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Population density: China vs Uganda compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 682 people in Uganda. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 51,875 sq ft in Uganda. China and Uganda rank 67th and 42nd 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 0.62% of the population and 0.13% of the land area for Uganda, making the population density in China 43.3% lower than in Uganda.

Population density by year

China
Uganda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Uganda
2026 387 682
2025 388 664
2024 389 646
2023 389 628
2022 390 611
2021 390 593
2020 389 574
2019 388 555
2018 387 537
2017 385 519
2016 383 501
2015 381 485
2014 378 470
2013 376 456
2012 374 444
2011 371 431
2010 369 418
2009 367 408
2008 365 396
2007 364 384
2006 362 373
2005 360 362
2004 358 352
2003 355 342
2002 353 331
2001 351 321
2000 348 311
1999 346 301
1998 343 291.9
1997 339 283.3
1996 336 275.2
1995 332 267.9
1994 329 260.7
1993 325 252.1
1992 321 243.5
1991 317 235.3
1990 313 227.7
1989 309 220.5
1988 304 213.5
1987 299.1 206.8
1986 294.3 200.5
1985 290 194.7
1984 286 189.3
1983 282.3 184.3
1982 278.3 179.8
1981 274.2 175.7
1980 270.7 172.1
1979 267.3 168.5
1978 263.8 164.5
1977 260.3 160.2
1976 256.8 156
1975 252.8 152
1974 248.4 148.1
1973 243.3 144.5
1972 237.8 141.1
1971 232 137.6
1970 225.8 133.8
1969 219.6 129.8
1968 213.7 125.8
1967 208.2 122
1966 202.9 118.3
1965 197.3 114.7
1964 192.7 111.3
1963 188.2 108
1962 183.7 104.9
1961 182.2 101.9

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/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 82.7% growth in Uganda.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Uganda was 55th in 2006 and ranks 42nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Uganda
1x
Year Urban population
China Uganda
2024 65.9% 31.3%
2023 65.5% 30.6%
2022 65.2% 29.9%
2021 64.7% 29.2%
2020 63.5% 28.5%
2019 62.7% 27.8%
2018 61.5% 27.1%
2017 60.2% 26.4%
2016 58.8% 25.7%
2015 57.3% 25%
2014 55.8% 24.2%
2013 54.5% 22.7%
2012 53.1% 21.4%
2011 51.8% 20.1%
2010 49.2% 18.8%
2009 48.3% 17.6%
2008 47% 16.5%
2007 45.9% 15.5%
2006 44.3% 14.6%
2005 43% 13.8%
2004 41.8% 13.1%
2003 40.5% 12.6%
2002 39.1% 12.2%
2001 37.7% 11.9%
2000 36.4% 11.6%
1999 34.8% 11.4%
1998 33.4% 11.2%
1997 31.9% 11%
1996 30.5% 10.9%
1995 29% 10.7%
1994 28.5% 10.6%
1993 28% 10.4%
1992 27.5% 10.2%
1991 26.9% 10%
1990 26.2% 9.76%
1989 26.2% 9.47%
1988 25.8% 9.15%
1987 25.3% 8.8%
1986 24.5% 8.44%
1985 23.7% 8.09%
1984 23% 7.74%
1983 21.6% 7.43%
1982 20.6% 7.15%
1981 20.2% 6.92%
1980 19.4% 6.76%
1979 19% 6.65%
1978 17.9% 6.57%
1977 17.6% 6.51%
1976 17.4% 6.46%
1975 17.3% 6.42%
1974 17.2% 6.38%
1973 17.2% 6.34%
1972 17.1% 6.29%
1971 17.3% 6.24%
1970 17.4% 6.17%
1969 17.5% 6.09%
1968 17.6% 5.97%
1967 17.7% 5.81%
1966 17.9% 5.63%
1965 18% 5.42%
1964 18.3% 5.2%
1963 16.8% 4.97%
1962 17.3% 4.75%
1961 19.3% 4.55%
1960 19.7% 4.36%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 13.1% to 31.3% in Uganda.

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
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 101K
Entebbe 70K

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/uganda | 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. Wikidata (2014–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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