China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 62.6 people in Papua New Guinea. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 471,041 sq ft in Papua New Guinea. China and Papua New Guinea rank 67th and 165th 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 0.13% of the population and 0.3% of the land area for Papua New Guinea, making the population density in China 518% higher than in Papua New Guinea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 62.6 |
| 2025 | 388 | 61.6 |
| 2024 | 389 | 60.5 |
| 2023 | 389 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | 390 | 58.4 |
| 2021 | 390 | 57.3 |
| 2020 | 389 | 56.1 |
| 2019 | 388 | 55 |
| 2018 | 387 | 53.7 |
| 2017 | 385 | 52.5 |
| 2016 | 383 | 51.3 |
| 2015 | 381 | 50 |
| 2014 | 378 | 48.7 |
| 2013 | 376 | 47.5 |
| 2012 | 374 | 46.2 |
| 2011 | 371 | 44.9 |
| 2010 | 369 | 43.7 |
| 2009 | 367 | 42.4 |
| 2008 | 365 | 41.1 |
| 2007 | 364 | 39.8 |
| 2006 | 362 | 38.6 |
| 2005 | 360 | 37.4 |
| 2004 | 358 | 36.2 |
| 2003 | 355 | 35 |
| 2002 | 353 | 33.9 |
| 2001 | 351 | 32.8 |
| 2000 | 348 | 31.7 |
| 1999 | 346 | 30.6 |
| 1998 | 343 | 29.5 |
| 1997 | 339 | 28.5 |
| 1996 | 336 | 27.5 |
| 1995 | 332 | 26.6 |
| 1994 | 329 | 25.6 |
| 1993 | 325 | 24.7 |
| 1992 | 321 | 23.8 |
| 1991 | 317 | 23 |
| 1990 | 313 | 22.3 |
| 1989 | 309 | 21.7 |
| 1988 | 304 | 21.2 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 20.8 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 20.3 |
| 1985 | 290 | 19.9 |
| 1984 | 286 | 19.5 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 19.1 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 18.7 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 18.3 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 17.9 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 17.5 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 17.2 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 16.8 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 16.5 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 16.1 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 15.7 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 15.4 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 15 |
| 1971 | 232 | 14.7 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 14.3 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 14 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 13.7 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 13.4 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 13.1 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 12.8 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 12.2 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 12 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 11.7 |
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/papua-new-guinea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 62.3% growth in Papua New Guinea.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Papua New Guinea was 167th in 2006 and ranks 165th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 62.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 165/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
11002753
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 174,850 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 460,884 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 84.6% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 15.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 15.4% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 15.1% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 14.7% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 14.4% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 14.2% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 13.9% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 13.7% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 13.5% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 13.4% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 13.2% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 13.1% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 13.1% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 13% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 13% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 13% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 13% |
| 2008 | 47% | 13% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 13% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 13% |
| 2005 | 43% | 13.1% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 13.1% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 13.1% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 13.2% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 13.2% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 13.2% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 13.3% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 13.5% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 13.7% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 14% |
| 1995 | 29% | 14.4% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 14.7% |
| 1993 | 28% | 14.9% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 15.2% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 15.3% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 15.4% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 15.3% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 15.1% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 14.8% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 14.5% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 14.2% |
| 1984 | 23% | 13.8% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 13.5% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 13.3% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 13.1% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 13.1% |
| 1979 | 19% | 13.1% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 13.1% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 13.1% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 13.1% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 13% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 12.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 12.2% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 11.7% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 11.1% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 10.2% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 9.05% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 7.77% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 6.63% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 5.88% |
| 1965 | 18% | 5.42% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 4.98% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 4.57% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 4.17% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 3.81% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 3.46% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/papua-new-guinea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 13.1% to 15.4% in Papua New Guinea.
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 |
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
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/papua-new-guinea | 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)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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