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Population density: Cuba vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Cuba has a population density of 271.8 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Cuba has 107,724 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Cuba and South Korea rank 90th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Cuba has 0.14% of the world's population and 0.07% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, making the population density in Cuba 80.2% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Cuba
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Cuba South Korea
2026 271.8 1,371
2025 272.9 1,372
2024 274 1,373
2023 275 1,372
2022 276 1,371
2021 277.5 1,374
2020 278.9 1,376
2019 279.5 1,374
2018 280.1 1,370
2017 280.7 1,364
2016 280.4 1,361
2015 280.5 1,356
2014 281 1,349
2013 280.8 1,341
2012 274.5 1,336
2011 273.9 1,331
2010 274.9 1,320
2009 274.8 1,316
2008 274.8 1,310
2007 274.7 1,301
2006 274.5 1,295
2005 274 1,289
2004 273.5 1,286
2003 272.9 1,281
2002 272.1 1,275
2001 268.7 1,268
2000 267.9 1,262
1999 267 1,252
1998 266.1 1,243
1997 265.2 1,234
1996 264.4 1,222
1995 263.5 1,211
1994 262.5 1,199
1993 261.4 1,187
1992 260.1 1,175
1991 258.5 1,163
1990 256.4 1,151
1989 254 1,140
1988 251.6 1,129
1987 249.2 1,118
1986 247 1,107
1985 244.9 1,096
1984 242.9 1,085
1983 240.9 1,072
1982 239 1,056
1981 237.5 1,040
1980 236.4 1,024
1979 235.4 1,008
1978 234.2 993
1977 232.7 978
1976 230.8 963
1975 228.6 947
1974 226.1 932
1973 223.2 916
1972 220 900
1971 216.5 883
1970 212.8 866
1969 209 847
1968 205.2 828
1967 201.4 809
1966 197.6 790
1965 193.7 771
1964 189.7 751
1963 185.7 732
1962 181.9 712
1961 178.1 692

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/cuba/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Cuba decreased by 0.96%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Cuba ranked 76th by population density and is 90th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Cuba
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Cuba South Korea
2024 77.2% 81.2%
2023 77.1% 81.2%
2022 77.1% 81.2%
2021 77.1% 81.2%
2020 77.1% 81.2%
2019 77.1% 81.3%
2018 77% 81.4%
2017 77% 81.5%
2016 76.9% 81.6%
2015 76.9% 81.6%
2014 76.8% 81.7%
2013 76.8% 81.8%
2012 76.8% 81.9%
2011 76.7% 82%
2010 76.6% 82%
2009 76.5% 81.9%
2008 76.4% 81.8%
2007 76.2% 81.7%
2006 76.1% 81.6%
2005 76% 81.4%
2004 75.9% 81.1%
2003 75.9% 80.7%
2002 75.9% 80.3%
2001 75.9% 79.9%
2000 75.6% 79.6%
1999 75.4% 79.4%
1998 75.3% 79.2%
1997 75.1% 79%
1996 74.8% 78.8%
1995 74.6% 78.4%
1994 74.5% 77.9%
1993 74.5% 77.1%
1992 74.4% 76.2%
1991 74.1% 75.2%
1990 73.7% 74%
1989 73.3% 72.5%
1988 72.7% 70.6%
1987 72.1% 68.6%
1986 71.6% 66.6%
1985 71.1% 64.8%
1984 70.8% 63.1%
1983 70.3% 61.5%
1982 69.5% 60%
1981 68.9% 58.3%
1980 68.4% 56.7%
1979 67.7% 54.9%
1978 66.9% 53.1%
1977 65.9% 51.3%
1976 64.9% 49.6%
1975 63.9% 48%
1974 63% 46.5%
1973 62.1% 45.1%
1972 61.3% 43.8%
1971 60.7% 42.3%
1970 60.3% 40.7%
1969 59.9% 38.7%
1968 59.6% 36.5%
1967 59.4% 34.6%
1966 59.1% 33.1%
1965 58.8% 32%
1964 58.6% 31%
1963 58.3% 30.1%
1962 58.1% 29.2%
1961 57.9% 28.4%
1960 57.7% 27.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/cuba/south-korea | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 75.9% to 77.2% in Cuba and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Cuba
City Population
Havana 2.49M
Santiago de Cuba 445K
Holguin 350K
Camaguey 322K
Santa Clara 247K
Bayamo 235K
Guantanamo 228K
Las Tunas 202K
Pinar del Rio 189K
Cienfuegos 165K
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

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/cuba/south-korea | 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 (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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