Social Security Amendments (Kerr-Mill aid) PL 86-778
1961: Community Health Services and Facilities Act PL 87-395
1962: Public Health Service Act PL 87-838
1962: Vaccination Assistance PL 87-868
1963: Mental Retardation Facilities Construction Act/Community Mental Health Centers Act PL 88-164
1964: Nurse Training Act PL 88-581
1965: Community Health Services and Facilities Act PL 89-109
1965: Medicare PL 89-97
1965: Mental Health Centers Act Amendments PL 89-105
1965: Heart Disease, Cancer, and Stroke Amendments PL 89-239
1966: Comprehensive Health Planning and Service Act PL 89-749
1970: Community Mental Health Service Act PL 91-211
1970: Family Planning Services and Population Research Act PL 91-572
1970: Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act PL 91-695
1971: National Cancer Act PL 92-218
1974: Research on Aging Act PL 93-296
1974: National Health Planning and Resources Development Act PL 93-641
1979: Department of Education Organization Act (removed education functions) PL 96-88
1987: Department of Transportation Appropriations Act PL 100-202
1988: Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act PL 100-360
1989: Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act PL 101-164
1996: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act PL 104-191
2000: Child Abuse Reform and Enforcement Act P.L. 106-177
2010: Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act PL 111-148


document_title: List of countries and dependencies by population

question_text: total number of countries all over the world

text: Method[edit]

text: Figures used in this chart are based on the most up to date estimate or projections[2] by the national census authority where available, and are usually rounded off. Where updated national data are not available, figures are based on the projections for 2017 by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.[3]

text: Because the compiled figures are not collected at the same time in every country, or at the same level of accuracy, the resulting numerical comparisons may create misleading conclusions. Furthermore, the addition of figures from all countries may not equal the world total. A handful of nations have not conducted a census in over 30 years, providing high error margin estimates only.

text: Areas that form integral parts of sovereign states, such as the countries of the United Kingdom, are counted as part of the sovereign states concerned. Not included are other entities, such as the European Union,[Note 1] that are not sovereign states, and independent territories that do not have permanent populations, such as various countries' claims to Antarctica.

text: Sovereign states and dependencies by population[edit]

text: Note: All dependent territories or constituent countries that are parts of sovereign states are shown in italics.

text:
Rank
Country
(or dependent territory)
Population
Date
% of world
population
Source

1
 China[Note 2]
1,386,440,000
September 19, 2017
18.3%
2016 China Statistical Yearbook

2
 India
1,321,450,000
September 19, 2017
17.5%
Official population clock

3
 United States[Note 3]
325,788,000
September 19, 2017
4.3%
Official population clock

4
 Indonesia
261,890,900
July 1, 2017
3.46%
Official annual projection

5
 Pakistan
208,958,000
September 19, 2017
2.76%
Pakistan Bureau of Statistics

6
 Brazil
208,016,000
September 19, 2017
2.75%
Official population clock

7
 Nigeria
193,500,543
July 1, 2016
2.56%
Official annual projection

8
 Bangladesh
163,162,000
September 19, 2017
2.16%
Official population clock

9
 Russia[Note 4]
146,787,329
July 1, 2017
1.94%
Official estimate

10
 Japan
126,750,000
July 1, 2017
1.67%
Monthly provisional estimate

11
 Mexico
123,364,426
July 1, 2017
1.63%
Official projection

12
 Philippines
104,620,000
September 19, 2017
1.38%
Official population clock

13
 Ethiopia
94,351,001
July 1, 2017
1.25%
Official Projection[Note 5]

14
 Vietnam
93,700,000
July 1, 2017
1.24%
Annual official projection

15
 Egypt
93,557,100
September 19, 2017
1.24%
Official population clock

16
 Germany
82,800,000
December 31, 2016
1.09%
Provisional official annual estimate

17
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
81,339,988
July 1, 2017
1.09%
UN Projection

