Belgium has a population density of 1,011 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Belgium has 27,855 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Belgium and Japan rank 24th and 28th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Belgium has 0.15% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Belgium 16% higher than in Japan.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Belgium
|
Japan
|
|
| 2026 | 1,011 | 872 |
| 2025 | 1,009 | 876 |
| 2024 | 1,007 | 881 |
| 2023 | 1,001 | 885 |
| 2022 | 992 | 889 |
| 2021 | 984 | 893 |
| 2020 | 980 | 897 |
| 2019 | 976 | 900 |
| 2018 | 971 | 901 |
| 2017 | 971 | 902 |
| 2016 | 968 | 903 |
| 2015 | 963 | 903 |
| 2014 | 957 | 904 |
| 2013 | 953 | 906 |
| 2012 | 948 | 907 |
| 2011 | 943 | 908 |
| 2010 | 930 | 910 |
| 2009 | 922 | 910 |
| 2008 | 914 | 910 |
| 2007 | 907 | 910 |
| 2006 | 901 | 908 |
| 2005 | 895 | 908 |
| 2004 | 890 | 908 |
| 2003 | 886 | 908 |
| 2002 | 882 | 906 |
| 2001 | 878 | 903 |
| 2000 | 875 | 901 |
| 1999 | - | 900 |
| 1998 | - | 898 |
| 1997 | - | 896 |
| 1996 | - | 894 |
| 1995 | - | 891 |
| 1994 | - | 889 |
| 1993 | - | 887 |
| 1992 | - | 884 |
| 1991 | - | 881 |
| 1990 | - | 877 |
| 1989 | - | 874 |
| 1988 | - | 871 |
| 1987 | - | 867 |
| 1986 | - | 863 |
| 1985 | - | 858 |
| 1984 | - | 853 |
| 1983 | - | 844 |
| 1982 | - | 838 |
| 1981 | - | 832 |
| 1980 | - | 826 |
| 1979 | - | 819 |
| 1978 | - | 812 |
| 1977 | - | 805 |
| 1976 | - | 797 |
| 1975 | - | 788 |
| 1974 | - | 778 |
| 1973 | - | 768 |
| 1972 | - | 757 |
| 1971 | - | 747 |
| 1970 | - | 730 |
| 1969 | - | 722 |
| 1968 | - | 713 |
| 1967 | - | 705 |
| 1966 | - | 698 |
| 1965 | - | 692 |
| 1964 | - | 684 |
| 1963 | - | 677 |
| 1962 | - | 671 |
| 1961 | - | 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/belgium/japan | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Belgium increased by 12.2%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.
In 2006, Belgium ranked 20th by population density and is 24th now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Belgium
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,011 ppl/mi² | 872 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 24/197 | 28/197 |
| Population |
11902714
|
122677250
|
| Land area | 11,774 sq mi | 140,761 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 27,679 sq ft | 31,653 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.4% | 7.81% |
| Urban population | 87.6% | 92.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 28.3% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 87.6% | 92.2% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | 92.1% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | 92% |
| 2021 | 87.4% | 91.9% |
| 2020 | 87.3% | 91.8% |
| 2019 | 87.1% | 91.7% |
| 2018 | 86.9% | 91.6% |
| 2017 | 86.7% | 91.5% |
| 2016 | 86.5% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 86.2% | 91.4% |
| 2014 | 86% | 91.3% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | 91.2% |
| 2012 | 85.5% | 91% |
| 2011 | 85.2% | 90.9% |
| 2010 | 85% | 90.6% |
| 2009 | 84.7% | 90.1% |
| 2008 | 84.4% | 89.3% |
| 2007 | 84.1% | 88.3% |
| 2006 | 83.9% | 87.1% |
| 2005 | 83.6% | 86% |
| 2004 | 83.3% | 84.4% |
| 2003 | 83% | 82.4% |
| 2002 | 82.7% | 80.5% |
| 2001 | 82.3% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 82% | 78.6% |
| 1999 | 81.7% | 78.4% |
| 1998 | 81.4% | 78.3% |
| 1997 | 81% | 78.2% |
| 1996 | 80.7% | 78.1% |
| 1995 | 80.3% | 78% |
| 1994 | 80% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 79.6% | 77.7% |
| 1992 | 79.3% | 77.6% |
| 1991 | 78.9% | 77.5% |
| 1990 | 78.6% | 77.3% |
| 1989 | 78.2% | 77.2% |
| 1988 | 77.8% | 77.1% |
| 1987 | 77.4% | 76.9% |
| 1986 | 77.1% | 76.8% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 76.7% |
| 1984 | 76.3% | 76.6% |
| 1983 | 75.9% | 76.5% |
| 1982 | 75.5% | 76.3% |
| 1981 | 75.1% | 76.3% |
| 1980 | 74.7% | 76.2% |
| 1979 | 74.3% | 76.1% |
| 1978 | 73.9% | 76.1% |
| 1977 | 73.5% | 76% |
| 1976 | 73.1% | 76% |
| 1975 | 72.7% | 75.9% |
| 1974 | 72.3% | 75.4% |
| 1973 | 71.9% | 74.6% |
| 1972 | 71.5% | 73.7% |
| 1971 | 71.1% | 72.7% |
| 1970 | 70.6% | 71.9% |
| 1969 | 70.2% | 71.1% |
| 1968 | 69.6% | 70.3% |
| 1967 | 69.1% | 69.5% |
| 1966 | 68.6% | 68.7% |
| 1965 | 68% | 67.9% |
| 1964 | 67.5% | 67% |
| 1963 | 67% | 66.1% |
| 1962 | 66.6% | 65.2% |
| 1961 | 66.2% | 64.3% |
| 1960 | 65.9% | 63.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/japan | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 83.3% to 87.6% in Belgium and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.
Densely populated cities
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Brussels | 1.25M |
| Antwerp | 529K |
| Ghent | 273K |
| Charleroi | 204K |
| Liege | 195K |
| Schaerbeek | 133K |
| Anderlecht | 121K |
| Bruges | 119K |
| Namur | 115K |
| Leuven | 101K |
|
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
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/belgium/japan | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
- Wikidata (2020–2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.