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Population density: Brazil vs Japan compared

Updated on by Georank team

Brazil has a population density of 66.2 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Brazil has 432,375 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Brazil and Japan rank 164th and 28th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Brazil has 2.61% of the world's population and 5.61% 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 Brazil 92.4% lower than in Japan.

Population density by year

Brazil
Japan

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Brazil Japan
2026 66.2 872
2025 66 876
2024 65.7 881
2023 65.4 885
2022 65.2 889
2021 64.9 893
2020 64.7 897
2019 64.3 900
2018 63.9 901
2017 63.4 902
2016 63 903
2015 62.5 903
2014 62 904
2013 61.5 906
2012 61 907
2011 60.5 908
2010 60 910
2009 59.5 910
2008 59 910
2007 58.4 910
2006 57.8 908
2005 57.2 908
2004 56.6 908
2003 56 908
2002 55.3 906
2001 54.6 903
2000 53.9 901
1999 53.2 900
1998 52.4 898
1997 51.6 896
1996 50.9 894
1995 50.1 891
1994 49.4 889
1993 48.6 887
1992 47.8 884
1991 47 881
1990 46.2 877
1989 45.4 874
1988 44.6 871
1987 43.7 867
1986 42.9 863
1985 42 858
1984 41.1 853
1983 40.2 844
1982 39.3 838
1981 38.4 832
1980 37.6 826
1979 36.7 819
1978 35.8 812
1977 35 805
1976 34.2 797
1975 33.3 788
1974 32.6 778
1973 31.8 768
1972 31 757
1971 30.3 747
1970 29.6 730
1969 28.8 722
1968 28.1 713
1967 27.4 705
1966 26.7 698
1965 26 692
1964 25.3 684
1963 24.5 677
1962 23.8 671
1961 23.1 664

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/brazil/japan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Brazil increased by 14.5%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.

In 2006, Brazil ranked 154th by population density and is 164th now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Brazil
Japan
1x
Year Urban population
Brazil Japan
2024 87.9% 92.2%
2023 87.6% 92.1%
2022 87.3% 92%
2021 87.1% 91.9%
2020 86.9% 91.8%
2019 86.7% 91.7%
2018 86.4% 91.6%
2017 86.2% 91.5%
2016 85.9% 91.5%
2015 85.7% 91.4%
2014 85.4% 91.3%
2013 85.2% 91.2%
2012 84.9% 91%
2011 84.6% 90.9%
2010 84.3% 90.6%
2009 84.1% 90.1%
2008 83.8% 89.3%
2007 83.5% 88.3%
2006 83.3% 87.1%
2005 83% 86%
2004 82.7% 84.4%
2003 82.4% 82.4%
2002 82% 80.5%
2001 81.6% 79.2%
2000 81.1% 78.6%
1999 80.5% 78.4%
1998 79.8% 78.3%
1997 79% 78.2%
1996 78.3% 78.1%
1995 77.7% 78%
1994 77.2% 77.9%
1993 76.6% 77.7%
1992 76.1% 77.6%
1991 75.5% 77.5%
1990 74.9% 77.3%
1989 74.2% 77.2%
1988 73.6% 77.1%
1987 73% 76.9%
1986 72.3% 76.8%
1985 71.6% 76.7%
1984 70.9% 76.6%
1983 70.1% 76.5%
1982 69.3% 76.3%
1981 68.4% 76.3%
1980 67.4% 76.2%
1979 66.3% 76.1%
1978 65% 76.1%
1977 63.5% 76%
1976 61.9% 76%
1975 60.3% 75.9%
1974 58.7% 75.4%
1973 57.1% 74.6%
1972 55.7% 73.7%
1971 54.3% 72.7%
1970 53.2% 71.9%
1969 52.2% 71.1%
1968 51.2% 70.3%
1967 50.3% 69.5%
1966 49.5% 68.7%
1965 48.7% 67.9%
1964 47.9% 67%
1963 47.1% 66.1%
1962 46.3% 65.2%
1961 45.5% 64.3%
1960 44.7% 63.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.7% to 87.9% in Brazil and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.

Densely populated cities

Brazil
City Population
Sao Paulo 11.5M
Rio de Janeiro 6.21M
Brasilia 3M
Fortaleza 2.58M
Salvador 2.42M
Belo Horizonte 2.32M
Manaus 2.3M
Curitiba 1.77M
Recife 1.49M
Goiania 1.44M
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/brazil/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 (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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