18
 Iran
80,442,100
September 19, 2017
1.063%
Official population clock

19
 Turkey
79,814,871
December 31, 2016
1.05%
Annual official estimate

20
 Thailand
68,414,000
July 1, 2017
0.90%
UN Projection

21
 France[Note 6]
67,080,000
July 1, 2017
0.89%
Monthly official estimate

22
 United Kingdom[Note 7]
65,648,100
July 1, 2016
0.87%
Official mid-year estimate

23
 Italy
60,532,325
March 31, 2017
0.80%
Official estimate

24
 Tanzania[Note 8]
57,310,000
July 1, 2017
0.76%
UN projection

25
 South Africa
56,521,900
July 1, 2017
0.75%
Annual official estimate

26
 Myanmar
55,371,000
July 1, 2017
0.73%
UN projection

27
 South Korea
51,446,201
July 1, 2017
0.68%
Annual official estimate

28
 Kenya
49,699,862
July 1, 2017
0.66%
UN projection

29
 Colombia
49,410,400
September 19, 2017
0.653%
Official population clock

30
 Spain
46,528,966
January 1, 2017
0.61%
Official estimate

31
 Argentina
44,044,811
July 1, 2017
0.58%
Official annual projection

32
 Ukraine[Note 9]
42,467,037
July 1, 2017
0.56%
Monthly official estimate

33
 Algeria
41,697,498
July 1, 2017
0.55%
Official annual projection

34
 Sudan
40,782,742
July 1, 2017
0.54%
Official annual projection

35
 Poland
38,424,000
January 1, 2017
0.51%
Official estimate

36
 Iraq
38,274,618
July 1, 2017
0.49%
UN projection

37
 Uganda
37,673,800
July 1, 2017
0.50%
Official annual projection

38
 Canada
36,662,900
September 19, 2017
0.484%
Official estimate

39
 Morocco[Note 10]
34,438,000
September 19, 2017
0.455%
Official annual projection

40
 Saudi Arabia
33,671,899
July 1, 2017
0.44%
Official estimate

41
 Uzbekistan
32,345,000
July 1, 2017
0.42%
Official population report

42
 Malaysia
32,219,500
September 19, 2017
0.426%
Official population clock

43
 Peru
31,826,018
July 1, 2017
0.42%
Official annual projection

44
 Venezuela
31,431,164
July 1, 2017
0.42%
Official annual projection

45
 Afghanistan
29,700,000
July 1, 2017
0.39%
Annual official estimate

46
 Ghana
28,956,587
July 1, 2017
0.38%
Official annual projection

47
 Nepal
28,825,709
July 1, 2017
0.38%
Official annual projection

48
 Angola
28,359,634
January 1, 2017
0.37%
Official Estimate

49
 Yemen
28,250,000
July 1, 2017
0.37%
UN projection

50
 Mozambique
27,128,530
July 1, 2017
0.36%
Annual official projection

51
 Madagascar
25,571,000
July 1, 2017
0.340%
UN projection

52
 North Korea
25,491,000
July 1, 2017
0.34%
UN projection

53
 Australia
24,657,200
September 19, 2017
0.326%
Official population clock

54
 Ivory Coast
24,295,000
July 1, 2017
0.320%
UN projection

55
 Taiwan[Note 11]
23,556,169
August 31, 2017
0.31%
Monthly official estimate

56
 Cameroon
23,248,044
January 1, 2017
0.310%
Annual official projection

