Australia has a population density of 9.16 people per square mile compared to 389 people in China. Australia has 3,043,442 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Australia and China are ranked 196th and 64th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Australia has 0.33% of the world's population and 5.16% of the land area of all countries, compared to 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of the land area for China, hence the population density in Australia is 97.6% lower than in China.
Population density comparison
Australia
|
China
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 9.16 ppl/mi² | 389 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 196/197 | 64/197 |
| Population |
27677455
|
1405773318
|
| Land area | 2,969,906 sq mi | 3,624,808 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 3,043,440 sq ft | 71,722 sq ft |
| Rural population | 13.2% | 34.5% |
| Urban population | 86.8% | 65.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 62.6% | 95.3% |
Australia vs China:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Australia increased by 36.3%, compared to a 8.71% growth in China.
In 2004, Australia ranked 190th for population density and is in 196th place now. China was 55th in 2004 and ranks 64th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Australia
|
China
|
|
| 2024 | 9.16 | 389 |
| 2023 | 8.97 | 389 |
| 2022 | 8.76 | 390 |
| 2021 | 8.65 | 390 |
| 2020 | 8.64 | 389 |
| 2019 | 8.53 | 388 |
| 2018 | 8.41 | 387 |
| 2017 | 8.28 | 385 |
| 2016 | 8.15 | 383 |
| 2015 | 8.03 | 381 |
| 2014 | 7.91 | 378 |
| 2013 | 7.8 | 376 |
| 2012 | 7.66 | 374 |
| 2011 | 7.53 | 371 |
| 2010 | 7.43 | 369 |
| 2009 | 7.31 | 367 |
| 2008 | 7.16 | 365 |
| 2007 | 7.02 | 364 |
| 2006 | 6.89 | 362 |
| 2005 | 6.8 | 360 |
| 2004 | 6.72 | 358 |
| 2003 | 6.65 | 355 |
| 2002 | 6.57 | 353 |
| 2001 | 6.5 | 351 |
| 2000 | 6.42 | 348 |
| 1999 | 6.34 | 346 |
| 1998 | 6.27 | 343 |
| 1997 | 6.21 | 339 |
| 1996 | 6.14 | 336 |
| 1995 | 6.07 | 332 |
| 1994 | 6 | 329 |
| 1993 | 5.95 | 325 |
| 1992 | 5.89 | 321 |
| 1991 | 5.83 | 317 |
| 1990 | 5.75 | 313 |
| 1989 | 5.67 | 309 |
| 1988 | 5.57 | 304 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 299.1 |
| 1986 | 5.4 | 294.3 |
| 1985 | 5.32 | 290 |
| 1984 | 5.25 | 286 |
| 1983 | 5.19 | 282.3 |
| 1982 | 5.12 | 278.3 |
| 1981 | 5.03 | 274.2 |
| 1980 | 4.95 | 270.7 |
| 1979 | 4.89 | 267.3 |
| 1978 | 4.84 | 263.8 |
| 1977 | 4.78 | 260.3 |
| 1976 | 4.73 | 256.8 |
| 1975 | 4.68 | 252.8 |
| 1974 | 4.63 | 248.4 |
| 1973 | 4.51 | 243.3 |
| 1972 | 4.44 | 237.8 |
| 1971 | 4.36 | 232 |
| 1970 | 4.22 | 225.8 |
| 1969 | 4.13 | 219.6 |
| 1968 | 4.05 | 213.7 |
| 1967 | 3.98 | 208.2 |
| 1966 | 3.93 | 202.9 |
| 1965 | 3.84 | 197.3 |
| 1964 | 3.76 | 192.7 |
| 1963 | 3.69 | 188.2 |
| 1962 | 3.62 | 183.7 |
| 1961 | 3.53 | 182.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Australia
|
China
|
|
| 2024 | 86.8% | 65.5% |
| 2023 | 86.6% | 64.6% |
| 2022 | 86.5% | 63.6% |
| 2021 | 86.4% | 62.5% |
| 2020 | 86.2% | 61.4% |
| 2019 | 86.1% | 60.3% |
| 2018 | 86% | 59.2% |
| 2017 | 85.9% | 58% |
| 2016 | 85.8% | 56.7% |
| 2015 | 85.7% | 55.5% |
| 2014 | 85.6% | 54.3% |
| 2013 | 85.5% | 53% |
| 2012 | 85.4% | 51.8% |
| 2011 | 85.3% | 50.5% |
| 2010 | 85.2% | 49.2% |
| 2009 | 85.1% | 47.9% |
| 2008 | 84.9% | 46.5% |
| 2007 | 84.8% | 45.2% |
| 2006 | 84.7% | 43.9% |
| 2005 | 84.6% | 42.5% |
| 2004 | 84.5% | 41.1% |
| 2003 | 84.3% | 39.8% |
| 2002 | 84.2% | 38.4% |
| 2001 | 84.1% | 37.1% |
| 2000 | 84.2% | 35.9% |
| 1999 | 84.4% | 34.9% |
| 1998 | 84.5% | 33.9% |
| 1997 | 84.6% | 32.9% |
| 1996 | 84.8% | 31.9% |
| 1995 | 84.9% | 31% |
| 1994 | 85% | 30% |
| 1993 | 85.2% | 29.1% |
| 1992 | 85.3% | 28.2% |
| 1991 | 85.4% | 27.3% |
| 1990 | 85.4% | 26.4% |
| 1989 | 85.5% | 25.7% |
| 1988 | 85.5% | 25% |
| 1987 | 85.5% | 24.3% |
| 1986 | 85.6% | 23.6% |
| 1985 | 85.6% | 22.9% |
| 1984 | 85.6% | 22.2% |
| 1983 | 85.6% | 21.5% |
| 1982 | 85.7% | 20.9% |
| 1981 | 85.7% | 20.1% |
| 1980 | 85.6% | 19.4% |
| 1979 | 85.4% | 18.6% |
| 1978 | 85.3% | 17.9% |
| 1977 | 85.1% | 17.5% |
| 1976 | 84.9% | 17.5% |
| 1975 | 84.8% | 17.4% |
| 1974 | 84.6% | 17.3% |
| 1973 | 84.5% | 17.2% |
| 1972 | 84.3% | 17.2% |
| 1971 | 84.2% | 17.3% |
| 1970 | 84% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 83.8% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 83.7% | 17.7% |
| 1967 | 83.5% | 17.8% |
| 1966 | 83.3% | 17.9% |
| 1965 | 83.1% | 18.1% |
| 1964 | 82.8% | 18.3% |
| 1963 | 82.5% | 17.8% |
| 1962 | 82.2% | 17.2% |
| 1961 | 81.9% | 16.7% |
| 1960 | 81.5% | 16.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 84.5% to 86.8% in Australia and from 41.1% to 65.5% in China.
Densely populated cities
|
Australia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Sydney | 5.45M |
| Melbourne | 5.35M |
| Brisbane | 2.71M |
| Perth | 2.14M |
| Adelaide | 1.39M |
| Gold Coast | 608K |
| Canberra | 381K |
| Sunshine Coast | 284K |
| Wollongong | 262K |
| Ipswich | 233K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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