China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. China and Nigeria rank 67th and 41st 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 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in China 43.9% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 690 |
| 2025 | 388 | 676 |
| 2024 | 389 | 662 |
| 2023 | 389 | 648 |
| 2022 | 390 | 635 |
| 2021 | 390 | 621 |
| 2020 | 389 | 609 |
| 2019 | 388 | 596 |
| 2018 | 387 | 583 |
| 2017 | 385 | 569 |
| 2016 | 383 | 556 |
| 2015 | 381 | 542 |
| 2014 | 378 | 529 |
| 2013 | 376 | 515 |
| 2012 | 374 | 501 |
| 2011 | 371 | 487 |
| 2010 | 369 | 474 |
| 2009 | 367 | 461 |
| 2008 | 365 | 448 |
| 2007 | 364 | 436 |
| 2006 | 362 | 424 |
| 2005 | 360 | 412 |
| 2004 | 358 | 401 |
| 2003 | 355 | 390 |
| 2002 | 353 | 380 |
| 2001 | 351 | 369 |
| 2000 | 348 | 359 |
| 1999 | 346 | 350 |
| 1998 | 343 | 341 |
| 1997 | 339 | 332 |
| 1996 | 336 | 323 |
| 1995 | 332 | 315 |
| 1994 | 329 | 307 |
| 1993 | 325 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 321 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 317 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 313 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 309 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 304 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 290 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 286 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 232 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 130.8 |
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/nigeria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 41/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
243824469
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 37% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 63% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 13.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 63% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 62.2% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 61.4% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 60.6% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 59.8% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 59% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 58.2% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 57.3% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 56.5% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 54.9% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 54.1% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 53.3% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 51.7% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 50.9% |
| 2008 | 47% | 50.1% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 49.2% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 43% | 47.6% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 46.7% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 45.8% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 45% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 44.1% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 43.3% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 42.4% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 41.6% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 40.8% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 40% |
| 1995 | 29% | 39.1% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 38.3% |
| 1993 | 28% | 37.5% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 36.7% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 36% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 35.2% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 34.4% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 33.6% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 32.8% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 31.3% |
| 1984 | 23% | 30.5% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 29.7% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 28.9% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 28.2% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 19% | 26.7% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 25.9% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 25.2% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 23.7% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 23% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 22.3% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 21.6% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 20.9% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 18.9% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 18.3% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 17.7% |
| 1965 | 18% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 16.5% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 15.9% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 15.4% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 14.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/nigeria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.
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 |
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lagos | 15.1M |
| Kano | 4.35M |
| Port Harcourt | 3.32M |
| Ibadan | 2.55M |
| Benin | 1.78M |
| Abuja | 1.69M |
| Onitsha | 1.48M |
| Maiduguri | 1.2M |
| Aba | 1.16M |
| Enugu | 1.03M |
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/nigeria | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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 (2006–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.