India has a population density of 1,264 people per square mile compared to 881 people in Japan. India has 24,387 sq ft of land per person vs 32,817 sq ft in Japan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, India and Japan are ranked 19th and 28th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. India has 17.8% of the world's population and 2% of the land area of all countries, compared to 1.52% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Japan, hence the population density in India is 43.5% higher than in Japan.
Population density comparison
India
|
Japan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,264 ppl/mi² | 881 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 19/197 | 28/197 |
| Population |
1474115403
|
123324642
|
| Land area | 1,147,955 sq mi | 140,761 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 22,057 sq ft | 31,653 sq ft |
| Rural population | 63.1% | 7.87% |
| Urban population | 36.9% | 92.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.7% | 28% |
India vs Japan:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in India increased by 27.7%, compared to a 2.98% decline in Japan.
In 2004, India ranked 17th for population density and is in 19th place now. Japan was 19th in 2004 and ranks 28th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
India
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 1,264 | 881 |
| 2023 | 1,253 | 885 |
| 2022 | 1,242 | 889 |
| 2021 | 1,232 | 893 |
| 2020 | 1,222 | 897 |
| 2019 | 1,210 | 900 |
| 2018 | 1,197 | 901 |
| 2017 | 1,184 | 902 |
| 2016 | 1,171 | 903 |
| 2015 | 1,157 | 903 |
| 2014 | 1,143 | 904 |
| 2013 | 1,129 | 906 |
| 2012 | 1,114 | 907 |
| 2011 | 1,099 | 908 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 910 |
| 2009 | 1,068 | 910 |
| 2008 | 1,052 | 910 |
| 2007 | 1,037 | 910 |
| 2006 | 1,022 | 908 |
| 2005 | 1,006 | 908 |
| 2004 | 990 | 908 |
| 2003 | 973 | 908 |
| 2002 | 956 | 906 |
| 2001 | 939 | 903 |
| 2000 | 922 | 901 |
| 1999 | 904 | 900 |
| 1998 | 887 | 898 |
| 1997 | 870 | 896 |
| 1996 | 853 | 894 |
| 1995 | 837 | 891 |
| 1994 | 820 | 889 |
| 1993 | 803 | 887 |
| 1992 | 787 | 884 |
| 1991 | 770 | 881 |
| 1990 | 753 | 877 |
| 1989 | 737 | 874 |
| 1988 | 721 | 871 |
| 1987 | 705 | 867 |
| 1986 | 689 | 863 |
| 1985 | 673 | 858 |
| 1984 | 658 | 853 |
| 1983 | 642 | 844 |
| 1982 | 627 | 838 |
| 1981 | 613 | 832 |
| 1980 | 599 | 826 |
| 1979 | 585 | 819 |
| 1978 | 571 | 812 |
| 1977 | 558 | 805 |
| 1976 | 545 | 797 |
| 1975 | 533 | 788 |
| 1974 | 520 | 778 |
| 1973 | 508 | 768 |
| 1972 | 497 | 757 |
| 1971 | 486 | 747 |
| 1970 | 476 | 730 |
| 1969 | 465 | 722 |
| 1968 | 455 | 713 |
| 1967 | 446 | 705 |
| 1966 | 436 | 698 |
| 1965 | 427 | 692 |
| 1964 | 417 | 684 |
| 1963 | 408 | 677 |
| 1962 | 398 | 671 |
| 1961 | 389 | 664 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
India
|
Japan
|
|
| 2024 | 36.9% | 92.1% |
| 2023 | 36.4% | 92% |
| 2022 | 35.9% | 92% |
| 2021 | 35.4% | 91.9% |
| 2020 | 34.9% | 91.8% |
| 2019 | 34.5% | 91.7% |
| 2018 | 34% | 91.6% |
| 2017 | 33.6% | 91.5% |
| 2016 | 33.2% | 91.5% |
| 2015 | 32.8% | 91.4% |
| 2014 | 32.4% | 91.3% |
| 2013 | 32% | 91.2% |
| 2012 | 31.6% | 91.1% |
| 2011 | 31.3% | 91.1% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | 90.8% |
| 2009 | 30.6% | 90% |
| 2008 | 30.2% | 89.1% |
| 2007 | 29.9% | 88.1% |
| 2006 | 29.6% | 87.1% |
| 2005 | 29.2% | 86% |
| 2004 | 28.9% | 84.6% |
| 2003 | 28.6% | 83.2% |
| 2002 | 28.2% | 81.6% |
| 2001 | 27.9% | 80% |
| 2000 | 27.7% | 78.6% |
| 1999 | 27.5% | 78.5% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 27% | 78.3% |
| 1996 | 26.8% | 78.1% |
| 1995 | 26.6% | 78% |
| 1994 | 26.4% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 26.2% | 77.7% |
| 1992 | 26% | 77.6% |
| 1991 | 25.8% | 77.5% |
| 1990 | 25.5% | 77.3% |
| 1989 | 25.3% | 77.2% |
| 1988 | 25.1% | 77.1% |
| 1987 | 24.8% | 77% |
| 1986 | 24.6% | 76.8% |
| 1985 | 24.3% | 76.7% |
| 1984 | 24.1% | 76.6% |
| 1983 | 23.9% | 76.5% |
| 1982 | 23.6% | 76.4% |
| 1981 | 23.4% | 76.3% |
| 1980 | 23.1% | 76.2% |
| 1979 | 22.7% | 76.1% |
| 1978 | 22.4% | 76.1% |
| 1977 | 22% | 76% |
| 1976 | 21.7% | 75.9% |
| 1975 | 21.3% | 75.7% |
| 1974 | 21% | 75% |
| 1973 | 20.7% | 74.2% |
| 1972 | 20.3% | 73.5% |
| 1971 | 20% | 72.7% |
| 1970 | 19.8% | 71.9% |
| 1969 | 19.6% | 71.1% |
| 1968 | 19.4% | 70.3% |
| 1967 | 19.2% | 69.5% |
| 1966 | 19% | 68.7% |
| 1965 | 18.8% | 67.9% |
| 1964 | 18.6% | 67% |
| 1963 | 18.4% | 66.1% |
| 1962 | 18.2% | 65.1% |
| 1961 | 18% | 64.2% |
| 1960 | 17.9% | 63.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 28.9% to 36.9% in India and from 84.6% to 92.1% in Japan.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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