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Population density: China vs Guatemala compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 459 people in Guatemala. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 63,678 sq ft in Guatemala. China and Guatemala rank 67th and 60th 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 0.23% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for Guatemala, making the population density in China 15.6% lower than in Guatemala.

Population density by year

China
Guatemala

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Guatemala
2026 387 459
2025 388 452
2024 389 445
2023 389 438
2022 390 431
2021 390 425
2020 389 420
2019 388 413
2018 387 407
2017 385 400
2016 383 393
2015 381 386
2014 378 379
2013 376 372
2012 374 365
2011 371 358
2010 369 350
2009 367 344
2008 365 337
2007 364 330
2006 362 323
2005 360 316
2004 358 310
2003 355 303
2002 353 296
2001 351 289.3
2000 348 282.7
1999 346 276.1
1998 343 269.2
1997 339 262.4
1996 336 255.8
1995 332 249.3
1994 329 242.8
1993 325 236.4
1992 321 230.1
1991 317 224.1
1990 313 218.1
1989 309 212.1
1988 304 206.2
1987 299.1 200.5
1986 294.3 195.1
1985 290 189.7
1984 286 184.4
1983 282.3 179.3
1982 278.3 175
1981 274.2 171
1980 270.7 166.8
1979 267.3 162.6
1978 263.8 158.6
1977 260.3 154.7
1976 256.8 151.4
1975 252.8 148.1
1974 248.4 144.6
1973 243.3 140.9
1972 237.8 137.4
1971 232 133.9
1970 225.8 130.4
1969 219.6 127.1
1968 213.7 123.7
1967 208.2 120.3
1966 202.9 117
1965 197.3 113.7
1964 192.7 110.5
1963 188.2 107.3
1962 183.7 104.2
1961 182.2 101.2

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/guatemala | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 41.9% growth in Guatemala.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Guatemala was 62nd in 2006 and ranks 60th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Guatemala
1x
Year Urban population
China Guatemala
2024 65.9% 56%
2023 65.5% 55.6%
2022 65.2% 55.3%
2021 64.7% 54.9%
2020 63.5% 54.5%
2019 62.7% 54.2%
2018 61.5% 53.8%
2017 60.2% 53.8%
2016 58.8% 53.7%
2015 57.3% 53.4%
2014 55.8% 53.1%
2013 54.5% 52.8%
2012 53.1% 52.4%
2011 51.8% 51.9%
2010 49.2% 51.3%
2009 48.3% 50.7%
2008 47% 50.1%
2007 45.9% 49.5%
2006 44.3% 48.8%
2005 43% 48.1%
2004 41.8% 47.3%
2003 40.5% 46.6%
2002 39.1% 45.8%
2001 37.7% 44.7%
2000 36.4% 43.2%
1999 34.8% 41.6%
1998 33.4% 39.9%
1997 31.9% 38.3%
1996 30.5% 36.9%
1995 29% 35.8%
1994 28.5% 35.1%
1993 28% 34.7%
1992 27.5% 34.4%
1991 26.9% 34.2%
1990 26.2% 33.9%
1989 26.2% 33.7%
1988 25.8% 33.5%
1987 25.3% 33.3%
1986 24.5% 33.1%
1985 23.7% 33%
1984 23% 32.9%
1983 21.6% 32.8%
1982 20.6% 32.7%
1981 20.2% 32.7%
1980 19.4% 32.8%
1979 19% 33.2%
1978 17.9% 33.7%
1977 17.6% 34.4%
1976 17.4% 35.1%
1975 17.3% 35.7%
1974 17.2% 36.2%
1973 17.2% 36.4%
1972 17.1% 36.4%
1971 17.3% 36.2%
1970 17.4% 36%
1969 17.5% 35.7%
1968 17.6% 35.4%
1967 17.7% 35%
1966 17.9% 34.5%
1965 18% 34.1%
1964 18.3% 33.7%
1963 16.8% 33.3%
1962 17.3% 32.8%
1961 19.3% 32.4%
1960 19.7% 31.8%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 47.3% to 56% in Guatemala.

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
Guatemala
City Population
Guatemala 995K
Mixco 528K
Coban 229K
Quetzaltenango 208K
Jalapa 193K
San Miguel Petapa 151K
Momostenango 140K
Mazatenango 83.8K

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/guatemala | 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 (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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