China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 4,587 people in Maldives. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 6,077 sq ft in Maldives. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and Maldives are ranked 64th and 6th, 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 0.006% of the population and 0.0002% of the land area for Maldives, hence the population density in China is 91.5% lower than in Maldives.
Population density comparison
China
|
Maldives
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 4,587 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 6/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
531152
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 115.1 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 6,077 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 57.6% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 42.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 0% |
China vs Maldives:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 76.3% growth in Maldives.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. Maldives was 7th in 2004 and ranks 6th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Maldives
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 4,587 |
| 2023 | 389 | 4,572 |
| 2022 | 390 | 4,525 |
| 2021 | 390 | 4,456 |
| 2020 | 389 | 4,335 |
| 2019 | 388 | 4,211 |
| 2018 | 387 | 4,084 |
| 2017 | 385 | 3,957 |
| 2016 | 383 | 3,827 |
| 2015 | 381 | 3,696 |
| 2014 | 378 | 3,571 |
| 2013 | 376 | 3,454 |
| 2012 | 374 | 3,340 |
| 2011 | 371 | 3,226 |
| 2010 | 369 | 3,115 |
| 2009 | 367 | 3,007 |
| 2008 | 365 | 2,902 |
| 2007 | 364 | 2,801 |
| 2006 | 362 | 2,710 |
| 2005 | 360 | 2,645 |
| 2004 | 358 | 2,602 |
| 2003 | 355 | 2,560 |
| 2002 | 353 | 2,518 |
| 2001 | 351 | 2,476 |
| 2000 | 348 | 2,435 |
| 1999 | 346 | 2,395 |
| 1998 | 343 | 2,354 |
| 1997 | 339 | 2,311 |
| 1996 | 336 | 2,265 |
| 1995 | 332 | 2,216 |
| 1994 | 329 | 2,165 |
| 1993 | 325 | 2,114 |
| 1992 | 321 | 2,059 |
| 1991 | 317 | 2,001 |
| 1990 | 313 | 1,940 |
| 1989 | 309 | 1,880 |
| 1988 | 304 | 1,821 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 1,761 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 1,700 |
| 1985 | 290 | 1,642 |
| 1984 | 286 | 1,590 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 1,546 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 1,505 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 1,464 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 1,423 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 1,384 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 1,348 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 1,312 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 1,274 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 1,236 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 1,200 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 1,165 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 1,131 |
| 1971 | 232 | 1,097 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 1,064 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 1,032 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 1,002 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 971 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 937 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 899 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 869 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 848 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 827 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 807 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Maldives
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 42.4% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 42% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 41.5% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 41.1% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 40.7% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 40.2% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 39.8% |
| 2017 | 58% | 39.4% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 39% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 38.5% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 38.1% |
| 2013 | 53% | 37.7% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 37.3% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 36.8% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 36.4% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 36% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 35.6% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 35.2% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 34.8% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 33.8% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 32.5% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 31.3% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 30% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 28.9% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 27.7% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 27.1% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 26.8% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 26.4% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 26% |
| 1995 | 31% | 25.6% |
| 1994 | 30% | 25.6% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 25.6% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 25.7% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 25.8% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 25.8% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 25.8% |
| 1988 | 25% | 25.7% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 25.6% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 25.6% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 25.5% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 25% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 24.3% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 23.6% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 22.9% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 22.3% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 21.6% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 21% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 20% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 18.6% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 17.3% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 16.1% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 14.9% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 13.9% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 12.8% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 11.9% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 11.7% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 11.5% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 11.3% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 11.4% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 11.5% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 11.4% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 11.3% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 11.3% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 11.2% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 11.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 32.5% to 42.4% in Maldives.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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