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Population density: Greece vs Japan compared

Updated on by Georank team

Greece has a population density of 204.6 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Greece has 136,507 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Greece and Japan rank 114th and 28th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Greece has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.09% of all countries' land area, compared to 1.53% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Japan, making the population density in Greece 76.5% lower than in Japan.

Population density by year

Greece
Japan

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Greece Japan
2026 204.6 872
2025 205.4 876
2024 209.1 881
2023 209.1 885
2022 209.7 889
2021 212.4 893
2020 215 897
2019 215.4 900
2018 215.7 901
2017 216.1 902
2016 216.5 903
2015 217.4 903
2014 218.9 904
2013 220.3 906
2012 221.9 907
2011 223.1 908
2010 223.5 910
2009 223.2 910
2008 222.6 910
2007 222 910
2006 221.4 908
2005 220.8 908
2004 220.1 908
2003 219.6 908
2002 219.1 906
2001 218.3 903
2000 217.1 901
1999 216.2 900
1998 215.4 898
1997 214.2 896
1996 213.2 894
1995 212.2 891
1994 211.2 889
1993 210.2 887
1992 208.9 884
1991 207.4 881
1990 204.9 877
1989 202.7 874
1988 201.7 871
1987 200.9 867
1986 200.3 863
1985 199.6 858
1984 198.8 853
1983 197.8 844
1982 196.7 838
1981 195.5 832
1980 193.7 826
1979 191.9 819
1978 189.5 812
1977 187 805
1976 184.6 797
1975 181.8 788
1974 180.1 778
1973 179.4 768
1972 178.6 757
1971 177.4 747
1970 176.7 730
1969 176.3 722
1968 175.6 713
1967 174.5 705
1966 173.1 698
1965 171.8 692
1964 171 684
1963 170.4 677
1962 169.8 671
1961 168.7 664

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/greece/japan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Greece decreased by 7.61%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.

In 2006, Greece ranked 86th by population density and is 114th now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Greece
Japan
1x
Year Urban population
Greece Japan
2024 79% 92.2%
2023 78.8% 92.1%
2022 78.6% 92%
2021 78.4% 91.9%
2020 78.3% 91.8%
2019 78.2% 91.7%
2018 78% 91.6%
2017 77.9% 91.5%
2016 77.7% 91.5%
2015 77.5% 91.4%
2014 77.3% 91.3%
2013 77.1% 91.2%
2012 76.9% 91%
2011 76.6% 90.9%
2010 76.4% 90.6%
2009 76% 90.1%
2008 75.6% 89.3%
2007 75.2% 88.3%
2006 74.7% 87.1%
2005 74.3% 86%
2004 73.8% 84.4%
2003 73.4% 82.4%
2002 73.1% 80.5%
2001 72.8% 79.2%
2000 72.7% 78.6%
1999 72.5% 78.4%
1998 72.4% 78.3%
1997 72.3% 78.2%
1996 72.2% 78.1%
1995 72.1% 78%
1994 72% 77.9%
1993 71.9% 77.7%
1992 71.8% 77.6%
1991 71.6% 77.5%
1990 71.5% 77.3%
1989 71.3% 77.2%
1988 71.2% 77.1%
1987 71% 76.9%
1986 70.9% 76.8%
1985 70.7% 76.7%
1984 70.5% 76.6%
1983 70.3% 76.5%
1982 70% 76.3%
1981 69.8% 76.3%
1980 69.5% 76.2%
1979 69.1% 76.1%
1978 68.7% 76.1%
1977 68.3% 76%
1976 67.8% 76%
1975 67.3% 75.9%
1974 66.8% 75.4%
1973 66.2% 74.6%
1972 65.6% 73.7%
1971 65% 72.7%
1970 64.3% 71.9%
1969 63.5% 71.1%
1968 62.6% 70.3%
1967 61.7% 69.5%
1966 60.7% 68.7%
1965 59.7% 67.9%
1964 58.7% 67%
1963 57.8% 66.1%
1962 57% 65.2%
1961 56.4% 64.3%
1960 55.8% 63.3%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/greece/japan | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.8% to 79% in Greece and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.

Densely populated cities

Greece
City Population
Athens 643K
Crete 623K
Thessaloniki 310K
Patras 174K
Piraeus 168K
Larissa 146K
Heraklion 145K
Peristeri 134K
Kallithea 97.6K
Glyfada 89.6K
Japan
City Population
Tokyo 14.3M
Yokohama 3.76M
Osaka 2.75M
Nagoya 2.33M
Sapporo 1.96M
Fukuoka 1.6M
Kawasaki 1.54M
Kobe 1.52M
Kyoto 1.46M
Saitama 1.33M

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/greece/japan | 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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