China has a population density of 389 people per square mile compared to 1,373 people in South Korea. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, China and South Korea are ranked 64th and 18th, 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 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, hence the population density in China is 71.7% lower than in South Korea.
Population density comparison
China
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 389 ppl/mi² | 1,373 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 64/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
1405773318
|
51700480
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.5% | 18.5% |
| Urban population | 65.5% | 81.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.3% | 52% |
China vs South Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in China increased by 8.71%, compared to a 6.77% growth in South Korea.
In 2004, China ranked 55th for population density and is in 64th place now. South Korea was 13th in 2004 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 389 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 389 | 1,372 |
| 2022 | 390 | 1,371 |
| 2021 | 390 | 1,374 |
| 2020 | 389 | 1,376 |
| 2019 | 388 | 1,374 |
| 2018 | 387 | 1,370 |
| 2017 | 385 | 1,364 |
| 2016 | 383 | 1,361 |
| 2015 | 381 | 1,356 |
| 2014 | 378 | 1,349 |
| 2013 | 376 | 1,341 |
| 2012 | 374 | 1,336 |
| 2011 | 371 | 1,331 |
| 2010 | 369 | 1,320 |
| 2009 | 367 | 1,316 |
| 2008 | 365 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | 364 | 1,301 |
| 2006 | 362 | 1,295 |
| 2005 | 360 | 1,289 |
| 2004 | 358 | 1,286 |
| 2003 | 355 | 1,281 |
| 2002 | 353 | 1,275 |
| 2001 | 351 | 1,268 |
| 2000 | 348 | 1,262 |
| 1999 | 346 | 1,252 |
| 1998 | 343 | 1,243 |
| 1997 | 339 | 1,234 |
| 1996 | 336 | 1,222 |
| 1995 | 332 | 1,211 |
| 1994 | 329 | 1,199 |
| 1993 | 325 | 1,187 |
| 1992 | 321 | 1,175 |
| 1991 | 317 | 1,163 |
| 1990 | 313 | 1,151 |
| 1989 | 309 | 1,140 |
| 1988 | 304 | 1,129 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 1,118 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 1,107 |
| 1985 | 290 | 1,096 |
| 1984 | 286 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 1,072 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 1,056 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 1,040 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 1,024 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 1,008 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 993 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 978 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 963 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 947 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 932 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 916 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 900 |
| 1971 | 232 | 883 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 866 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 847 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 828 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 809 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 790 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 771 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 751 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 732 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 712 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 692 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 65.5% | 81.5% |
| 2023 | 64.6% | 81.5% |
| 2022 | 63.6% | 81.4% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | 81.4% |
| 2020 | 61.4% | 81.4% |
| 2019 | 60.3% | 81.4% |
| 2018 | 59.2% | 81.5% |
| 2017 | 58% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 56.7% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 55.5% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 54.3% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 53% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 51.8% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 50.5% | 81.9% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 81.9% |
| 2009 | 47.9% | 81.8% |
| 2008 | 46.5% | 81.7% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | 81.6% |
| 2006 | 43.9% | 81.5% |
| 2005 | 42.5% | 81.3% |
| 2004 | 41.1% | 81% |
| 2003 | 39.8% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 38.4% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 37.1% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 35.9% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 34.9% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 33.9% | 79.1% |
| 1997 | 32.9% | 78.9% |
| 1996 | 31.9% | 78.7% |
| 1995 | 31% | 78.2% |
| 1994 | 30% | 77.5% |
| 1993 | 29.1% | 76.6% |
| 1992 | 28.2% | 75.8% |
| 1991 | 27.3% | 75% |
| 1990 | 26.4% | 73.8% |
| 1989 | 25.7% | 72.1% |
| 1988 | 25% | 70.4% |
| 1987 | 24.3% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 23.6% | 66.7% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 64.9% |
| 1984 | 22.2% | 63.3% |
| 1983 | 21.5% | 61.7% |
| 1982 | 20.9% | 60.1% |
| 1981 | 20.1% | 58.4% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | 55% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 53.2% |
| 1977 | 17.5% | 51.5% |
| 1976 | 17.5% | 49.7% |
| 1975 | 17.4% | 48% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 46.6% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 17.2% | 43.7% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 38.8% |
| 1968 | 17.7% | 36.8% |
| 1967 | 17.8% | 35% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 33.3% |
| 1965 | 18.1% | 32.4% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 31.4% |
| 1963 | 17.8% | 30.4% |
| 1962 | 17.2% | 29.5% |
| 1961 | 16.7% | 28.5% |
| 1960 | 16.2% | 27.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.1% to 65.5% in China and from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea.
Densely populated cities
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Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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