China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. China and North Korea rank 67th and 52nd 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in China 32.5% lower than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 573 |
| 2025 | 388 | 572 |
| 2024 | 389 | 570 |
| 2023 | 389 | 568 |
| 2022 | 390 | 566 |
| 2021 | 390 | 564 |
| 2020 | 389 | 562 |
| 2019 | 388 | 560 |
| 2018 | 387 | 558 |
| 2017 | 385 | 555 |
| 2016 | 383 | 553 |
| 2015 | 381 | 550 |
| 2014 | 378 | 547 |
| 2013 | 376 | 545 |
| 2012 | 374 | 542 |
| 2011 | 371 | 540 |
| 2010 | 369 | 537 |
| 2009 | 367 | 535 |
| 2008 | 365 | 533 |
| 2007 | 364 | 530 |
| 2006 | 362 | 528 |
| 2005 | 360 | 525 |
| 2004 | 358 | 522 |
| 2003 | 355 | 518 |
| 2002 | 353 | 515 |
| 2001 | 351 | 512 |
| 2000 | 348 | 509 |
| 1999 | 346 | 505 |
| 1998 | 343 | 501 |
| 1997 | 339 | 497 |
| 1996 | 336 | 492 |
| 1995 | 332 | 488 |
| 1994 | 329 | 482 |
| 1993 | 325 | 475 |
| 1992 | 321 | 468 |
| 1991 | 317 | 461 |
| 1990 | 313 | 454 |
| 1989 | 309 | 447 |
| 1988 | 304 | 441 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 435 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 428 |
| 1985 | 290 | 422 |
| 1984 | 286 | 416 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 410 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 404 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 398 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 392 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 387 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 381 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 376 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 371 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 365 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 359 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 352 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 344 |
| 1971 | 232 | 335 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 326 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 318 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 309 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 300 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 291.9 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 284.3 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 277.3 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 270.3 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 263.8 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 257.9 |
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/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 47% | 60% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 43% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 29% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 59% |
| 1993 | 28% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 23% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 57% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 19% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 52% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 49% |
| 1965 | 18% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 45% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
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 |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
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/north-korea | 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 (2008–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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