China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China ranked 64th out of 197.
China has 17.3% of the world's population and 6.3% of all countries' land area.
Population density in China compared to the World's average
China
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | N/A |
| Population |
1405773318
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 28.6% |
China population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in China has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 8.71%. The population density rank was 55th 21 years ago and is 64th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 389 | 64 |
| 2023 | 389 | 62 |
| 2022 | 390 | 62 |
| 2021 | 390 | 62 |
| 2020 | 389 | 62 |
| 2019 | 388 | 62 |
| 2018 | 387 | 62 |
| 2017 | 385 | 60 |
| 2016 | 383 | 60 |
| 2015 | 381 | 61 |
| 2014 | 378 | 61 |
| 2013 | 376 | 60 |
| 2012 | 374 | 60 |
| 2011 | 371 | 59 |
| 2010 | 369 | 58 |
| 2009 | 367 | 58 |
| 2008 | 365 | 58 |
| 2007 | 364 | 58 |
| 2006 | 362 | 57 |
| 2005 | 360 | 56 |
| 2004 | 358 | 55 |
| 2003 | 355 | 55 |
| 2002 | 353 | 55 |
| 2001 | 351 | 55 |
| 2000 | 348 | 55 |
| 1999 | 346 | 52 |
| 1998 | 343 | 53 |
| 1997 | 339 | 53 |
| 1996 | 336 | 52 |
| 1995 | 332 | 52 |
| 1994 | 329 | 52 |
| 1993 | 325 | 52 |
| 1992 | 321 | 52 |
| 1991 | 317 | 50 |
| 1990 | 313 | 49 |
| 1989 | 309 | 49 |
| 1988 | 304 | 50 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 49 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 49 |
| 1985 | 290 | 49 |
| 1984 | 286 | 49 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 48 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 49 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 49 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 49 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 48 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 48 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 49 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 49 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 48 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 47 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 49 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 49 |
| 1971 | 232 | 50 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 51 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 52 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 52 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 52 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 52 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 52 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 52 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 54 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 54 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 53 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in China from 1960 to 2024: 16.2% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 35.9% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 65.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 91 |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 93 |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 96 |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 97 |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 98 |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 98 |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 99 |
| 2017 | 58% | 102 |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 104 |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 106 |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 110 |
| 2013 | 53% | 116 |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 118 |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 120 |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 120 |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 123 |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 124 |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 127 |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 129 |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 132 |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 135 |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 135 |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 136 |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 137 |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 137 |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 142 |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 144 |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 147 |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 150 |
| 1995 | 31% | 151 |
| 1994 | 30% | 153 |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 156 |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 159 |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 159 |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 159 |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 159 |
| 1988 | 25% | 160 |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 161 |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 161 |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 161 |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 160 |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 159 |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 159 |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 161 |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 161 |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 162 |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 165 |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 164 |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 164 |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 163 |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 164 |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 164 |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 162 |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 160 |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 156 |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 154 |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 152 |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 151 |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 150 |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 147 |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 146 |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 146 |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 146 |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 147 |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 147 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
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Population density comparisons
