China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 139.8 people in South Africa. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. China and South Africa rank 67th and 135th 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 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, making the population density in China 176.7% higher than in South Africa.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 139.8 |
| 2025 | 388 | 138.3 |
| 2024 | 389 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 389 | 135 |
| 2022 | 390 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 390 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 389 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 388 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 387 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 385 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 383 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 381 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 378 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 376 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 374 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 371 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 369 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 367 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 365 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 364 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 362 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 360 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 358 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 355 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 353 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 351 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 348 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 346 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 343 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 339 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 336 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 332 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 329 | 94 |
| 1993 | 325 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 321 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 317 | 89 |
| 1990 | 313 | 87 |
| 1989 | 309 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 304 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 290 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 286 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 63 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 232 | 49 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 42 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 36.1 |
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/south-africa | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 31% growth in South Africa.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. South Africa was 134th in 2006 and ranks 135th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 135/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
65683993
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 36.3% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 63.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 15% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 63.7% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 63.6% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 63.5% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 63.4% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 63.4% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 63.3% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 63.3% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 63.2% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 63.1% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 63.1% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 63% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 62.9% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 62.6% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 47% | 61.8% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 61.2% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 43% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 59.1% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 57.7% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 57% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 55.4% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 54.7% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 54% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 53.6% |
| 1995 | 29% | 53.3% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 53.1% |
| 1993 | 28% | 52.9% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 52.7% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 52.4% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 52% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 50.7% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 50.1% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 49.6% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 49.2% |
| 1984 | 23% | 49% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 48.8% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 48.6% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 48.5% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 19% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 48.2% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 48.1% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 48% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 48% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 47.5% |
| 1965 | 18% | 47.4% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 47.1% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 47% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 46.9% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 46.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/south-africa | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa.
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 |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
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/south-africa | 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)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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