China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 1,287 people in India. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 24,387 sq ft in India. China and India rank 67th and 19th 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 17.9% of the population and 2% of the land area for India, making the population density in China 69.9% lower than in India.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
India
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 1,287 |
| 2025 | 388 | 1,275 |
| 2024 | 389 | 1,264 |
| 2023 | 389 | 1,253 |
| 2022 | 390 | 1,242 |
| 2021 | 390 | 1,232 |
| 2020 | 389 | 1,222 |
| 2019 | 388 | 1,210 |
| 2018 | 387 | 1,197 |
| 2017 | 385 | 1,184 |
| 2016 | 383 | 1,171 |
| 2015 | 381 | 1,157 |
| 2014 | 378 | 1,143 |
| 2013 | 376 | 1,129 |
| 2012 | 374 | 1,114 |
| 2011 | 371 | 1,099 |
| 2010 | 369 | 1,083 |
| 2009 | 367 | 1,068 |
| 2008 | 365 | 1,052 |
| 2007 | 364 | 1,037 |
| 2006 | 362 | 1,022 |
| 2005 | 360 | 1,006 |
| 2004 | 358 | 990 |
| 2003 | 355 | 973 |
| 2002 | 353 | 956 |
| 2001 | 351 | 939 |
| 2000 | 348 | 922 |
| 1999 | 346 | 904 |
| 1998 | 343 | 887 |
| 1997 | 339 | 870 |
| 1996 | 336 | 853 |
| 1995 | 332 | 837 |
| 1994 | 329 | 820 |
| 1993 | 325 | 803 |
| 1992 | 321 | 787 |
| 1991 | 317 | 770 |
| 1990 | 313 | 753 |
| 1989 | 309 | 737 |
| 1988 | 304 | 721 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 705 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 689 |
| 1985 | 290 | 673 |
| 1984 | 286 | 658 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 642 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 627 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 613 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 599 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 585 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 571 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 558 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 545 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 533 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 520 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 508 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 497 |
| 1971 | 232 | 486 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 476 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 465 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 455 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 446 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 436 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 427 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 417 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 408 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 398 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 389 |
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/india | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 25.9% growth in India.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. India was 17th in 2006 and ranks 19th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
India
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 1,287 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 19/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
1480351380
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 1,147,955 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 22,057 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 64.6% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 35.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 10.5% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
India
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 35.4% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 35.1% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 34.8% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 34.4% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 34.1% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 33.8% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 33.5% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 33.2% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 32.9% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 32.5% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 32.2% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 31.9% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 31.6% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 31.3% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 30.9% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 30.5% |
| 2008 | 47% | 30.1% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 29.8% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 29.4% |
| 2005 | 43% | 29.1% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 28.8% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 28.5% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 28.2% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 27.9% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 27.6% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 27.4% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 27.2% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 27% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 26.8% |
| 1995 | 29% | 26.6% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 26.4% |
| 1993 | 28% | 26.2% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 26% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 25.8% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 25.6% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 25.4% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 25.2% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 25% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 24.8% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 24.7% |
| 1984 | 23% | 24.5% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 24.3% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 24% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 23.8% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 23.5% |
| 1979 | 19% | 23.2% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 22.8% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 22.4% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 21.9% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 21.5% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 21% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 20.6% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 20.3% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 20% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 19.7% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 19.5% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 19.2% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 19% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 18.8% |
| 1965 | 18% | 18.6% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 18.4% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 18.3% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 18.1% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 18% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 17.9% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/india | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 28.8% to 35.4% in India.
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 |
|
India
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Delhi | 26.5M |
| Mumbai | 15.4M |
| Bangalore | 12.3M |
| Hyderabad | 9.3M |
| Ahmedabad | 7.64M |
| Chennai | 6.6M |
| Pune | 5.94M |
| Surat | 5.94M |
| Kolkata | 4.5M |
| Lucknow | 3.38M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/india | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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