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Population density: Burkina Faso vs China compared

Updated on by Georank team

Burkina Faso has a population density of 233 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Burkina Faso has 125,334 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Burkina Faso and China rank 99th and 67th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burkina Faso has 0.29% of the world's population and 0.18% 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 Burkina Faso 39.8% lower than in China.

Population density by year

Burkina Faso
China

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Burkina Faso China
2026 233 387
2025 228 388
2024 222.9 389
2023 218 389
2022 213.1 390
2021 208.2 390
2020 203.3 389
2019 198.4 388
2018 193.5 387
2017 188.3 385
2016 183 383
2015 177.8 381
2014 172.6 378
2013 167.5 376
2012 162.6 374
2011 157.7 371
2010 153.1 369
2009 148.7 367
2008 144.4 365
2007 140.3 364
2006 136.1 362
2005 131.9 360
2004 127.8 358
2003 123.8 355
2002 120 353
2001 116.4 351
2000 112.9 348
1999 109.6 346
1998 106.4 343
1997 103.5 339
1996 100.9 336
1995 98.3 332
1994 95.8 329
1993 93.4 325
1992 91.2 321
1991 88.9 317
1990 86.7 313
1989 84.5 309
1988 82.2 304
1987 80.1 299.1
1986 77.9 294.3
1985 75.7 290
1984 73.6 286
1983 71.5 282.3
1982 69.5 278.3
1981 67.6 274.2
1980 65.8 270.7
1979 64 267.3
1978 62.4 263.8
1977 60.9 260.3
1976 59.5 256.8
1975 58.2 252.8
1974 57 248.4
1973 56 243.3
1972 55 237.8
1971 54 232
1970 53.1 225.8
1969 52.2 219.6
1968 51.3 213.7
1967 50.4 208.2
1966 49.6 202.9
1965 48.8 197.3
1964 48 192.7
1963 47.3 188.2
1962 46.6 183.7
1961 45.9 182.2

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/burkina-faso/china | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Burkina Faso increased by 71.2%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.

In 2006, Burkina Faso ranked 121st by population density and is 99th now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Burkina Faso
China
1x
Year Urban population
Burkina Faso China
2024 28.3% 65.9%
2023 27.8% 65.5%
2022 27.3% 65.2%
2021 26.8% 64.7%
2020 26.4% 63.5%
2019 26.1% 62.7%
2018 26.1% 61.5%
2017 26% 60.2%
2016 25.8% 58.8%
2015 25.6% 57.3%
2014 25.4% 55.8%
2013 25.1% 54.5%
2012 24.8% 53.1%
2011 24.5% 51.8%
2010 24.1% 49.2%
2009 23.7% 48.3%
2008 23.4% 47%
2007 23% 45.9%
2006 22.6% 44.3%
2005 22% 43%
2004 21.3% 41.8%
2003 20.6% 40.5%
2002 19.7% 39.1%
2001 18.9% 37.7%
2000 18% 36.4%
1999 17.2% 34.8%
1998 16.4% 33.4%
1997 15.8% 31.9%
1996 15.3% 30.5%
1995 14.9% 29%
1994 14.5% 28.5%
1993 14.2% 28%
1992 13.8% 27.5%
1991 13.5% 26.9%
1990 13.2% 26.2%
1989 12.9% 26.2%
1988 12.6% 25.8%
1987 12.3% 25.3%
1986 11.9% 24.5%
1985 11.5% 23.7%
1984 10.9% 23%
1983 10.4% 21.6%
1982 9.72% 20.6%
1981 9.06% 20.2%
1980 8.42% 19.4%
1979 7.81% 19%
1978 7.28% 17.9%
1977 6.85% 17.6%
1976 6.54% 17.4%
1975 6.38% 17.3%
1974 6.29% 17.2%
1973 6.2% 17.2%
1972 6.1% 17.1%
1971 6% 17.3%
1970 5.91% 17.4%
1969 5.81% 17.5%
1968 5.72% 17.6%
1967 5.63% 17.7%
1966 5.54% 17.9%
1965 5.45% 18%
1964 5.37% 18.3%
1963 5.28% 16.8%
1962 5.2% 17.3%
1961 5.12% 19.3%
1960 5.04% 19.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/burkina-faso/china | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 21.3% to 28.3% in Burkina Faso and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.

Densely populated cities

Burkina Faso
City Population
Ouagadougou 2.45M
Bobo-Dioulasso 904K
Koudougou 160K
Ouahigouya 125K
Fada N'gourma 73.2K
Dedougou 63.6K
Leo 51.7K
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/burkina-faso/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 (2019–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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