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Population density: China vs Finland compared

Updated on by Georank

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 48.1 people in Finland. China has 73,441 sq ft of land per person vs 645,248 sq ft in Finland. China and Finland rank 67th and 175th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. China has 17.2% of the world's population and 6.3% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for Finland, making the population density in China 704% higher than in Finland.

Population density by year

China
Finland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Finland
2026 387 48.1
2025 388 48.1
2024 389 47.9
2023 389 47.6
2022 390 47.3
2021 390 47.2
2020 389 47.1
2019 388 47.1
2018 387 47
2017 385 46.9
2016 383 46.8
2015 381 46.7
2014 378 46.5
2013 376 46.4
2012 374 46.1
2011 371 45.9
2010 369 45.7
2009 367 45.5
2008 365 45.3
2007 364 45
2006 362 44.9
2005 360 44.6
2004 358 44.5
2003 355 44.3
2002 353 44.2
2001 351 44.1
2000 348 44
1999 346 43.9
1998 343 43.8
1997 339 43.7
1996 336 43.6
1995 332 43.4
1994 329 43.3
1993 325 43.1
1992 321 42.9
1991 317 42.6
1990 313 42.4
1989 309 42.2
1988 304 42.1
1987 299.1 41.9
1986 294.3 41.8
1985 290 41.7
1984 286 41.5
1983 282.3 41.3
1982 278.3 41
1981 274.2 40.8
1980 270.7 40.6
1979 267.3 40.5
1978 263.8 40.4
1977 260.3 40.3
1976 256.8 40.2
1975 252.8 40.1
1974 248.4 39.9
1973 243.3 39.7
1972 237.8 39.5
1971 232 39.2
1970 225.8 39.2
1969 219.6 39.3
1968 213.7 39.3
1967 208.2 39.2
1966 202.9 39
1965 197.3 38.8
1964 192.7 38.7
1963 188.2 38.5
1962 183.7 38.2
1961 182.2 37.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 7.04%, compared to a 7.3% growth in Finland.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Finland was 163rd in 2006 and ranks 175th out of 197 currently.

Population density comparison

China Finland
Population density 387 ppl/mi² 48.1 ppl/mi²
Population density rank 67/197 175/197
Population
1403335670
5647947
Land area 3,624,808 sq mi 117,360 sq mi
Land area per capita 71,843 sq ft 579,445 sq ft
Rural population 33.7% 25.5%
Urban population 66.3% 74.5%
Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people 95.6% 0%

Share of urban population by year

China
Finland
1x
Year Urban population
China Finland
2025 66.3% 74.5%
2024 65.9% 74.3%
2023 65.5% 74%
2022 65.2% 73.7%
2021 64.7% 73.4%
2020 63.5% 73.1%
2019 62.7% 72.7%
2018 61.5% 72.3%
2017 60.2% 72%
2016 58.8% 71.6%
2015 57.3% 71.3%
2014 55.8% 71%
2013 54.5% 70.7%
2012 53.1% 70.4%
2011 51.8% 70.1%
2010 49.2% 69.8%
2009 48.3% 69.5%
2008 47% 69.3%
2007 45.9% 69%
2006 44.3% 68.8%
2005 43% 68.5%
2004 41.8% 68.3%
2003 40.5% 68%
2002 39.1% 67.8%
2001 37.7% 67.5%
2000 36.4% 67.1%
1999 34.8% 66.7%
1998 33.4% 66.2%
1997 31.9% 65.7%
1996 30.5% 65.2%
1995 29% 64.8%
1994 28.5% 64.5%
1993 28% 64.3%
1992 27.5% 64.1%
1991 26.9% 64%
1990 26.2% 63.9%
1989 26.2% 63.8%
1988 25.8% 63.8%
1987 25.3% 63.7%
1986 24.5% 63.6%
1985 23.7% 63.5%
1984 23% 63.4%
1983 21.6% 63.3%
1982 20.6% 63.2%
1981 20.2% 63.2%
1980 19.4% 63.1%
1979 19% 63%
1978 17.9% 62.9%
1977 17.6% 62.8%
1976 17.4% 62.6%
1975 17.3% 62.4%
1974 17.2% 62.1%
1973 17.2% 61.6%
1972 17.1% 61.1%
1971 17.3% 60.7%
1970 17.4% 60.3%
1969 17.5% 59.9%
1968 17.6% 59.5%
1967 17.7% 59.1%
1966 17.9% 58.7%
1965 18% 58.3%
1964 18.3% 57.9%
1963 16.8% 57.4%
1962 17.3% 56.8%
1961 19.3% 56.3%
1960 19.7% 55.6%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 43% to 66.3% in China and from 68.5% to 74.5% in Finland.

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
Finland
City Population
Helsinki 694K
Espoo 326K
Tampere 255K
Vantaa 248K
Oulu 217K
Turku 210K
Jyvaskyla 150K
Kuopio 127K
Lahti 122K
Pori 83K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).

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

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  4. Wikidata (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)

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