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Population density: France vs India compared

Updated on by Georank team

France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 1,287 people in India. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 24,387 sq ft in India. France and India rank 75th and 19th 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 17.9% of the population and 2% of the land area for India, making the population density in France 74.3% lower than in India.

Population density by year

France
India

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
France India
2026 330 1,287
2025 330 1,275
2024 329 1,264
2023 329 1,253
2022 328 1,242
2021 326 1,232
2020 325 1,222
2019 324 1,210
2018 323 1,197
2017 322 1,184
2016 321 1,171
2015 320 1,157
2014 319 1,143
2013 317 1,129
2012 316 1,114
2011 314 1,099
2010 312 1,083
2009 311 1,068
2008 309 1,052
2007 308 1,037
2006 306 1,022
2005 304 1,006
2004 301 990
2003 299.1 973
2002 297 956
2001 294.9 939
2000 292.8 922
1999 290.7 904
1998 289.3 887
1997 288.2 870
1996 287.2 853
1995 286.1 837
1994 285.1 820
1993 284 803
1992 282.8 787
1991 281.4 770
1990 280 753
1989 278.5 737
1988 276.8 721
1987 275.2 705
1986 273.7 689
1985 272.3 673
1984 271 658
1983 269.6 642
1982 268.2 627
1981 267.2 613
1980 265.6 599
1979 264.2 585
1978 263 571
1977 261.8 558
1976 260.6 545
1975 259.5 533
1974 258.3 520
1973 256.6 508
1972 254.5 497
1971 252.3 486
1970 249.9 476
1969 247.7 465
1968 245.6 455
1967 243.8 446
1966 241.8 436
1965 239.7 427
1964 237.4 417
1963 234.9 408
1962 232.5 398
1961 230.2 389

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/india | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 25.9% growth in India.

In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. India was 17th in 2006 and ranks 19th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

France
India
1x
Year Urban population
France India
2024 78.8% 35.4%
2023 78.8% 35.1%
2022 78.8% 34.8%
2021 78.7% 34.4%
2020 78.7% 34.1%
2019 78.7% 33.8%
2018 78.7% 33.5%
2017 78.6% 33.2%
2016 78.6% 32.9%
2015 77.8% 32.5%
2014 77.4% 32.2%
2013 77.2% 31.9%
2012 77.2% 31.6%
2011 77.1% 31.3%
2010 77.1% 30.9%
2009 77.1% 30.5%
2008 77.2% 30.1%
2007 77.2% 29.8%
2006 77.3% 29.4%
2005 77.4% 29.1%
2004 77.5% 28.8%
2003 77.5% 28.5%
2002 77.3% 28.2%
2001 76.9% 27.9%
2000 76.5% 27.6%
1999 76.2% 27.4%
1998 75.9% 27.2%
1997 75.6% 27%
1996 75.4% 26.8%
1995 75.1% 26.6%
1994 74.8% 26.4%
1993 74.6% 26.2%
1992 74.4% 26%
1991 74.2% 25.8%
1990 74.1% 25.6%
1989 73.9% 25.4%
1988 73.8% 25.2%
1987 73.7% 25%
1986 73.6% 24.8%
1985 73.6% 24.7%
1984 73.5% 24.5%
1983 73.4% 24.3%
1982 73.4% 24%
1981 73.3% 23.8%
1980 73.2% 23.5%
1979 73.2% 23.2%
1978 73.2% 22.8%
1977 73.1% 22.4%
1976 73.1% 21.9%
1975 73% 21.5%
1974 72.9% 21%
1973 72.7% 20.6%
1972 72.3% 20.3%
1971 71.9% 20%
1970 71.4% 19.7%
1969 70.8% 19.5%
1968 70.2% 19.2%
1967 69.5% 19%
1966 68.4% 18.8%
1965 67.2% 18.6%
1964 65.9% 18.4%
1963 64.6% 18.3%
1962 63.5% 18.1%
1961 62.5% 18%
1960 61.7% 17.9%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 28.8% to 35.4% in India.

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
India
City Population
Delhi 26.5M
Mumbai 15.4M
Bangalore 12.3M
Hyderabad 9.3M
Ahmedabad 7.64M
Chennai 6.6M
Pune 5.94M
Surat 5.94M
Kolkata 4.5M
Lucknow 3.38M

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/india | 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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