China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 39.6 people in Norway. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 744,101 sq ft in Norway. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and Norway are ranked 64th and 182nd, 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 0.07% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Norway, hence the population density in China is 881% higher than in Norway.
Population density comparison
China
|
Norway
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 39.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 182/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
5642662
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 140,645 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 703,657 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 15.7% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 84.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 0% |
China vs Norway:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 21.7% growth in Norway.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. Norway was 169th in 2004 and ranks 182nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Norway
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 39.6 |
| 2023 | 389 | 39.2 |
| 2022 | 390 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 390 | 38.5 |
| 2020 | 389 | 38.2 |
| 2019 | 388 | 37.9 |
| 2018 | 387 | 37.7 |
| 2017 | 385 | 37.4 |
| 2016 | 383 | 37.1 |
| 2015 | 381 | 36.8 |
| 2014 | 378 | 36.4 |
| 2013 | 376 | 36 |
| 2012 | 374 | 35.6 |
| 2011 | 371 | 35.1 |
| 2010 | 369 | 34.7 |
| 2009 | 367 | 34.2 |
| 2008 | 365 | 33.8 |
| 2007 | 364 | 33.4 |
| 2006 | 362 | 33 |
| 2005 | 360 | 32.8 |
| 2004 | 358 | 32.6 |
| 2003 | 355 | 32.4 |
| 2002 | 353 | 32.2 |
| 2001 | 351 | 32 |
| 2000 | 348 | 31.8 |
| 1999 | 346 | 31.6 |
| 1998 | 343 | 31.4 |
| 1997 | 339 | 31.2 |
| 1996 | 336 | 31.1 |
| 1995 | 332 | 30.9 |
| 1994 | 329 | 30.8 |
| 1993 | 325 | 30.6 |
| 1992 | 321 | 30.4 |
| 1991 | 317 | 30.2 |
| 1990 | 313 | 30.1 |
| 1989 | 309 | 30 |
| 1988 | 304 | 29.8 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 29.7 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 29.6 |
| 1985 | 290 | 29.4 |
| 1984 | 286 | 29.4 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 29.3 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 29.2 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 29.1 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 29 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 28.9 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 28.8 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 28.7 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 28.5 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 28.4 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 28.3 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 28.1 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 27.9 |
| 1971 | 232 | 27.7 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 27.5 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 27.3 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 27.1 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 26.8 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 26.6 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 26.4 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 26.2 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 26 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 25.8 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 25.6 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Norway
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 84.3% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 84% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 83.7% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 83.3% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 83% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 82.6% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 82.2% |
| 2017 | 58% | 81.9% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 81.5% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 81.1% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 80.7% |
| 2013 | 53% | 80.3% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 79.9% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 79.5% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 79.1% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 78.8% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 78.5% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 78.2% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 78% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 77.7% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 77.4% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 77.1% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 76.7% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 76.4% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 76% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 75.6% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 75% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 74.5% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 74.1% |
| 1995 | 31% | 73.8% |
| 1994 | 30% | 73.5% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 73.1% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 72.7% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 72.3% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 72% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 71.8% |
| 1988 | 25% | 71.7% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 71.6% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 71.4% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 71.3% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 71.2% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 71% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 70.9% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 70.8% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 70.5% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 70.1% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 69.6% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 69.1% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 68.7% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 68.2% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 67.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 67.2% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 66.7% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 66.2% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 65.4% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 63.9% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 62.3% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 60.8% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 59.2% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 57.6% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 55.9% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 54.3% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 52.7% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 51% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 49.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 77.4% to 84.3% in Norway.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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