57
 Niger
21,477,348
July 1, 2017
0.28%
UN projection

58
 Sri Lanka
21,203,000
July 1, 2016
0.28%
Official estimate

59
 Romania
19,638,000
January 1, 2017
0.26%
Annual official estimate

60
 Burkina Faso
19,632,147
July 1, 2017
0.26%
Annual official projection

61
 Malawi
18,622,000
July 1, 2017
0.25%
UN Projection

62
 Mali
18,542,000
July 1, 2017
0.24%
UN projection

63
 Syria
18,270,000
July 1, 2017
0.24%
UN projection

64
 Kazakhstan
18,054,000
July 1, 2017
0.24%
Official estimate

65
 Chile
17,373,831
August 31, 2017
0.24%
Preliminary 2017 Census Results

66
 Netherlands
17,156,100
September 19, 2017
0.227%
Official population clock

67
 Ecuador
16,815,600
September 19, 2017
0.222%
Official population clock

68
 Zambia
16,405,229
July 1, 2017
0.22%
Official annual projection

69
 Guatemala
16,176,133
July 1, 2015
0.21%
Official estimate

70
 Cambodia
15,848,495
July 1, 2017
0.21%
Official annual projection

71
 Senegal
15,256,346
January 1, 2017
0.20%
Official annual projection

72
 Chad
14,900,000
July 1, 2017
0.20%
UN projection

73
 Somalia[Note 12]
14,743,000
July 1, 2017
0.19%
UN projection

74
 Zimbabwe
14,542,235
July 1, 2017
0.19%
Official annual projection

75
 Guinea
12,717,176
July 1, 2017
0.17%
UN projection

76
 South Sudan
12,575,714
July 1, 2017
0.17%
UN projection

77
 Rwanda
11,809,300
July 1, 2017
0.16%
Official projection (medium scenario)

78
 Belgium
11,367,186
July 1, 2017
0.15%
Monthly official estimate

79
 Tunisia
11,304,482
July 1, 2016
0.15%
Official estimate

80
 Cuba
11,239,224
December 31, 2016
0.15%
Annual official estimate

81
 Bolivia
11,145,770
July 1, 2017
0.15%
Official Estimate

82
 Haiti
10,911,819
March 31, 2015
0.14%
Official estimate

83
 Greece
10,783,748
January 1, 2016
0.14%
Official estimate

84
 Benin
10,653,654
July 1, 2016
0.14%
Official projection

85
 Czech Republic
10,588,063
June 30, 2017
0.14%
Official quarterly estimate

86
 Burundi
10,400,938
July 1, 2017
0.14%
Official annual projection

87
 Portugal
10,309,573
December 31, 2016
0.14%
Annual official estimate

88
 Dominican Republic
10,169,172
July 1, 2017
0.13%
Official projection

89
 Sweden
10,077,400
September 19, 2017
0.133%
Official Population Clock

90
 Jordan
9,973,520
September 19, 2017
0.132%
Official population clock

91
 Azerbaijan
9,843,031
June 1, 2017
0.13%
Official estimate

92
 Hungary
9,799,000
January 1, 2017
0.13%
Annual official estimate

93
 Belarus
9,495,500
July 1, 2017
0.13%
Official quarterly estimate

94
 United Arab Emirates
9,400,000
July 1, 2017
0.12%
UN projection

95
 Honduras
8,866,351
July 1, 2017
0.12%
Official annual projection

96
 Austria
8,794,267
July 1, 2017
0.12%
