Skip to content

Population density: China vs Greece compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 204.6 people in Greece. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 136,507 sq ft in Greece. China and Greece rank 67th and 114th 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 0.13% of the population and 0.09% of the land area for Greece, making the population density in China 89.1% higher than in Greece.

Population density by year

China
Greece

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Greece
2026 387 204.6
2025 388 205.4
2024 389 209.1
2023 389 209.1
2022 390 209.7
2021 390 212.4
2020 389 215
2019 388 215.4
2018 387 215.7
2017 385 216.1
2016 383 216.5
2015 381 217.4
2014 378 218.9
2013 376 220.3
2012 374 221.9
2011 371 223.1
2010 369 223.5
2009 367 223.2
2008 365 222.6
2007 364 222
2006 362 221.4
2005 360 220.8
2004 358 220.1
2003 355 219.6
2002 353 219.1
2001 351 218.3
2000 348 217.1
1999 346 216.2
1998 343 215.4
1997 339 214.2
1996 336 213.2
1995 332 212.2
1994 329 211.2
1993 325 210.2
1992 321 208.9
1991 317 207.4
1990 313 204.9
1989 309 202.7
1988 304 201.7
1987 299.1 200.9
1986 294.3 200.3
1985 290 199.6
1984 286 198.8
1983 282.3 197.8
1982 278.3 196.7
1981 274.2 195.5
1980 270.7 193.7
1979 267.3 191.9
1978 263.8 189.5
1977 260.3 187
1976 256.8 184.6
1975 252.8 181.8
1974 248.4 180.1
1973 243.3 179.4
1972 237.8 178.6
1971 232 177.4
1970 225.8 176.7
1969 219.6 176.3
1968 213.7 175.6
1967 208.2 174.5
1966 202.9 173.1
1965 197.3 171.8
1964 192.7 171
1963 188.2 170.4
1962 183.7 169.8
1961 182.2 168.7

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/greece | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 7.61% decline in Greece.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Greece was 86th in 2006 and ranks 114th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Greece
1x
Year Urban population
China Greece
2024 65.9% 79%
2023 65.5% 78.8%
2022 65.2% 78.6%
2021 64.7% 78.4%
2020 63.5% 78.3%
2019 62.7% 78.2%
2018 61.5% 78%
2017 60.2% 77.9%
2016 58.8% 77.7%
2015 57.3% 77.5%
2014 55.8% 77.3%
2013 54.5% 77.1%
2012 53.1% 76.9%
2011 51.8% 76.6%
2010 49.2% 76.4%
2009 48.3% 76%
2008 47% 75.6%
2007 45.9% 75.2%
2006 44.3% 74.7%
2005 43% 74.3%
2004 41.8% 73.8%
2003 40.5% 73.4%
2002 39.1% 73.1%
2001 37.7% 72.8%
2000 36.4% 72.7%
1999 34.8% 72.5%
1998 33.4% 72.4%
1997 31.9% 72.3%
1996 30.5% 72.2%
1995 29% 72.1%
1994 28.5% 72%
1993 28% 71.9%
1992 27.5% 71.8%
1991 26.9% 71.6%
1990 26.2% 71.5%
1989 26.2% 71.3%
1988 25.8% 71.2%
1987 25.3% 71%
1986 24.5% 70.9%
1985 23.7% 70.7%
1984 23% 70.5%
1983 21.6% 70.3%
1982 20.6% 70%
1981 20.2% 69.8%
1980 19.4% 69.5%
1979 19% 69.1%
1978 17.9% 68.7%
1977 17.6% 68.3%
1976 17.4% 67.8%
1975 17.3% 67.3%
1974 17.2% 66.8%
1973 17.2% 66.2%
1972 17.1% 65.6%
1971 17.3% 65%
1970 17.4% 64.3%
1969 17.5% 63.5%
1968 17.6% 62.6%
1967 17.7% 61.7%
1966 17.9% 60.7%
1965 18% 59.7%
1964 18.3% 58.7%
1963 16.8% 57.8%
1962 17.3% 57%
1961 19.3% 56.4%
1960 19.7% 55.8%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 73.8% to 79% in Greece.

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
Greece
City Population
Athens 643K
Crete 623K
Thessaloniki 310K
Patras 174K
Piraeus 168K
Larissa 146K
Heraklion 145K
Peristeri 134K
Kallithea 97.6K
Glyfada 89.6K

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/greece | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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 (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.