Ethiopia has a population density of 319 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. Ethiopia has 90,009 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. Ethiopia and North Korea rank 78th and 52nd by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ethiopia has 1.62% of the world's population and 0.76% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in Ethiopia 44.3% lower than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Ethiopia
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 319 | 573 |
| 2025 | 311 | 572 |
| 2024 | 303 | 570 |
| 2023 | 295.4 | 568 |
| 2022 | 287.8 | 566 |
| 2021 | 280.3 | 564 |
| 2020 | 272.9 | 562 |
| 2019 | 265.6 | 560 |
| 2018 | 258.6 | 558 |
| 2017 | 251.7 | 555 |
| 2016 | 244.9 | 553 |
| 2015 | 238.4 | 550 |
| 2014 | 232.1 | 547 |
| 2013 | 225.9 | 545 |
| 2012 | 219.8 | 542 |
| 2011 | 213.8 | 540 |
| 2010 | 207.8 | 537 |
| 2009 | 202 | 535 |
| 2008 | 196.3 | 533 |
| 2007 | 190.7 | 530 |
| 2006 | 185.2 | 528 |
| 2005 | 179.8 | 525 |
| 2004 | 174.6 | 522 |
| 2003 | 191.2 | 518 |
| 2002 | 185.5 | 515 |
| 2001 | 180 | 512 |
| 2000 | 174.6 | 509 |
| 1999 | 169.3 | 505 |
| 1998 | 164.1 | 501 |
| 1997 | 159 | 497 |
| 1996 | 154 | 492 |
| 1995 | 149 | 488 |
| 1994 | 144 | 482 |
| 1993 | 139.1 | 475 |
| 1992 | - | 468 |
| 1991 | - | 461 |
| 1990 | - | 454 |
| 1989 | - | 447 |
| 1988 | - | 441 |
| 1987 | - | 435 |
| 1986 | - | 428 |
| 1985 | - | 422 |
| 1984 | - | 416 |
| 1983 | - | 410 |
| 1982 | - | 404 |
| 1981 | - | 398 |
| 1980 | - | 392 |
| 1979 | - | 387 |
| 1978 | - | 381 |
| 1977 | - | 376 |
| 1976 | - | 371 |
| 1975 | - | 365 |
| 1974 | - | 359 |
| 1973 | - | 352 |
| 1972 | - | 344 |
| 1971 | - | 335 |
| 1970 | - | 326 |
| 1969 | - | 318 |
| 1968 | - | 309 |
| 1967 | - | 300 |
| 1966 | - | 291.9 |
| 1965 | - | 284.3 |
| 1964 | - | 277.3 |
| 1963 | - | 270.3 |
| 1962 | - | 263.8 |
| 1961 | - | 257.9 |
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/ethiopia/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ethiopia increased by 72.2%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, Ethiopia ranked 101st by population density and is 78th now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Ethiopia
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 319 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 78/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
139917664
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 435,716 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 91,982 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 76.4% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 23.6% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 4.08% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ethiopia
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 23.6% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 23.1% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 19% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 16.8% | 60% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 16.2% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 16% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 15.5% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 15.3% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 15.1% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 14.3% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 14.1% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 13.7% | 59% |
| 1993 | 13.5% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 13.3% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 13% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 12.8% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 12.5% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 12.2% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 11% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 10.8% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 10.6% | 57% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 9.98% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 9.79% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 9.61% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 9.42% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 9.24% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 9.07% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 8.9% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 8.73% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 8.57% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 8.41% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 8.25% | 52% |
| 1967 | 8.1% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 7.95% | 49% |
| 1965 | 7.8% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 7.66% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 7.52% | 45% |
| 1962 | 7.38% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 7.24% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 7.11% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ethiopia/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15.8% to 23.6% in Ethiopia and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Ethiopia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Addis Ababa | 5.7M |
| Gondar | 324K |
| Mekelle | 324K |
| Awasa | 300K |
| Dire Dawa | 277K |
| Bahir Dar | 243K |
| Dessie | 188K |
| Jimma | 178K |
| Harar | 157K |
| Jijiga | 126K |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
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/ethiopia/north-korea | 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 (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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