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Population density: Bangladesh vs China compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bangladesh has a population density of 3,544 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Bangladesh has 9,152 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Bangladesh and China rank 7th and 67th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bangladesh has 2.14% of the world's population and 0.09% of all countries' land area, compared to 17.3% of the population and 6.3% of the land area for China, making the population density in Bangladesh 816% higher than in China.

Population density by year

Bangladesh
China

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bangladesh China
2026 3,544 387
2025 3,501 388
2024 3,458 389
2023 3,417 389
2022 3,368 390
2021 3,336 390
2020 3,309 389
2019 3,281 388
2018 3,254 387
2017 3,227 385
2016 3,200 383
2015 3,171 381
2014 3,143 378
2013 3,115 376
2012 3,085 374
2011 3,056 371
2010 3,028 369
2009 3,002 367
2008 2,974 365
2007 2,945 364
2006 2,913 362
2005 2,879 360
2004 2,843 358
2003 2,805 355
2002 2,764 353
2001 2,722 351
2000 2,677 348
1999 2,629 346
1998 2,579 343
1997 2,531 339
1996 2,484 336
1995 2,439 332
1994 2,394 329
1993 2,350 325
1992 2,307 321
1991 2,264 317
1990 2,221 313
1989 2,177 309
1988 2,133 304
1987 2,088 299.1
1986 2,042 294.3
1985 1,995 290
1984 1,946 286
1983 1,897 282.3
1982 1,847 278.3
1981 1,797 274.2
1980 1,751 270.7
1979 1,710 267.3
1978 1,669 263.8
1977 1,629 260.3
1976 1,589 256.8
1975 1,549 252.8
1974 1,509 248.4
1973 1,467 243.3
1972 1,425 237.8
1971 1,398 232
1970 1,374 225.8
1969 1,339 219.6
1968 1,301 213.7
1967 1,264 208.2
1966 1,227 202.9
1965 1,192 197.3
1964 1,158 192.7
1963 1,124 188.2
1962 1,092 183.7
1961 1,061 182.2

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/china | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bangladesh increased by 21.6%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.

In 2006, Bangladesh ranked 6th by population density and is 7th now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bangladesh
China
1x
Year Urban population
Bangladesh China
2024 32.7% 65.9%
2023 32.2% 65.5%
2022 31.7% 65.2%
2021 31.4% 64.7%
2020 31.1% 63.5%
2019 30.8% 62.7%
2018 30.5% 61.5%
2017 30.2% 60.2%
2016 29.9% 58.8%
2015 29.5% 57.3%
2014 29.2% 55.8%
2013 28.8% 54.5%
2012 28.5% 53.1%
2011 28.1% 51.8%
2010 27.7% 49.2%
2009 27.3% 48.3%
2008 26.9% 47%
2007 26.4% 45.9%
2006 25.9% 44.3%
2005 25.5% 43%
2004 25% 41.8%
2003 24.6% 40.5%
2002 24.1% 39.1%
2001 23.7% 37.7%
2000 23.3% 36.4%
1999 23% 34.8%
1998 22.6% 33.4%
1997 22.3% 31.9%
1996 22% 30.5%
1995 21.7% 29%
1994 21.3% 28.5%
1993 21% 28%
1992 20.6% 27.5%
1991 20.3% 26.9%
1990 19.9% 26.2%
1989 19.4% 26.2%
1988 19% 25.8%
1987 18.6% 25.3%
1986 18.1% 24.5%
1985 17.6% 23.7%
1984 17.1% 23%
1983 16.6% 21.6%
1982 16% 20.6%
1981 15.4% 20.2%
1980 14.7% 19.4%
1979 13.8% 19%
1978 12.7% 17.9%
1977 11.6% 17.6%
1976 10.6% 17.4%
1975 9.63% 17.3%
1974 8.96% 17.2%
1973 8.49% 17.2%
1972 8.09% 17.1%
1971 7.72% 17.3%
1970 7.38% 17.4%
1969 7.07% 17.5%
1968 6.79% 17.6%
1967 6.53% 17.7%
1966 6.29% 17.9%
1965 6.07% 18%
1964 5.85% 18.3%
1963 5.66% 16.8%
1962 5.47% 17.3%
1961 5.28% 19.3%
1960 5.11% 19.7%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/china | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25% to 32.7% in Bangladesh and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.

Densely populated cities

Bangladesh
City Population
Dhaka 16.8M
Chittagong 2.58M
Narayanganj 968K
Khulna 929K
Sylhet 480K
Rajshahi 448K
Bogra 401K
Barisal 328K
Rangpur 294K
Brahmanbaria 268K
China
City Population
Chongqing 32.1M
Shanghai 24.9M
Beijing 21.9M
Chengdu 20.9M
Guangzhou 18.7M
Shenzhen 17.5M
Tianjin 13.9M
Xi'an 13M
Suzhou 12.7M
Zhengzhou 12.6M

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/china | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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