China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 570 people in North Korea. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and North Korea are ranked 64th and 52nd, 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, hence the population density in China is 31.8% lower than in North Korea.
Population density comparison
China
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 570 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
26621357
|
| 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 | 34.5% | 36.5% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 63.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 10.8% |
China vs North Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 9.25% growth in North Korea.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. North Korea was 40th in 2004 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
North Korea
|
|
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 63.5% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 63.2% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 62.9% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 62.6% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 62.4% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 62.1% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 61.9% |
| 2017 | 58% | 61.7% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 61.5% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 53% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 60.6% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 60.4% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 60% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 60% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 59.9% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 59.6% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 59.3% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 59.1% |
| 1995 | 31% | 59% |
| 1994 | 30% | 58.9% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 58.8% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 58.5% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 58.2% |
| 1988 | 25% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 57.8% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 57.6% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 57.5% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 57.3% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 57.2% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 57% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 56.7% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 56.2% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 55.7% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 55.2% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 54.7% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 51.6% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 49% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 47.1% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 46.1% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 45.1% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 44.1% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 43.1% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 42.1% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 41.2% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 40.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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