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Population density: China vs Peru compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 70.7 people in Peru. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 404,290 sq ft in Peru. China and Peru rank 67th and 161st 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 0.42% of the population and 0.86% of the land area for Peru, making the population density in China 447% higher than in Peru.

Population density by year

China
Peru

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Peru
2026 387 70.7
2025 388 70
2024 389 69.2
2023 389 68.5
2022 390 67.7
2021 390 67.1
2020 389 66.4
2019 388 65.7
2018 387 64.5
2017 385 63.4
2016 383 62.5
2015 381 61.6
2014 378 60.9
2013 376 60.3
2012 374 59.8
2011 371 59.3
2010 369 58.9
2009 367 58.5
2008 365 58.1
2007 364 57.7
2006 362 57.3
2005 360 56.9
2004 358 56.4
2003 355 55.8
2002 353 55.2
2001 351 54.6
2000 348 53.8
1999 346 53
1998 343 52.1
1997 339 51.1
1996 336 50.2
1995 332 49.3
1994 329 48.3
1993 325 47.4
1992 321 46.4
1991 317 45.5
1990 313 44.5
1989 309 43.6
1988 304 42.6
1987 299.1 41.6
1986 294.3 40.7
1985 290 39.8
1984 286 38.8
1983 282.3 37.9
1982 278.3 36.9
1981 274.2 36
1980 270.7 35.1
1979 267.3 34.3
1978 263.8 33.4
1977 260.3 32.6
1976 256.8 31.8
1975 252.8 31
1974 248.4 30.3
1973 243.3 29.5
1972 237.8 28.8
1971 232 28
1970 225.8 27.3
1969 219.6 26.6
1968 213.7 25.9
1967 208.2 25.2
1966 202.9 24.5
1965 197.3 23.8
1964 192.7 23.1
1963 188.2 22.5
1962 183.7 21.8
1961 182.2 21.2

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/peru | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 23.4% growth in Peru.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Peru was 157th in 2006 and ranks 161st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Peru
1x
Year Urban population
China Peru
2024 65.9% 85.2%
2023 65.5% 84.8%
2022 65.2% 84.4%
2021 64.7% 83.9%
2020 63.5% 83.5%
2019 62.7% 83.1%
2018 61.5% 82.7%
2017 60.2% 82.2%
2016 58.8% 81.4%
2015 57.3% 80.7%
2014 55.8% 80%
2013 54.5% 79.3%
2012 53.1% 78.6%
2011 51.8% 78%
2010 49.2% 77.4%
2009 48.3% 76.8%
2008 47% 76.3%
2007 45.9% 75.8%
2006 44.3% 75.3%
2005 43% 74.8%
2004 41.8% 74.4%
2003 40.5% 74%
2002 39.1% 73.6%
2001 37.7% 73.2%
2000 36.4% 72.8%
1999 34.8% 72.4%
1998 33.4% 72%
1997 31.9% 71.6%
1996 30.5% 71.3%
1995 29% 70.9%
1994 28.5% 70.5%
1993 28% 70.1%
1992 27.5% 69.7%
1991 26.9% 69.3%
1990 26.2% 68.9%
1989 26.2% 68.6%
1988 25.8% 68.2%
1987 25.3% 67.8%
1986 24.5% 67.4%
1985 23.7% 67%
1984 23% 66.6%
1983 21.6% 66.2%
1982 20.6% 65.7%
1981 20.2% 65.2%
1980 19.4% 64.7%
1979 19% 64.2%
1978 17.9% 63.6%
1977 17.6% 63%
1976 17.4% 62.4%
1975 17.3% 61.8%
1974 17.2% 61.1%
1973 17.2% 60.3%
1972 17.1% 59.6%
1971 17.3% 58.7%
1970 17.4% 57.7%
1969 17.5% 56.6%
1968 17.6% 55.4%
1967 17.7% 54.1%
1966 17.9% 52.8%
1965 18% 51.6%
1964 18.3% 50.4%
1963 16.8% 49.3%
1962 17.3% 48.3%
1961 19.3% 47.4%
1960 19.7% 46.7%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/china/peru | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 74.4% to 85.2% in Peru.

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
Peru
City Population
Lima 9.94M
Arequipa 1.01M
Trujillo 920K
Chiclayo 553K
Callao 537K
Piura 473K
Cusco 428K
Chimbote 395K
Huancayo 378K
Iquitos 378K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/peru | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2017–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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