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Population density: China vs Israel compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 1,227 people in Israel. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 22,414 sq ft in Israel. China and Israel rank 67th and 21st 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 0.12% of the population and 0.01% of the land area for Israel, making the population density in China 68.5% lower than in Israel.

Population density by year

China
Israel

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Israel
2026 387 1,227
2025 388 1,210
2024 389 1,194
2023 389 1,179
2022 390 1,144
2021 390 1,122
2020 389 1,103
2019 388 1,084
2018 387 1,063
2017 385 1,043
2016 383 1,023
2015 381 1,003
2014 378 983
2013 376 965
2012 374 947
2011 371 929
2010 369 912
2009 367 896
2008 365 875
2007 364 859
2006 362 844
2005 360 829
2004 358 815
2003 355 801
2002 353 786
2001 351 771
2000 348 753
1999 346 733
1998 343 715
1997 339 698
1996 336 681
1995 332 664
1994 329 646
1993 325 630
1992 321 613
1991 317 592
1990 313 558
1989 309 541
1988 304 532
1987 299.1 523
1986 294.3 515
1985 290 507
1984 286 498
1983 282.3 491
1982 278.3 482
1981 274.2 473
1980 270.7 464
1979 267.3 453
1978 263.8 442
1977 260.3 432
1976 256.8 423
1975 252.8 414
1974 248.4 404
1973 243.3 392
1972 237.8 377
1971 232 367
1970 225.8 356
1969 219.6 344
1968 213.7 335
1967 208.2 329
1966 202.9 315
1965 197.3 307
1964 192.7 296.2
1963 188.2 284.7
1962 183.7 274.4
1961 182.2 261.5

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/israel | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 45.4% growth in Israel.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Israel was 23rd in 2006 and ranks 21st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Israel
1x
Year Urban population
China Israel
2024 65.9% 91.5%
2023 65.5% 91.5%
2022 65.2% 91.5%
2021 64.7% 91.5%
2020 63.5% 91.6%
2019 62.7% 91.6%
2018 61.5% 91.6%
2017 60.2% 91.7%
2016 58.8% 91.7%
2015 57.3% 91.7%
2014 55.8% 91.7%
2013 54.5% 91.7%
2012 53.1% 91.7%
2011 51.8% 91.7%
2010 49.2% 91.7%
2009 48.3% 91.7%
2008 47% 91.7%
2007 45.9% 91.7%
2006 44.3% 91.7%
2005 43% 91.6%
2004 41.8% 91.6%
2003 40.5% 91.5%
2002 39.1% 91.4%
2001 37.7% 91.4%
2000 36.4% 91.3%
1999 34.8% 91.2%
1998 33.4% 91.1%
1997 31.9% 91%
1996 30.5% 90.9%
1995 29% 90.9%
1994 28.5% 90.8%
1993 28% 90.7%
1992 27.5% 90.6%
1991 26.9% 90.5%
1990 26.2% 90.4%
1989 26.2% 90.3%
1988 25.8% 90.2%
1987 25.3% 90.1%
1986 24.5% 90%
1985 23.7% 89.9%
1984 23% 89.7%
1983 21.6% 89.6%
1982 20.6% 89.4%
1981 20.2% 89.1%
1980 19.4% 88.8%
1979 19% 88.5%
1978 17.9% 88.1%
1977 17.6% 87.7%
1976 17.4% 87.3%
1975 17.3% 86.8%
1974 17.2% 86.3%
1973 17.2% 85.8%
1972 17.1% 85.3%
1971 17.3% 84.8%
1970 17.4% 84.3%
1969 17.5% 83.7%
1968 17.6% 83.2%
1967 17.7% 82.5%
1966 17.9% 81.9%
1965 18% 81.2%
1964 18.3% 80.4%
1963 16.8% 79.7%
1962 17.3% 78.8%
1961 19.3% 78%
1960 19.7% 76.9%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 91.6% to 91.5% in Israel.

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
Israel
City Population
Jerusalem 936K
Tel Aviv 468K
Haifa 283K
Rishon LeZion 250K
Petah Tikva 236K
Netanya 217K
Beersheba 209K
Holon 194K
Bnei Brak 194K
Ramat Gan 159K

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/israel | 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 (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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