Quarterly provisional figure

97
 Israel
8,743,400
September 19, 2017
0.116%
Official population clock

98
 Tajikistan
8,742,000
January 1, 2017
0.12%
Official estimate

99
 Switzerland
8,431,702
March 31, 2017
0.11%
Quarterly provisional figure

100
 Papua New Guinea
8,151,300
July 1, 2016
0.11%
Annual official estimate

–
 Hong Kong (China)
7,374,900
December 31, 2016
0.097%
Official estimate

101
 Togo
7,178,000
July 1, 2017
0.095%
Official estimate

102
 Bulgaria
7,101,859
December 31, 2016
0.094%
Official estimate

103
 Sierra Leone
7,075,641
December 4, 2015
0.093%
Preliminary 2015 census result

104
 Serbia[Note 13]
7,058,322
June 30, 2016
0.093%
Annual official estimate

105
 Paraguay
6,953,646
January 1, 2017
0.092%
Official estimate

106
 El Salvador
6,581,940
July 1, 2017
0.087%
Official projection

107
 Laos
6,492,400
March 1, 2015
0.086%
Preliminary 2015 census result

108
 Libya
6,374,616
July 1, 2017
0.084%
UN projection

109
 Nicaragua
6,305,956
July 1, 2017
0.083%
Official estimate

110
 Kyrgyzstan
6,140,200
January 1, 2017
0.081%
Official estimate

111
 Lebanon
6,082,000
July 1, 2017
0.08%
UN projection

112
 Denmark
5,760,694
July 1, 2017
0.076%
Official quarterly estimate

113
 Turkmenistan
5,758,000
July 1, 2017
0.076%
UN projection

114
 Singapore
5,607,300
July 1, 2016
0.074%
Official estimate

115
 Finland
5,508,714
July 31, 2017
0.073%
Monthly official estimate

116
 Slovakia
5,435,343
December 31, 2016
0.072%
Official estimate

117
 Norway
5,277,762
July 1, 2017
0.07%
Official quarterly estimate

118
 Republic of the Congo
5,261,000
July 1, 2017
0.07%
UN projection

119
 Central African Republic
5,099,000
July 1, 2017
0.067%
UN projection

120
 Eritrea
5,069,000
July 1, 2017
0.067%
UN projection

121
 Costa Rica
4,947,490
June 30, 2017
0.065%
Official estimate

122
 New Zealand
4,817,750
September 19, 2017
0.0637%
Official population clock

123
 Palestine
4,816,503
July 1, 2016
0.064%
Official estimate

124
 Ireland
4,757,976
July 14, 2016
0.063%
Preliminary 2016 census result

125
 Oman
4,573,075
February 1, 2017
0.06%
Official estimate

126
 Croatia
4,154,213
December 31, 2016
0.055%
Annual official estimate

127
 Kuwait
4,132,415
July 1, 2016
0.055%
Official estimate

128
 Liberia
4,076,530
July 1, 2016
0.054%
Official projection

129
 Panama
3,814,672
July 1, 2016
0.05%
Official estimate

130
 Mauritania
3,806,719
July 1, 2017
0.05%
Annual official projection

131
 Georgia[Note 14]
3,718,200
January 1, 2017
0.049%
Annual official estimate

132
 Moldova[Note 15]
3,550,900
January 1, 2017
0.047%
Official estimate

133
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
3,518,000
July 1, 2015
0.046%
Official estimate

