China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 750 people in the United Kingdom. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. China and the United Kingdom rank 67th and 35th 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, making the population density in China 48.4% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
China
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2026 | 387 | 750 |
| 2025 | 388 | 746 |
| 2024 | 389 | 741 |
| 2023 | 389 | 733 |
| 2022 | 390 | 724 |
| 2021 | 390 | 717 |
| 2020 | 389 | 715 |
| 2019 | 388 | 713 |
| 2018 | 387 | 710 |
| 2017 | 385 | 706 |
| 2016 | 383 | 702 |
| 2015 | 381 | 697 |
| 2014 | 378 | 692 |
| 2013 | 376 | 687 |
| 2012 | 374 | 682 |
| 2011 | 371 | 677 |
| 2010 | 369 | 672 |
| 2009 | 367 | 667 |
| 2008 | 365 | 662 |
| 2007 | 364 | 656 |
| 2006 | 362 | 651 |
| 2005 | 360 | 647 |
| 2004 | 358 | 642 |
| 2003 | 355 | 639 |
| 2002 | 353 | 636 |
| 2001 | 351 | 633 |
| 2000 | 348 | 630 |
| 1999 | 346 | 628 |
| 1998 | 343 | 626 |
| 1997 | 339 | 624 |
| 1996 | 336 | 623 |
| 1995 | 332 | 621 |
| 1994 | 329 | 619 |
| 1993 | 325 | 618 |
| 1992 | 321 | 616 |
| 1991 | 317 | 615 |
| 1990 | 313 | 613 |
| 1989 | 309 | 611 |
| 1988 | 304 | 609 |
| 1987 | 299.1 | 608 |
| 1986 | 294.3 | 607 |
| 1985 | 290 | 605 |
| 1984 | 286 | 604 |
| 1983 | 282.3 | 603 |
| 1982 | 278.3 | 603 |
| 1981 | 274.2 | 603 |
| 1980 | 270.7 | 603 |
| 1979 | 267.3 | 602 |
| 1978 | 263.8 | 602 |
| 1977 | 260.3 | 602 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 602 |
| 1975 | 252.8 | 602 |
| 1974 | 248.4 | 602 |
| 1973 | 243.3 | 602 |
| 1972 | 237.8 | 600 |
| 1971 | 232 | 598 |
| 1970 | 225.8 | 596 |
| 1969 | 219.6 | 594 |
| 1968 | 213.7 | 591 |
| 1967 | 208.2 | 588 |
| 1966 | 202.9 | 585 |
| 1965 | 197.3 | 582 |
| 1964 | 192.7 | 578 |
| 1963 | 188.2 | 574 |
| 1962 | 183.7 | 570 |
| 1961 | 182.2 | 565 |
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/united-kingdom | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 15.1% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2006 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
China
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 387 ppl/mi² | 750 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 67/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
1402578808
|
70154914
|
| Land area | 3,624,808 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,722 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 34.1% | 16.8% |
| Urban population | 65.9% | 83.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 95.8% | 14.2% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
China
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 65.9% | 83.2% |
| 2023 | 65.5% | 83.2% |
| 2022 | 65.2% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 64.7% | 83% |
| 2020 | 63.5% | 82.9% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | 82.7% |
| 2018 | 61.5% | 82.4% |
| 2017 | 60.2% | 82.2% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | 82% |
| 2015 | 57.3% | 81.8% |
| 2014 | 55.8% | 81.6% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 81.5% |
| 2012 | 53.1% | 81.3% |
| 2011 | 51.8% | 81.1% |
| 2010 | 49.2% | 81% |
| 2009 | 48.3% | 80.9% |
| 2008 | 47% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 45.9% | 80.6% |
| 2006 | 44.3% | 80.5% |
| 2005 | 43% | 80.4% |
| 2004 | 41.8% | 80.3% |
| 2003 | 40.5% | 80.2% |
| 2002 | 39.1% | 80.1% |
| 2001 | 37.7% | 80% |
| 2000 | 36.4% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 34.8% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 33.4% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 31.9% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 30.5% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 29% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 28.5% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 28% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 27.5% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 26.9% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 26.2% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 26.2% | 78.1% |
| 1988 | 25.8% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 24.5% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 23.7% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 23% | 78.5% |
| 1983 | 21.6% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 20.6% | 78.6% |
| 1981 | 20.2% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 19.4% | 78.6% |
| 1979 | 19% | 78.5% |
| 1978 | 17.9% | 78.3% |
| 1977 | 17.6% | 78.1% |
| 1976 | 17.4% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 17.3% | 77.5% |
| 1974 | 17.2% | 77.3% |
| 1973 | 17.2% | 77.1% |
| 1972 | 17.1% | 77% |
| 1971 | 17.3% | 76.9% |
| 1970 | 17.4% | 76.9% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 77% |
| 1968 | 17.6% | 77.1% |
| 1967 | 17.7% | 77.2% |
| 1966 | 17.9% | 77.4% |
| 1965 | 18% | 77.6% |
| 1964 | 18.3% | 77.8% |
| 1963 | 16.8% | 78% |
| 1962 | 17.3% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 19.3% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 19.7% | 78.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/china/united-kingdom | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 80.3% to 83.2% in the United Kingdom.
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 |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Cardiff | 384K |
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/united-kingdom | 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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