China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 329 people in France. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 101,141 sq ft in France. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and France are ranked 64th and 75th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.84% of the population and 0.36% of the land area for France, hence the population density in China is 18.1% higher than in France.
Population density comparison
China
|
France
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 329 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 75/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
68701054
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 208,090 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 84,669 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 18% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 82% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 3.13% |
China vs France:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 9.26% growth in France.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. France was 67th in 2004 and ranks 75th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
France
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 329 |
| 2023 | 389 | 328 |
| 2022 | 390 | 327 |
| 2021 | 390 | 326 |
| 2020 | 389 | 325 |
| 2019 | 388 | 324 |
| 2018 | 387 | 323 |
| 2017 | 385 | 322 |
| 2016 | 383 | 321 |
| 2015 | 381 | 320 |
| 2014 | 378 | 319 |
| 2013 | 376 | 317 |
| 2012 | 374 | 316 |
| 2011 | 371 | 314 |
| 2010 | 369 | 312 |
| 2009 | 367 | 311 |
| 2008 | 365 | 309 |
| 2007 | 364 | 308 |
| 2006 | 362 | 306 |
| 2005 | 360 | 304 |
| 2004 | 358 | 301 |
| 2003 | 355 | 299.1 |
| 2002 | 353 | 297 |
| 2001 | 351 | 294.9 |
| 2000 | 348 | 292.8 |
| 1999 | 346 | 290.7 |
| 1998 | 343 | 289.3 |
| 1997 | 339 | 288.2 |
| 1996 | 336 | 287.2 |
| 1995 | 332 | 286.1 |
| 1994 | 329 | 285.1 |
| 1993 | 325 | 284 |
| 1992 | 321 | 282.8 |
| 1991 | 317 | 281.4 |
| 1990 | 313 | 280 |
| 1989 | 309 | 278.5 |
| 1988 | 304 | 276.8 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 275.2 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 273.7 |
| 1985 | 290 | 272.3 |
| 1984 | 286 | 271 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 269.6 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 268.2 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 267.2 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 265.6 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 264.2 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 263 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 261.8 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 260.6 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 259.5 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 258.3 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 256.6 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 254.5 |
| 1971 | 232 | 252.3 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 249.9 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 247.7 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 245.6 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 243.8 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 241.8 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 239.7 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 237.4 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 234.9 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 232.5 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 230.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
France
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 82% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 81.8% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 81.5% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 81.2% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 81% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 80.7% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 80.4% |
| 2017 | 58% | 80.2% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 79.9% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 79.7% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 53% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 78.6% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 78.1% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 77.9% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 77.6% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 77.4% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 77.1% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 76.9% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 76.6% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 76.4% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 76.1% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 75.9% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 75.6% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 75.4% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 75.3% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 75.1% |
| 1995 | 31% | 74.9% |
| 1994 | 30% | 74.7% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 74.6% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 74.4% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 74.2% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 74.1% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 73.9% |
| 1988 | 25% | 73.9% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 73.8% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 73.7% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 73.6% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 73.6% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 73.5% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 73.4% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 73.4% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 73.3% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 73.2% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 73.1% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 73.1% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 73% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 72.9% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 72.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 72.3% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 71.9% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 71.5% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 71.1% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 70.6% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 70.2% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 69.4% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 68.2% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 67.1% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 65.9% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 64.7% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 63.5% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 62.6% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 61.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 76.9% to 82% in France.
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 |
|
France
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Paris | 2.15M |
| Marseille | 877K |
| Lyon | 521K |
| Toulouse | 512K |
| Nice | 354K |
| Nantes | 325K |
| Strasbourg | 292K |
| Toulon | 181K |
| Saint-Etienne | 173K |
| Saint-Denis | 156K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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