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Population density: France vs Germany compared

Updated on by Georank team

France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 612 people in Germany. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 46,087 sq ft in Germany. France and Germany rank 75th and 50th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. France has 0.84% of the world's population and 0.36% of all countries' land area, compared to 1.03% of the population and 0.23% of the land area for Germany, making the population density in France 46% lower than in Germany.

Population density by year

France
Germany

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
France Germany
2026 330 612
2025 330 617
2024 329 619
2023 329 617
2022 328 617
2021 326 617
2020 325 616
2019 324 616
2018 323 615
2017 322 613
2016 321 610
2015 320 606
2014 319 601
2013 317 599
2012 316 598
2011 314 596
2010 312 608
2009 311 608
2008 309 610
2007 308 611
2006 306 612
2005 304 612
2004 301 613
2003 299.1 613
2002 297 612
2001 294.9 611
2000 292.8 610
1999 290.7 609
1998 289.3 609
1997 288.2 609
1996 287.2 608
1995 286.1 606
1994 285.1 604
1993 284 602
1992 282.8 598
1991 281.4 594
1990 280 589
1989 278.5 584
1988 276.8 580
1987 275.2 577
1986 273.7 577
1985 272.3 576
1984 271 578
1983 269.6 580
1982 268.2 581
1981 267.2 582
1980 265.6 581
1979 264.2 580
1978 263 579
1977 261.8 580
1976 260.6 581
1975 259.5 584
1974 258.3 586
1973 256.6 586
1972 254.5 584
1971 252.3 581
1970 249.9 580
1969 247.7 578
1968 245.6 573
1967 243.8 571
1966 241.8 568
1965 239.7 564
1964 237.4 559
1963 234.9 554
1962 232.5 549
1961 230.2 544

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/france/germany | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 0.04% growth in Germany.

In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. Germany was 37th in 2006 and ranks 50th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

France
Germany
1x
Year Urban population
France Germany
2024 78.8% 82%
2023 78.8% 81.9%
2022 78.8% 81.8%
2021 78.7% 81.6%
2020 78.7% 81.5%
2019 78.7% 81.3%
2018 78.7% 81.1%
2017 78.6% 81%
2016 78.6% 80.8%
2015 77.8% 80.7%
2014 77.4% 80.6%
2013 77.2% 80.5%
2012 77.2% 80.4%
2011 77.1% 80.3%
2010 77.1% 80.3%
2009 77.1% 80.3%
2008 77.2% 80.2%
2007 77.2% 80.2%
2006 77.3% 80.2%
2005 77.4% 80.2%
2004 77.5% 80.2%
2003 77.5% 80.1%
2002 77.3% 80.1%
2001 76.9% 80.1%
2000 76.5% 80.1%
1999 76.2% 80.1%
1998 75.9% 80.1%
1997 75.6% 80.1%
1996 75.4% 80.1%
1995 75.1% 80%
1994 74.8% 80%
1993 74.6% 80%
1992 74.4% 80%
1991 74.2% 80%
1990 74.1% 80%
1989 73.9% 80%
1988 73.8% 80%
1987 73.7% 80%
1986 73.6% 80%
1985 73.6% 80%
1984 73.5% 80%
1983 73.4% 80%
1982 73.4% 79.9%
1981 73.3% 79.9%
1980 73.2% 79.9%
1979 73.2% 79.9%
1978 73.2% 79.9%
1977 73.1% 79.9%
1976 73.1% 79.8%
1975 73% 79.8%
1974 72.9% 79.8%
1973 72.7% 79.8%
1972 72.3% 79.7%
1971 71.9% 79.7%
1970 71.4% 79.7%
1969 70.8% 79.6%
1968 70.2% 79.4%
1967 69.5% 79.1%
1966 68.4% 78.7%
1965 67.2% 78.3%
1964 65.9% 77.7%
1963 64.6% 77.2%
1962 63.5% 76.7%
1961 62.5% 76.2%
1960 61.7% 75.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/france/germany | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 80.2% to 82% in Germany.

Densely populated cities

France
City Population
Paris 2.11M
Marseille 886K
Lyon 519K
Toulouse 515K
Nice 358K
Nantes 328K
Montpellier 310K
Strasbourg 294K
Bordeaux 268K
Lille 238K
Germany
City Population
Berlin 3.78M
Hamburg 1.91M
Munich 1.51M
Cologne 1.09M
Frankfurt 776K
Stuttgart 633K
Dusseldorf 631K
Leipzig 620K
Dortmund 595K
Essen 587K

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/france/germany | 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 (2022–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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