134
 Uruguay
3,493,205
June 30, 2017
0.046%
Annual official projection

–
 Puerto Rico (U.S.)
3,411,307
July 1, 2016
0.045%
Official estimate

135
 Mongolia
3,169,575
September 19, 2017
0.042%
Official population clock

136
 Armenia
2,979,900
July 1, 2017
0.039%
Official quarterly estimate

137
 Albania
2,876,591
January 1, 2017
0.038%
Annual official estimate

138
 Lithuania
2,817,537
September 1, 2017
0.037%
Monthly official estimate

139
 Jamaica
2,730,894
December 31, 2016
0.036%
Official estimate

140
 Qatar
2,675,522
January 31, 2017
0.035%
Monthly official estimate

141
 Namibia
2,368,747
July 1, 2017
0.031%
Official projection

142
 Botswana
2,230,905
July 1, 2016
0.029%
Official annual projection

143
 Lesotho
2,233,000
July 1, 2017
0.03%
UN projection

144
 The Gambia
2,101,000
July 1, 2017
0.028%
UN projection

145
 Macedonia
2,073,702
December 31, 2016
0.027%
Official estimate

146
 Slovenia
2,065,895
January 1, 2017
0.027%
Official estimate

147
 Latvia
1,935,800
August 1, 2017
0.026%
Monthly official estimate

148
 Kosovo[Note 16]
1,836,978
January 1, 2016
0.024%
Official annual projection

149
 Gabon
1,811,079
June 2, 2016
0.024%
Estimate (press release)

150
 Guinea-Bissau
1,547,777
July 1, 2016
0.02%
Official projection

151
 Bahrain
1,404,900
July 1, 2016
0.019%
Official annual projection

152
 Trinidad and Tobago
1,353,895
July 1, 2016
0.018%
Official estimate

153
 Estonia
1,315,635
January 1, 2017
0.017%
Official estimate

154
 Mauritius
1,263,820
December 31, 2016
0.017%
Official estimate

155
 Equatorial Guinea
1,222,442
July 4, 2015
0.016%
Preliminary 2015 census result

156
 East Timor
1,167,242
July 11, 2015
0.015%
Preliminary 2015 census result

157
 Swaziland
1,132,657
July 1, 2016
0.015%
Official projection

158
 Djibouti
900,000
July 1, 2016
0.012%
UN projection

159
 Fiji
869,458
July 1, 2015
0.011%
Annual official estimate

160
 Cyprus
848,300
December 31, 2015
0.011%
Official estimate

161
 Comoros
806,153
July 1, 2016
0.011%
Official estimate

162
 Bhutan
791,350
September 19, 2017
0.01%
Official population clock

163
 Guyana
746,900
July 1, 2013
0.0099%
Official estimate

–
 Macau (China)
648,300
March 31, 2017
0.0086%
Official quarterly estimate

164
 Solomon Islands
642,000
July 1, 2015
0.0085%
Annual official estimate

165
 Montenegro
622,387
January 1, 2017
0.0082%
Official estimate

166
 Luxembourg
590,667
January 1, 2017
0.0078%
Official estimate

–
 Western Sahara[Note 17]
552,628
July 1, 2017
0.0073%
UN projection

167
 Suriname
541,638
August 13, 2012
0.0072%
Final 2012 census result

168
 Cape Verde
531,239
July 1, 2016
0.007%
Official annual projection

–
 Transnistria[Note 18]
475,665
October 15, 2015
0.0063%
Preliminary 2015 census result

169
 Malta
429,344
December 31, 2014
0.0057%
Official estimate

170
 Brunei
417,200
July 1, 2015
0.0055%
Official estimate

171
 Belize
380,010
October 1, 2016
0.005%
Official estimate

172
 Bahamas
378,040
July 1, 2016
0.005%
Official projection

173
 Maldives
344,023
September 20, 2014
0.0045%
Preliminary 2014 census result

174
 Iceland
343,960
June 30, 2017
0.0045%
Official quarterly estimate

–
 Northern Cyprus[Note 19]
313,626
June 30, 2014
0.0041%
Official estimate

175
 Barbados
285,000
July 1, 2016
0.0038%
UN projection

176
 Vanuatu
277,500
July 1, 2015
0.0037%
Annual official estimate

–
 French Polynesia (France)
271,800
December 31, 2014
0.0036%
Official estimate

–
 New Caledonia (France)
268,767
August 26, 2014
0.0036%
Preliminary 2014 census result

–
 Abkhazia[Note 20]
240,705
February 28, 2011
0.0032%
2011 census result

177
 Samoa
196,315
January 1, 2017
0.0026%
Official projection

178
 São Tomé and Príncipe
187,356
May 13, 2012
0.0025%
2012 census result

179
 Saint Lucia
186,000
July 1, 2016
0.0025%
UN projection

–
 Guam (U.S.)
184,200
July 1, 2015
0.0024%
Annual official estimate

–
 Curaçao (Netherlands)
158,986
January 1, 2016
0.0021%
Annual official estimate

–
 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic[Note 21]
150,932
December 1, 2015
0.002%
Preliminary 2015 census result

180
 Kiribati
113,400
July 1, 2015
0.0015%
Annual official estimate

–
 Aruba (Netherlands)
110,108
December 31, 2015
0.0015%
Official quarterly estimate

181
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
109,991
June 12, 2012
0.0015%
Preliminary 2012 census result

–
 United States Virgin Islands (U.S.)
106,000
July 1, 2016
0.0014%
UN projection

