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Population density: China vs Denmark compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 390 people in Denmark. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 77,304 sq ft in Denmark. China and Denmark rank 67th and 65th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. China has 17.3% of the world's population and 6.3% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Denmark, making the population density in China 0.85% lower than in Denmark.

Population density by year

China
Denmark

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Denmark
2026 387 390
2025 388 389
2024 389 387
2023 389 385
2022 390 382
2021 390 379
2020 389 378
2019 388 376
2018 387 375
2017 385 373
2016 383 371
2015 381 368
2014 378 365
2013 376 364
2012 374 362
2011 371 361
2010 369 359
2009 367 358
2008 365 356
2007 364 354
2006 362 352
2005 360 351
2004 358 350
2003 355 349
2002 353 348
2001 351 347
2000 348 346
1999 346 345
1998 343 343
1997 339 342
1996 336 341
1995 332 339
1994 329 337
1993 325 336
1992 321 335
1991 317 334
1990 313 333
1989 309 332
1988 304 332
1987 299.1 332
1986 294.3 332
1985 290 331
1984 286 331
1983 282.3 331
1982 278.3 331
1981 274.2 332
1980 270.7 332
1979 267.3 331
1978 263.8 330
1977 260.3 329
1976 256.8 328
1975 252.8 328
1974 248.4 327
1973 243.3 325
1972 237.8 323
1971 232 321
1970 225.8 319
1969 219.6 317
1968 213.7 315
1967 208.2 313
1966 202.9 311
1965 197.3 308
1964 192.7 306
1963 188.2 303
1962 183.7 301
1961 182.2 298.6

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/china/denmark | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 10.9% growth in Denmark.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Denmark was 58th in 2006 and ranks 65th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Denmark
1x
Year Urban population
China Denmark
2024 65.9% 88.7%
2023 65.5% 88.6%
2022 65.2% 88.4%
2021 64.7% 88.3%
2020 63.5% 88.2%
2019 62.7% 88.2%
2018 61.5% 88.1%
2017 60.2% 88%
2016 58.8% 87.7%
2015 57.3% 87.7%
2014 55.8% 87.7%
2013 54.5% 87.5%
2012 53.1% 87.2%
2011 51.8% 87.2%
2010 49.2% 86.9%
2009 48.3% 86.8%
2008 47% 86.6%
2007 45.9% 86.4%
2006 44.3% 86.3%
2005 43% 86%
2004 41.8% 85.7%
2003 40.5% 85.4%
2002 39.1% 85.3%
2001 37.7% 85.2%
2000 36.4% 85.1%
1999 34.8% 85.1%
1998 33.4% 85.1%
1997 31.9% 85.1%
1996 30.5% 85%
1995 29% 85%
1994 28.5% 85%
1993 28% 84.9%
1992 27.5% 84.9%
1991 26.9% 84.9%
1990 26.2% 84.8%
1989 26.2% 84.8%
1988 25.8% 84.8%
1987 25.3% 84.8%
1986 24.5% 84.7%
1985 23.7% 84.6%
1984 23% 84.4%
1983 21.6% 84.3%
1982 20.6% 84.1%
1981 20.2% 83.9%
1980 19.4% 83.8%
1979 19% 83.5%
1978 17.9% 83.3%
1977 17.6% 83%
1976 17.4% 82.6%
1975 17.3% 82.2%
1974 17.2% 81.8%
1973 17.2% 81.3%
1972 17.1% 80.8%
1971 17.3% 80.3%
1970 17.4% 79.7%
1969 17.5% 79.2%
1968 17.6% 78.6%
1967 17.7% 78.1%
1966 17.9% 77.5%
1965 18% 76.9%
1964 18.3% 76.3%
1963 16.8% 75.7%
1962 17.3% 75.1%
1961 19.3% 74.5%
1960 19.7% 74%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 85.7% to 88.7% in Denmark.

Densely populated cities

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
Denmark
City Population
Copenhagen 667K
Aarhus 291K
Odense 185K
Aalborg 122K
Frederiksberg 106K
Gentofte 75.8K
Esbjerg 71.6K
Randers 64.5K
Horsens 64.4K
Kolding 63.6K

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/china/denmark | 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 (2017–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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