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Population density: Burundi vs China compared

Updated on by Georank team

Burundi has a population density of 1,487 people per square mile compared to 387 people in China. Burundi has 21,327 sq ft of land per person vs 73,316 sq ft in China. Burundi and China rank 15th and 67th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burundi has 0.17% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Burundi 284.2% higher than in China.

Population density by year

Burundi
China

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Burundi China
2026 1,487 387
2025 1,452 388
2024 1,417 389
2023 1,381 389
2022 1,344 390
2021 1,308 390
2020 1,273 389
2019 1,236 388
2018 1,196 387
2017 1,161 385
2016 1,134 383
2015 1,114 381
2014 1,089 378
2013 1,053 376
2012 1,016 374
2011 980 371
2010 946 369
2009 902 367
2008 858 365
2007 823 364
2006 793 362
2005 765 360
2004 737 358
2003 710 355
2002 688 353
2001 669 351
2000 653 348
1999 639 346
1998 624 343
1997 612 339
1996 612 336
1995 612 332
1994 576 329
1993 573 325
1992 591 321
1991 575 317
1990 563 313
1989 552 309
1988 541 304
1987 529 299.1
1986 517 294.3
1985 508 290
1984 497 286
1983 485 282.3
1982 472 278.3
1981 461 274.2
1980 442 270.7
1979 424 267.3
1978 414 263.8
1977 402 260.3
1976 392 256.8
1975 383 252.8
1974 374 248.4
1973 364 243.3
1972 365 237.8
1971 365 232
1970 356 225.8
1969 348 219.6
1968 341 213.7
1967 333 208.2
1966 325 202.9
1965 317 197.3
1964 308 192.7
1963 299.5 188.2
1962 293.3 183.7
1961 285.9 182.2

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/burundi/china | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Burundi increased by 87.4%, compared to a 6.98% growth in China.

In 2006, Burundi ranked 27th by population density and is 15th now. China was 57th in 2006 and ranks 67th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Burundi
China
1x
Year Urban population
Burundi China
2024 24.8% 65.9%
2023 23.6% 65.5%
2022 22.3% 65.2%
2021 21.1% 64.7%
2020 19.9% 63.5%
2019 18.8% 62.7%
2018 17.7% 61.5%
2017 16.6% 60.2%
2016 15.6% 58.8%
2015 14.7% 57.3%
2014 13.8% 55.8%
2013 13% 54.5%
2012 12.2% 53.1%
2011 11.6% 51.8%
2010 11% 49.2%
2009 10.5% 48.3%
2008 10.1% 47%
2007 9.77% 45.9%
2006 9.46% 44.3%
2005 9.18% 43%
2004 8.92% 41.8%
2003 8.68% 40.5%
2002 8.45% 39.1%
2001 8.24% 37.7%
2000 8.04% 36.4%
1999 7.86% 34.8%
1998 7.68% 33.4%
1997 7.51% 31.9%
1996 7.34% 30.5%
1995 7.17% 29%
1994 7% 28.5%
1993 6.83% 28%
1992 6.65% 27.5%
1991 6.46% 26.9%
1990 6.27% 26.2%
1989 6.07% 26.2%
1988 5.86% 25.8%
1987 5.66% 25.3%
1986 5.46% 24.5%
1985 5.26% 23.7%
1984 5.07% 23%
1983 4.88% 21.6%
1982 4.69% 20.6%
1981 4.51% 20.2%
1980 4.34% 19.4%
1979 4.18% 19%
1978 4.02% 17.9%
1977 3.87% 17.6%
1976 3.72% 17.4%
1975 3.57% 17.3%
1974 3.42% 17.2%
1973 3.28% 17.2%
1972 3.14% 17.1%
1971 3.01% 17.3%
1970 2.88% 17.4%
1969 2.75% 17.5%
1968 2.63% 17.6%
1967 2.51% 17.7%
1966 2.4% 17.9%
1965 2.3% 18%
1964 2.2% 18.3%
1963 2.11% 16.8%
1962 2.01% 17.3%
1961 1.92% 19.3%
1960 1.84% 19.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 8.92% to 24.8% in Burundi and from 41.8% to 65.9% in China.

Densely populated cities

Burundi
City Population
Bujumbura 659K
Gitega 136K
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/burundi/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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2014–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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