–
 Jersey (UK)
104,200
December 31, 2016
0.0014%
Annual official estimate

182
 Grenada
103,328
May 12, 2011
0.0014%
2011 census result

183
 Tonga
103,252
November 30, 2011
0.0014%
2011 census result

184
 Federated States of Micronesia
102,800
July 1, 2015
0.0014%
Annual official estimate

185
 Seychelles
94,205
December 31, 2016
0.0012%
Official estimate

186
 Antigua and Barbuda
86,295
May 27, 2011
0.0011%
Preliminary 2011 census result

–
 Isle of Man (UK)
83,314
April 24, 2016
0.0011%
2016 census result

187
 Andorra
78,264
December 31, 2016
0.001%
Annual official estimate

188
 Dominica
71,293
May 14, 2011
0.00094%
Preliminary 2011 census result

–
 Guernsey (UK)
62,723
March 31, 2016
0.00083%
Official estimate

–
 Bermuda (UK)
61,954
July 1, 2013
0.00082%
Official estimate

–
 Cayman Islands (UK)
60,413
December 31, 2015
0.0008%
Official estimate

–
 American Samoa (U.S.)
57,100
July 1, 2015
0.00075%
Annual official estimate

–
 Northern Mariana Islands (U.S.)
56,940
July 1, 2015
0.00075%
Annual official estimate

–
 Greenland (Denmark)
56,483
September 14, 2016
0.00074%
Annual official estimate

189
 Marshall Islands
54,880
July 1, 2015
0.00073%
Annual official estimate

–
 South Ossetia[Note 22]
53,532
October 15, 2015
0.00071%
Preliminary 2015 census result

–
 Faroe Islands (Denmark)
50,451
August 1, 2017
0.00067%
Monthly official estimate

190
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
46,204
May 15, 2011
0.00061%
2011 census result

–
 Sint Maarten (Netherlands)
39,410
January 1, 2016
0.00052%
Official estimate

191
 Liechtenstein
37,815
December 31, 2016
0.0005%
Semi annual official estimate

192
 Monaco
37,550
December 31, 2016
0.0005%
Annual official estimate

–
 Saint-Martin (France)
36,457
January 1, 2015
0.00048%
Annual official estimate

193
 San Marino
33,230
June 30, 2017
0.00044%
Monthly official estimate

–
 Gibraltar (UK)
33,140
December 31, 2014
0.00044%
Annual official estimate

–
 Turks and Caicos Islands (UK)
31,458
January 25, 2012
0.00042%
2012 census result

–
 British Virgin Islands (UK)
28,514
July 1, 2013
0.00038%
Official estimate

–
 Cook Islands (NZ)
18,100
March 1, 2016
0.00024%
Official quarterly estimate

194
 Palau
17,950
July 1, 2015
0.00024%
Annual official estimate

–
 Anguilla (UK)
13,452
May 11, 2011
0.00018%
Preliminary 2011 census result

–
 Wallis and Futuna (France)
11,750
July 1, 2015
0.00016%
Annual official estimate

195
 Tuvalu
10,640
November 4, 2012
0.00014%
2012 census result

196
 Nauru
10,084
October 30, 2011
0.00013%
2011 census result

–
 Saint Barthélemy (France)
9,417
January 1, 2015
0.00012%
Annual official estimate

–
 Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France)
6,286
January 1, 2015
0.000083%
Annual official estimate

–
 Saint Helena, Ascension
and Tristan da Cunha (UK)
5,633
February 7, 2016
0.000074%
2016 census result

–
 Montserrat (UK)
4,922
May 12, 2011
0.000065%
2011 census result

–
 Falkland Islands (UK)
2,563
April 15, 2012
0.000034%
2012 census result

–
 Norfolk Island (Australia)
2,302
August 9, 2011
0.000030%
2011 census result

–
 Christmas Island (Australia)
2,072
August 9, 2011
0.000027%
2011 census result

–
 Niue (NZ)
1,470
July 1, 2015
0.00002%
Annual official estimate

–
 Tokelau (NZ)
1,411
October 18, 2011
0.000019%
2011 census result

197
 Vatican City
800
January 1, 2014
0.000011%
Official estimate

–
 Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia)
550
August 9, 2011
0.0000073%
2011 census result

–
 Pitcairn Islands (UK)
57
July 1, 2014
0.00000075%
Official estimate