China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 42.5 people in Saudi Arabia. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 686,079 sq ft in Saudi Arabia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and Saudi Arabia are ranked 64th and 179th, 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 0.43% of the population and 1.44% of the land area for Saudi Arabia, hence the population density in China is 814% higher than in Saudi Arabia.
Population density comparison
China
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 42.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 179/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
36428123
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 830,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 655,493 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 14.8% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 85.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 44% |
China vs Saudi Arabia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 79.5% growth in Saudi Arabia.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. Saudi Arabia was 175th in 2004 and ranks 179th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 42.5 |
| 2023 | 389 | 40.6 |
| 2022 | 390 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 390 | 37.1 |
| 2020 | 389 | 38 |
| 2019 | 388 | 36.2 |
| 2018 | 387 | 36.4 |
| 2017 | 385 | 37.3 |
| 2016 | 383 | 37.3 |
| 2015 | 381 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 378 | 34.1 |
| 2013 | 376 | 33.3 |
| 2012 | 374 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 371 | 30.2 |
| 2010 | 369 | 28.9 |
| 2009 | 367 | 29.2 |
| 2008 | 365 | 28.1 |
| 2007 | 364 | 26.9 |
| 2006 | 362 | 25.9 |
| 2005 | 360 | 24.8 |
| 2004 | 358 | 23.7 |
| 2003 | 355 | 22.6 |
| 2002 | 353 | 21.6 |
| 2001 | 351 | 20.5 |
| 2000 | 348 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 346 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 343 | 18 |
| 1997 | 339 | 17.3 |
| 1996 | 336 | 16.7 |
| 1995 | 332 | 16 |
| 1994 | 329 | 15.4 |
| 1993 | 325 | 14.7 |
| 1992 | 321 | 14.1 |
| 1991 | 317 | 13.4 |
| 1990 | 313 | 12.8 |
| 1989 | 309 | 12.2 |
| 1988 | 304 | 11.6 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 11 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 10.4 |
| 1985 | 290 | 9.82 |
| 1984 | 286 | 9.27 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 8.74 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 8.22 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 7.74 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 7.29 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 6.87 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 6.48 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 6.12 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 5.79 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 5.49 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 5.21 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 4.71 |
| 1971 | 232 | 4.49 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 4.29 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 4.12 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 3.96 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 3.66 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 3.53 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 3.4 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 3.28 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 3.16 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 3.04 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 85.2% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 85% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 84.7% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 84.5% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 84.3% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 84.1% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 83.8% |
| 2017 | 58% | 83.6% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 83.4% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 83.2% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 83% |
| 2013 | 53% | 82.7% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 82.5% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 81.6% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 81.4% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 81.2% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 81% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 80.8% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 80.5% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 80.1% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 31% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 30% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 77.9% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 77.2% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 76.6% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 75.9% |
| 1988 | 25% | 75.3% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 74.6% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 73.9% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 72.6% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 71.4% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 70% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 68.7% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 67.3% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 65.9% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 64.4% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 62.9% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 61.4% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 59.9% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 58.3% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 56.7% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 54.7% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 52.7% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 50.7% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 48.7% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 46.7% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 44.7% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 42.7% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 40.7% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 38.8% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 36.9% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 35% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 33.5% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 32.4% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 31.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia.
Densely populated cities
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Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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