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Population density: China vs Uruguay compared

Updated on by Georank team

China has a population density of 387 people per square mile compared to 50.1 people in Uruguay. China has 73,316 sq ft of land per person vs 560,081 sq ft in Uruguay. China and Uruguay rank 67th and 173rd 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 0.04% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Uruguay, making the population density in China 673% higher than in Uruguay.

Population density by year

China
Uruguay

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
China Uruguay
2026 387 50.1
2025 388 50.1
2024 389 50.1
2023 389 50.1
2022 390 50.2
2021 390 50.3
2020 389 50.3
2019 388 50.3
2018 387 50.2
2017 385 50.1
2016 383 50
2015 381 49.8
2014 378 49.7
2013 376 49.5
2012 374 49.4
2011 371 49.2
2010 369 49.1
2009 367 49
2008 365 48.9
2007 364 48.8
2006 362 48.7
2005 360 48.6
2004 358 48.6
2003 355 48.6
2002 353 48.5
2001 351 48.5
2000 348 48.3
1999 346 48.2
1998 343 47.9
1997 339 47.7
1996 336 47.4
1995 332 47.2
1994 329 47
1993 325 46.7
1992 321 46.5
1991 317 46.2
1990 313 45.9
1989 309 45.7
1988 304 45.4
1987 299.1 45.1
1986 294.3 44.9
1985 290 44.6
1984 286 44.4
1983 282.3 44.2
1982 278.3 44
1981 274.2 43.9
1980 270.7 43.7
1979 267.3 43.5
1978 263.8 43.3
1977 260.3 43.1
1976 256.8 42.8
1975 252.8 42.5
1974 248.4 42.2
1973 243.3 42
1972 237.8 41.8
1971 232 41.5
1970 225.8 41.3
1969 219.6 41
1968 213.7 40.8
1967 208.2 40.4
1966 202.9 40.1
1965 197.3 39.7
1964 192.7 39.3
1963 188.2 38.8
1962 183.7 38.4
1961 182.2 37.9

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/uruguay | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in China increased by 6.98%, compared to a 2.84% growth in Uruguay.

In 2006, China ranked 57th by population density and is 67th now. Uruguay was 158th in 2006 and ranks 173rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

China
Uruguay
1x
Year Urban population
China Uruguay
2024 65.9% 95.6%
2023 65.5% 95.5%
2022 65.2% 95.5%
2021 64.7% 95.4%
2020 63.5% 95.4%
2019 62.7% 95.3%
2018 61.5% 95.3%
2017 60.2% 95.2%
2016 58.8% 95.2%
2015 57.3% 95.1%
2014 55.8% 95%
2013 54.5% 94.9%
2012 53.1% 94.8%
2011 51.8% 94.6%
2010 49.2% 94.3%
2009 48.3% 93.9%
2008 47% 93.5%
2007 45.9% 93%
2006 44.3% 92.5%
2005 43% 92.1%
2004 41.8% 91.8%
2003 40.5% 91.6%
2002 39.1% 91.5%
2001 37.7% 91.4%
2000 36.4% 91.3%
1999 34.8% 91.2%
1998 33.4% 91.1%
1997 31.9% 91%
1996 30.5% 90.8%
1995 29% 90.6%
1994 28.5% 90.4%
1993 28% 90.1%
1992 27.5% 89.8%
1991 26.9% 89.4%
1990 26.2% 89.1%
1989 26.2% 88.7%
1988 25.8% 88.3%
1987 25.3% 88%
1986 24.5% 87.6%
1985 23.7% 87.2%
1984 23% 86.8%
1983 21.6% 86.4%
1982 20.6% 85.9%
1981 20.2% 85.5%
1980 19.4% 85%
1979 19% 84.5%
1978 17.9% 84.1%
1977 17.6% 83.7%
1976 17.4% 83.3%
1975 17.3% 83%
1974 17.2% 82.8%
1973 17.2% 82.6%
1972 17.1% 82.3%
1971 17.3% 82.2%
1970 17.4% 82%
1969 17.5% 81.8%
1968 17.6% 81.6%
1967 17.7% 81.5%
1966 17.9% 81.3%
1965 18% 81.1%
1964 18.3% 81%
1963 16.8% 80.8%
1962 17.3% 80.6%
1961 19.3% 80.4%
1960 19.7% 80.2%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.8% to 65.9% in China and from 91.8% to 95.6% in Uruguay.

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
Uruguay
City Population
Montevideo 1.3M
Salto 125K
Ciudad de la Costa 112K
Maldonado 86.8K
Rivera 84.8K
Paysandu 76.4K
Tacuarembo 54.8K
Melo 51.8K

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/uruguay | 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 (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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