Canada has a population density of 12.2 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Canada has 2,602,997 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Canada ranked 189th out of 197.
Canada has 0.51% of the world's population and 5.9% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Canada compared to the World's average
Canada
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 12.2 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 189/197 | N/A |
| Population |
41972421
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 3,393,336 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,291,208 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 82% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 19.2% | 28.6% |
Canada population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Canada has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 31.9%. The population density rank was 184th 21 years ago and is 189th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12.2 | 189 |
| 2023 | 11.8 | 189 |
| 2022 | 11.5 | 189 |
| 2021 | 11.3 | 189 |
| 2020 | 11 | 189 |
| 2019 | 10.9 | 189 |
| 2018 | 10.7 | 189 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 189 |
| 2016 | 10.4 | 188 |
| 2015 | 10.3 | 188 |
| 2014 | 10.2 | 188 |
| 2013 | 10.1 | 188 |
| 2012 | 10 | 188 |
| 2011 | 9.92 | 186 |
| 2010 | 9.82 | 186 |
| 2009 | 9.72 | 186 |
| 2008 | 9.6 | 186 |
| 2007 | 9.5 | 186 |
| 2006 | 9.41 | 186 |
| 2005 | 9.31 | 184 |
| 2004 | 9.23 | 184 |
| 2003 | 9.14 | 184 |
| 2002 | 9.06 | 184 |
| 2001 | 8.96 | 184 |
| 2000 | 8.86 | 184 |
| 1999 | 8.78 | 181 |
| 1998 | 8.71 | 181 |
| 1997 | 8.64 | 181 |
| 1996 | 8.55 | 181 |
| 1995 | 8.46 | 181 |
| 1994 | 8.38 | 181 |
| 1993 | 8.29 | 181 |
| 1992 | 8.2 | 177 |
| 1991 | 8.1 | 158 |
| 1990 | 8 | 156 |
| 1989 | 7.88 | 155 |
| 1988 | 7.74 | 155 |
| 1987 | 7.64 | 155 |
| 1986 | 7.54 | 155 |
| 1985 | 7.47 | 155 |
| 1984 | 7.4 | 155 |
| 1983 | 7.33 | 155 |
| 1982 | 7.26 | 155 |
| 1981 | 7.17 | 155 |
| 1980 | 7.08 | 155 |
| 1979 | 6.99 | 154 |
| 1978 | 6.92 | 154 |
| 1977 | 6.85 | 154 |
| 1976 | 6.77 | 154 |
| 1975 | 6.69 | 152 |
| 1974 | 6.59 | 152 |
| 1973 | 6.5 | 152 |
| 1972 | 6.42 | 152 |
| 1971 | 6.34 | 152 |
| 1970 | 6.16 | 152 |
| 1969 | 6.07 | 152 |
| 1968 | 5.99 | 152 |
| 1967 | 5.9 | 152 |
| 1966 | 5.79 | 152 |
| 1965 | 5.68 | 152 |
| 1964 | 5.58 | 152 |
| 1963 | 5.48 | 152 |
| 1962 | 5.38 | 151 |
| 1961 | 5.28 | 151 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Canada from 1960 to 2024: 69.1% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.5% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 82%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 82% | 43 |
| 2023 | 81.9% | 42 |
| 2022 | 81.8% | 42 |
| 2021 | 81.7% | 40 |
| 2020 | 81.6% | 39 |
| 2019 | 81.5% | 39 |
| 2018 | 81.4% | 39 |
| 2017 | 81.4% | 39 |
| 2016 | 81.3% | 39 |
| 2015 | 81.3% | 38 |
| 2014 | 81.2% | 37 |
| 2013 | 81.2% | 37 |
| 2012 | 81.1% | 36 |
| 2011 | 81.1% | 36 |
| 2010 | 80.9% | 36 |
| 2009 | 80.8% | 36 |
| 2008 | 80.6% | 36 |
| 2007 | 80.4% | 36 |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 35 |
| 2005 | 80.1% | 34 |
| 2004 | 80% | 34 |
| 2003 | 80% | 34 |
| 2002 | 79.9% | 33 |
| 2001 | 79.8% | 32 |
| 2000 | 79.5% | 31 |
| 1999 | 79.1% | 31 |
| 1998 | 78.7% | 31 |
| 1997 | 78.3% | 32 |
| 1996 | 78% | 34 |
| 1995 | 77.7% | 33 |
| 1994 | 77.4% | 33 |
| 1993 | 77.2% | 31 |
| 1992 | 76.9% | 31 |
| 1991 | 76.6% | 31 |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 31 |
| 1989 | 76.6% | 30 |
| 1988 | 76.5% | 30 |
| 1987 | 76.5% | 30 |
| 1986 | 76.5% | 30 |
| 1985 | 76.4% | 29 |
| 1984 | 76.2% | 28 |
| 1983 | 76% | 28 |
| 1982 | 75.9% | 28 |
| 1981 | 75.7% | 27 |
| 1980 | 75.7% | 27 |
| 1979 | 75.6% | 27 |
| 1978 | 75.6% | 27 |
| 1977 | 75.5% | 27 |
| 1976 | 75.5% | 26 |
| 1975 | 75.6% | 26 |
| 1974 | 75.7% | 24 |
| 1973 | 75.9% | 24 |
| 1972 | 76% | 23 |
| 1971 | 76.1% | 22 |
| 1970 | 75.7% | 22 |
| 1969 | 75.2% | 22 |
| 1968 | 74.7% | 22 |
| 1967 | 74.2% | 22 |
| 1966 | 73.6% | 21 |
| 1965 | 72.9% | 21 |
| 1964 | 72.1% | 22 |
| 1963 | 71.3% | 23 |
| 1962 | 70.5% | 24 |
| 1961 | 69.7% | 25 |
| 1960 | 69.1% | 25 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Canada topic pages:
Population density comparisons
