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Population density: Bangladesh vs Japan compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bangladesh has a population density of 3,544 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Bangladesh has 9,152 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Bangladesh and Japan rank 7th and 28th 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 1.53% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Japan, making the population density in Bangladesh 307% higher than in Japan.

Population density by year

Bangladesh
Japan

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bangladesh Japan
2026 3,544 872
2025 3,501 876
2024 3,458 881
2023 3,417 885
2022 3,368 889
2021 3,336 893
2020 3,309 897
2019 3,281 900
2018 3,254 901
2017 3,227 902
2016 3,200 903
2015 3,171 903
2014 3,143 904
2013 3,115 906
2012 3,085 907
2011 3,056 908
2010 3,028 910
2009 3,002 910
2008 2,974 910
2007 2,945 910
2006 2,913 908
2005 2,879 908
2004 2,843 908
2003 2,805 908
2002 2,764 906
2001 2,722 903
2000 2,677 901
1999 2,629 900
1998 2,579 898
1997 2,531 896
1996 2,484 894
1995 2,439 891
1994 2,394 889
1993 2,350 887
1992 2,307 884
1991 2,264 881
1990 2,221 877
1989 2,177 874
1988 2,133 871
1987 2,088 867
1986 2,042 863
1985 1,995 858
1984 1,946 853
1983 1,897 844
1982 1,847 838
1981 1,797 832
1980 1,751 826
1979 1,710 819
1978 1,669 812
1977 1,629 805
1976 1,589 797
1975 1,549 788
1974 1,509 778
1973 1,467 768
1972 1,425 757
1971 1,398 747
1970 1,374 730
1969 1,339 722
1968 1,301 713
1967 1,264 705
1966 1,227 698
1965 1,192 692
1964 1,158 684
1963 1,124 677
1962 1,092 671
1961 1,061 664

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/japan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bangladesh increased by 21.6%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.

In 2006, Bangladesh ranked 6th by population density and is 7th now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bangladesh
Japan
1x
Year Urban population
Bangladesh Japan
2024 32.7% 92.2%
2023 32.2% 92.1%
2022 31.7% 92%
2021 31.4% 91.9%
2020 31.1% 91.8%
2019 30.8% 91.7%
2018 30.5% 91.6%
2017 30.2% 91.5%
2016 29.9% 91.5%
2015 29.5% 91.4%
2014 29.2% 91.3%
2013 28.8% 91.2%
2012 28.5% 91%
2011 28.1% 90.9%
2010 27.7% 90.6%
2009 27.3% 90.1%
2008 26.9% 89.3%
2007 26.4% 88.3%
2006 25.9% 87.1%
2005 25.5% 86%
2004 25% 84.4%
2003 24.6% 82.4%
2002 24.1% 80.5%
2001 23.7% 79.2%
2000 23.3% 78.6%
1999 23% 78.4%
1998 22.6% 78.3%
1997 22.3% 78.2%
1996 22% 78.1%
1995 21.7% 78%
1994 21.3% 77.9%
1993 21% 77.7%
1992 20.6% 77.6%
1991 20.3% 77.5%
1990 19.9% 77.3%
1989 19.4% 77.2%
1988 19% 77.1%
1987 18.6% 76.9%
1986 18.1% 76.8%
1985 17.6% 76.7%
1984 17.1% 76.6%
1983 16.6% 76.5%
1982 16% 76.3%
1981 15.4% 76.3%
1980 14.7% 76.2%
1979 13.8% 76.1%
1978 12.7% 76.1%
1977 11.6% 76%
1976 10.6% 76%
1975 9.63% 75.9%
1974 8.96% 75.4%
1973 8.49% 74.6%
1972 8.09% 73.7%
1971 7.72% 72.7%
1970 7.38% 71.9%
1969 7.07% 71.1%
1968 6.79% 70.3%
1967 6.53% 69.5%
1966 6.29% 68.7%
1965 6.07% 67.9%
1964 5.85% 67%
1963 5.66% 66.1%
1962 5.47% 65.2%
1961 5.28% 64.3%
1960 5.11% 63.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25% to 32.7% in Bangladesh and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.

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
Japan
City Population
Tokyo 14.3M
Yokohama 3.76M
Osaka 2.75M
Nagoya 2.33M
Sapporo 1.96M
Fukuoka 1.6M
Kawasaki 1.54M
Kobe 1.52M
Kyoto 1.46M
Saitama 1.33M

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/japan | 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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