China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 1,264 people in India. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 24,387 sq ft in India. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and India are ranked 64th and 19th, 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 17.8% of the population and 2% of the land area for India, hence the population density in China is 69.2% lower than in India.
Population density comparison
China
|
India
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 1,264 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 19/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
1474115403
|
| 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 | 34.5% | 63.1% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 36.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 10.7% |
China vs India:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 27.7% growth in India.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. India was 17th in 2004 and ranks 19th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
India
|
|
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
India
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 36.9% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 36.4% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 35.9% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 35.4% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 34.9% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 34.5% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 34% |
| 2017 | 58% | 33.6% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 33.2% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 32.8% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 32.4% |
| 2013 | 53% | 32% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 31.6% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 31.3% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 30.9% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 30.6% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 30.2% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 29.9% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 29.6% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 29.2% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 28.9% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 28.6% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 28.2% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 27.9% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 27.7% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 27.5% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 27.2% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 27% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 26.8% |
| 1995 | 31% | 26.6% |
| 1994 | 30% | 26.4% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 26.2% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 26% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 25.8% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 25.5% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 25.3% |
| 1988 | 25% | 25.1% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 24.8% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 24.6% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 24.3% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 24.1% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 23.9% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 23.6% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 23.4% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 23.1% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 22.7% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 22.4% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 22% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 21.7% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 21.3% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 21% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 20.7% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 20.3% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 20% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 19.8% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 19.4% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 19.2% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 19% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 18.8% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 18.6% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 18.4% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 18.2% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 18% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 17.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 28.9% to 36.9% in India.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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