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Population density: China vs Ghana compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 407 people in Ghana. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 74,579 sq ft in Ghana. China and Ghana rank 67th and 63rd 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 0.42% of the population and 0.15% of the land area for Ghana, making the population density in China 4.82% lower than in Ghana.

Population density by year

China
Ghana

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Ghana
2026 387 407
2025 388 399
2024 389 392
2023 389 385
2022 390 377
2021 390 370
2020 389 363
2019 388 356
2018 387 349
2017 385 342
2016 383 334
2015 381 327
2014 378 319
2013 376 312
2012 374 304
2011 371 297
2010 369 290
2009 367 283
2008 365 276
2007 364 269.1
2006 362 262.3
2005 360 255.5
2004 358 248.9
2003 355 242.4
2002 353 236
2001 351 229.6
2000 348 223.5
1999 346 218
1998 343 212.7
1997 339 207.6
1996 336 202.7
1995 332 198
1994 329 193.4
1993 325 188.8
1992 321 184.2
1991 317 179.7
1990 313 175.2
1989 309 170.8
1988 304 166.6
1987 299.1 162.6
1986 294.3 159
1985 290 155.5
1984 286 152.2
1983 282.3 148.3
1982 278.3 143.9
1981 274.2 139.8
1980 270.7 135.9
1979 267.3 132
1978 263.8 128
1977 260.3 124.2
1976 256.8 120.6
1975 252.8 117.2
1974 248.4 113.8
1973 243.3 110.6
1972 237.8 107.4
1971 232 104.4
1970 225.8 101.6
1969 219.6 98.9
1968 213.7 96.5
1967 208.2 94.2
1966 202.9 91.9
1965 197.3 89.7
1964 192.7 87.6
1963 188.2 85.5
1962 183.7 83.5
1961 182.2 81.5

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/ghana | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 55% growth in Ghana.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Ghana was 78th in 2006 and ranks 63rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Ghana
1x
Year Urban population
China Ghana
2024 65.9% 58.4%
2023 65.5% 57.8%
2022 65.2% 57.3%
2021 64.7% 56.7%
2020 63.5% 56.2%
2019 62.7% 55.7%
2018 61.5% 55.2%
2017 60.2% 54.7%
2016 58.8% 54.2%
2015 57.3% 53.6%
2014 55.8% 53.1%
2013 54.5% 52.5%
2012 53.1% 51.9%
2011 51.8% 51.3%
2010 49.2% 50.7%
2009 48.3% 50.1%
2008 47% 49.5%
2007 45.9% 48.8%
2006 44.3% 48.1%
2005 43% 47.5%
2004 41.8% 46.8%
2003 40.5% 46.1%
2002 39.1% 45.3%
2001 37.7% 44.6%
2000 36.4% 43.9%
1999 34.8% 43.2%
1998 33.4% 42.5%
1997 31.9% 41.6%
1996 30.5% 40.8%
1995 29% 40%
1994 28.5% 39.1%
1993 28% 38.2%
1992 27.5% 37.4%
1991 26.9% 36.5%
1990 26.2% 35.7%
1989 26.2% 35%
1988 25.8% 34.3%
1987 25.3% 33.6%
1986 24.5% 33%
1985 23.7% 32.5%
1984 23% 32.1%
1983 21.6% 31.8%
1982 20.6% 31.5%
1981 20.2% 31.2%
1980 19.4% 31%
1979 19% 30.8%
1978 17.9% 30.7%
1977 17.6% 30.5%
1976 17.4% 30.3%
1975 17.3% 30.1%
1974 17.2% 30%
1973 17.2% 29.8%
1972 17.1% 29.5%
1971 17.3% 29.3%
1970 17.4% 29%
1969 17.5% 28.6%
1968 17.6% 28.2%
1967 17.7% 27.7%
1966 17.9% 27.2%
1965 18% 26.6%
1964 18.3% 26%
1963 16.8% 25.3%
1962 17.3% 24.6%
1961 19.3% 23.9%
1960 19.7% 23.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 46.8% to 58.4% in Ghana.

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
Ghana
City Population
Kumasi 3.9M
Accra 1.78M
Tamale 730K
Sekondi-Takoradi 540K
Ashaiman 208K
Obuasi 180K
Tema 162K
Koforidua 127K
Ho 126K
Hohoe 56.2K

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/ghana | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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