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Population density: China vs Tonga compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 372 people in Tonga. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 77,340 sq ft in Tonga. China and Tonga rank 67th and 69th 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 0.001% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Tonga, making the population density in China 4.12% higher than in Tonga.

Population density by year

China
Tonga

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Tonga
2026 387 372
2025 388 373
2024 389 375
2023 389 376
2022 390 378
2021 390 379
2020 389 380
2019 388 380
2018 387 380
2017 385 379
2016 383 380
2015 381 382
2014 378 383
2013 376 385
2012 374 387
2011 371 387
2010 369 386
2009 367 386
2008 365 385
2007 364 384
2006 362 382
2005 360 380
2004 358 378
2003 355 376
2002 353 374
2001 351 372
2000 348 369
1999 346 367
1998 343 365
1997 339 362
1996 336 361
1995 332 361
1994 329 360
1993 325 360
1992 321 360
1991 317 359
1990 313 359
1989 309 358
1988 304 356
1987 299.1 354
1986 294.3 353
1985 290 352
1984 286 352
1983 282.3 353
1982 278.3 352
1981 274.2 352
1980 270.7 352
1979 267.3 351
1978 263.8 350
1977 260.3 348
1976 256.8 343
1975 252.8 335
1974 248.4 326
1973 243.3 319
1972 237.8 314
1971 232 309
1970 225.8 304
1969 219.6 298.2
1968 213.7 292.6
1967 208.2 287.1
1966 202.9 280.6
1965 197.3 273.1
1964 192.7 265.8
1963 188.2 258.6
1962 183.7 251.6
1961 182.2 244.7

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/tonga | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 2.77% decline in Tonga.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Tonga was 54th in 2006 and ranks 69th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Tonga
1x
Year Urban population
China Tonga
2024 65.9% 21.2%
2023 65.5% 21.1%
2022 65.2% 21.1%
2021 64.7% 21.3%
2020 63.5% 21.9%
2019 62.7% 22.3%
2018 61.5% 22.7%
2017 60.2% 23%
2016 58.8% 23.1%
2015 57.3% 23.2%
2014 55.8% 23.3%
2013 54.5% 23.4%
2012 53.1% 23.5%
2011 51.8% 23.5%
2010 49.2% 23.4%
2009 48.3% 23.4%
2008 47% 23.3%
2007 45.9% 23.2%
2006 44.3% 23.2%
2005 43% 23.1%
2004 41.8% 23.1%
2003 40.5% 23.1%
2002 39.1% 23.1%
2001 37.7% 23%
2000 36.4% 23%
1999 34.8% 23%
1998 33.4% 23%
1997 31.9% 22.9%
1996 30.5% 22.9%
1995 29% 22.8%
1994 28.5% 22.7%
1993 28% 22.6%
1992 27.5% 22.5%
1991 26.9% 22.4%
1990 26.2% 22.2%
1989 26.2% 22%
1988 25.8% 21.9%
1987 25.3% 21.7%
1986 24.5% 21.5%
1985 23.7% 21.4%
1984 23% 21.2%
1983 21.6% 21%
1982 20.6% 20.9%
1981 20.2% 20.7%
1980 19.4% 20.6%
1979 19% 20.5%
1978 17.9% 20.4%
1977 17.6% 20.4%
1976 17.4% 20.3%
1975 17.3% 20.3%
1974 17.2% 20.3%
1973 17.2% 20.2%
1972 17.1% 20.2%
1971 17.3% 20.2%
1970 17.4% 20.2%
1969 17.5% 20.2%
1968 17.6% 20.1%
1967 17.7% 20.1%
1966 17.9% 20%
1965 18% 19.9%
1964 18.3% 19.7%
1963 16.8% 19.4%
1962 17.3% 19.1%
1961 19.3% 18.7%
1960 19.7% 18.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 23.1% to 21.2% in Tonga.

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

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/tonga | 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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2020–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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