China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 287 people in Malaysia. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 100,140 sq ft in Malaysia. China and Malaysia rank 67th and 85th 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 0.44% of the population and 0.22% of the land area for Malaysia, making the population density in China 34.8% higher than in Malaysia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 287 |
| 2025 | 388 | 283.7 |
| 2024 | 389 | 280.3 |
| 2023 | 389 | 276.9 |
| 2022 | 390 | 273.5 |
| 2021 | 390 | 270.3 |
| 2020 | 389 | 267.2 |
| 2019 | 388 | 263.6 |
| 2018 | 387 | 259.4 |
| 2017 | 385 | 255.1 |
| 2016 | 383 | 250.6 |
| 2015 | 381 | 246.2 |
| 2014 | 378 | 242 |
| 2013 | 376 | 237.9 |
| 2012 | 374 | 233.8 |
| 2011 | 371 | 229.9 |
| 2010 | 369 | 225.9 |
| 2009 | 367 | 221.7 |
| 2008 | 365 | 217.3 |
| 2007 | 364 | 212.8 |
| 2006 | 362 | 208.3 |
| 2005 | 360 | 203.7 |
| 2004 | 358 | 199.1 |
| 2003 | 355 | 194.6 |
| 2002 | 353 | 190 |
| 2001 | 351 | 185.5 |
| 2000 | 348 | 181.1 |
| 1999 | 346 | 176.9 |
| 1998 | 343 | 172.7 |
| 1997 | 339 | 168.5 |
| 1996 | 336 | 164.4 |
| 1995 | 332 | 160.3 |
| 1994 | 329 | 156.2 |
| 1993 | 325 | 152.3 |
| 1992 | 321 | 148.5 |
| 1991 | 317 | 144.6 |
| 1990 | 313 | 140.6 |
| 1989 | 309 | 136.5 |
| 1988 | 304 | 132.4 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 128.3 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 124.2 |
| 1985 | 290 | 120.2 |
| 1984 | 286 | 116.3 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 112.6 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 109 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 105.6 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 102.3 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 99.5 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 97.2 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 94.9 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 92.6 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 90.4 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 88.3 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 86.2 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 84.2 |
| 1971 | 232 | 82.2 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 80.2 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 78.4 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 76.7 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 74.9 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 73.2 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 71.4 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 69.6 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 67.8 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 66.1 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 64.4 |
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/malaysia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 37.8% growth in Malaysia.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Malaysia was 92nd in 2006 and ranks 85th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 287 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 85/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
36512221
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 126,854 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 99,458 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 23.1% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 76.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 24.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 76.9% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 76.4% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 76% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 75.5% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 75.1% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 74.8% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 74.6% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 74.2% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 73.9% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 73.4% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 73% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 72.5% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 72% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 71.4% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 70.9% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 70.2% |
| 2008 | 47% | 69.5% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 68.8% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 43% | 67% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 66.1% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 65.1% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 64.1% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 63% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 62% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 60.9% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 59.7% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 58.5% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 57.2% |
| 1995 | 29% | 55.9% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 54.6% |
| 1993 | 28% | 53.2% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 51.9% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 50.5% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 49% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 45.8% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 44% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 42.3% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 40.6% |
| 1984 | 23% | 39% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 37.5% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 36.2% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 35.1% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 34.2% |
| 1979 | 19% | 33.6% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 33% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 32.4% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 31.9% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 31.4% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 30.9% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 30.5% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 30.1% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 29.8% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 29.4% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 29.1% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 28.8% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 28.5% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 28.1% |
| 1965 | 18% | 27.8% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 27.5% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 27.2% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 26.8% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 26.5% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 26.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/malaysia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 66.1% to 76.9% in Malaysia.
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 |
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kuala Lumpur | 9M |
| Klang | 878K |
| Ipoh | 867K |
| Johor Bahru | 798K |
| George Town | 794K |
| Shah Alam | 741K |
| Subang Jaya | 708K |
| Petaling Jaya | 639K |
| Kuantan | 608K |
| Sungai Petani | 545K |
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/malaysia | 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 (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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