China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 22.7 people in Russia. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 1,280,521 sq ft in Russia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and Russia are ranked 64th and 185th, 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 1.76% of the population and 11% of the land area for Russia, hence the population density in China is 1,612% higher than in Russia.
Population density comparison
China
|
Russia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 22.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 185/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
142718132
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 6,323,145 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 1,228,137 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 24.5% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 75.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 24.8% |
China vs Russia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 0.34% decline in Russia.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. Russia was 176th in 2004 and ranks 185th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Russia
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 22.7 |
| 2023 | 389 | 22.7 |
| 2022 | 390 | 22.8 |
| 2021 | 390 | 22.9 |
| 2020 | 389 | 23 |
| 2019 | 388 | 23 |
| 2018 | 387 | 23 |
| 2017 | 385 | 23 |
| 2016 | 383 | 22.9 |
| 2015 | 381 | 22.9 |
| 2014 | 378 | 22.8 |
| 2013 | 376 | 22.7 |
| 2012 | 374 | 22.7 |
| 2011 | 371 | 22.6 |
| 2010 | 369 | 22.6 |
| 2009 | 367 | 22.6 |
| 2008 | 365 | 22.6 |
| 2007 | 364 | 22.6 |
| 2006 | 362 | 22.6 |
| 2005 | 360 | 22.7 |
| 2004 | 358 | 22.8 |
| 2003 | 355 | 22.9 |
| 2002 | 353 | 23 |
| 2001 | 351 | 23.1 |
| 2000 | 348 | 23.2 |
| 1999 | 346 | 23.3 |
| 1998 | 343 | 23.3 |
| 1997 | 339 | 23.4 |
| 1996 | 336 | 23.4 |
| 1995 | 332 | 23.5 |
| 1994 | 329 | 23.5 |
| 1993 | 325 | 23.5 |
| 1992 | 321 | 23.5 |
| 1991 | 317 | - |
| 1990 | 313 | - |
| 1989 | 309 | - |
| 1988 | 304 | - |
| 1987 | 299.1 | - |
| 1986 | 294.3 | - |
| 1985 | 290 | - |
| 1984 | 286 | - |
| 1983 | 282.3 | - |
| 1982 | 278.3 | - |
| 1981 | 274.2 | - |
| 1980 | 270.7 | - |
| 1979 | 267.3 | - |
| 1978 | 263.8 | - |
| 1977 | 260.3 | - |
| 1976 | 256.8 | - |
| 1975 | 252.8 | - |
| 1974 | 248.4 | - |
| 1973 | 243.3 | - |
| 1972 | 237.8 | - |
| 1971 | 232 | - |
| 1970 | 225.8 | - |
| 1969 | 219.6 | - |
| 1968 | 213.7 | - |
| 1967 | 208.2 | - |
| 1966 | 202.9 | - |
| 1965 | 197.3 | - |
| 1964 | 192.7 | - |
| 1963 | 188.2 | - |
| 1962 | 183.7 | - |
| 1961 | 182.2 | - |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Russia
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 75.5% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 75.3% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 75.1% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 74.9% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 74.8% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 74.6% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 74.4% |
| 2017 | 58% | 74.3% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 74.2% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 74% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 73.9% |
| 2013 | 53% | 73.9% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 73.7% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 73.6% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 73.4% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 73.3% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 73.3% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 73.4% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 73.4% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 73.4% |
| 1995 | 31% | 73.4% |
| 1994 | 30% | 73.4% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 73.4% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 73.4% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 73.4% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 73.4% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 73.4% |
| 1988 | 25% | 73.2% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 72.8% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 72.3% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 71.9% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 71.5% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 71.1% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 70.6% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 70.2% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 69.8% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 69.3% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 68.7% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 68% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 67.2% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 66.4% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 65.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 64.9% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 64.1% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 63.3% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 62.5% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 61.6% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 60.8% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 59.9% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 59% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 58.2% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 57.3% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 56.4% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 55.5% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 54.6% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 53.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 73.4% to 75.5% in Russia.
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 |
|
Russia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Moscow | 13.3M |
| Saint Petersburg | 5.65M |
| Novosibirsk | 1.64M |
| Yekaterinburg | 1.47M |
| Kazan | 1.33M |
| Nizhny Novgorod | 1.2M |
| Chelyabinsk | 1.18M |
| Krasnodar | 1.15M |
| Samara | 1.15M |
| Ufa | 1.14M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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