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Population density: Guatemala vs Japan compared

Updated on by Georank team

Guatemala has a population density of 459 people per square mile compared to 872 people in Japan. Guatemala has 63,678 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. Guatemala and Japan rank 60th and 28th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Guatemala has 0.23% of the world's population and 0.07% 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 Guatemala 47.4% lower than in Japan.

Population density by year

Guatemala
Japan

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Guatemala Japan
2026 459 872
2025 452 876
2024 445 881
2023 438 885
2022 431 889
2021 425 893
2020 420 897
2019 413 900
2018 407 901
2017 400 902
2016 393 903
2015 386 903
2014 379 904
2013 372 906
2012 365 907
2011 358 908
2010 350 910
2009 344 910
2008 337 910
2007 330 910
2006 323 908
2005 316 908
2004 310 908
2003 303 908
2002 296 906
2001 289.3 903
2000 282.7 901
1999 276.1 900
1998 269.2 898
1997 262.4 896
1996 255.8 894
1995 249.3 891
1994 242.8 889
1993 236.4 887
1992 230.1 884
1991 224.1 881
1990 218.1 877
1989 212.1 874
1988 206.2 871
1987 200.5 867
1986 195.1 863
1985 189.7 858
1984 184.4 853
1983 179.3 844
1982 175 838
1981 171 832
1980 166.8 826
1979 162.6 819
1978 158.6 812
1977 154.7 805
1976 151.4 797
1975 148.1 788
1974 144.6 778
1973 140.9 768
1972 137.4 757
1971 133.9 747
1970 130.4 730
1969 127.1 722
1968 123.7 713
1967 120.3 705
1966 117 698
1965 113.7 692
1964 110.5 684
1963 107.3 677
1962 104.2 671
1961 101.2 664

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/guatemala/japan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Guatemala increased by 41.9%, compared to a 4.07% decline in Japan.

In 2006, Guatemala ranked 62nd by population density and is 60th now. Japan was 19th in 2006 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Guatemala
Japan
1x
Year Urban population
Guatemala Japan
2024 56% 92.2%
2023 55.6% 92.1%
2022 55.3% 92%
2021 54.9% 91.9%
2020 54.5% 91.8%
2019 54.2% 91.7%
2018 53.8% 91.6%
2017 53.8% 91.5%
2016 53.7% 91.5%
2015 53.4% 91.4%
2014 53.1% 91.3%
2013 52.8% 91.2%
2012 52.4% 91%
2011 51.9% 90.9%
2010 51.3% 90.6%
2009 50.7% 90.1%
2008 50.1% 89.3%
2007 49.5% 88.3%
2006 48.8% 87.1%
2005 48.1% 86%
2004 47.3% 84.4%
2003 46.6% 82.4%
2002 45.8% 80.5%
2001 44.7% 79.2%
2000 43.2% 78.6%
1999 41.6% 78.4%
1998 39.9% 78.3%
1997 38.3% 78.2%
1996 36.9% 78.1%
1995 35.8% 78%
1994 35.1% 77.9%
1993 34.7% 77.7%
1992 34.4% 77.6%
1991 34.2% 77.5%
1990 33.9% 77.3%
1989 33.7% 77.2%
1988 33.5% 77.1%
1987 33.3% 76.9%
1986 33.1% 76.8%
1985 33% 76.7%
1984 32.9% 76.6%
1983 32.8% 76.5%
1982 32.7% 76.3%
1981 32.7% 76.3%
1980 32.8% 76.2%
1979 33.2% 76.1%
1978 33.7% 76.1%
1977 34.4% 76%
1976 35.1% 76%
1975 35.7% 75.9%
1974 36.2% 75.4%
1973 36.4% 74.6%
1972 36.4% 73.7%
1971 36.2% 72.7%
1970 36% 71.9%
1969 35.7% 71.1%
1968 35.4% 70.3%
1967 35% 69.5%
1966 34.5% 68.7%
1965 34.1% 67.9%
1964 33.7% 67%
1963 33.3% 66.1%
1962 32.8% 65.2%
1961 32.4% 64.3%
1960 31.8% 63.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 47.3% to 56% in Guatemala and from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan.

Densely populated cities

Guatemala
City Population
Guatemala 995K
Mixco 528K
Coban 229K
Quetzaltenango 208K
Jalapa 193K
San Miguel Petapa 151K
Momostenango 140K
Mazatenango 83.8K
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/guatemala/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 (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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