Japan has a population density of 881 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Japan ranked 28th out of 197.
Japan has 1.52% of the world's population and 0.24% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Japan compared to the World's average
Japan
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 881 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | N/A |
| Population |
123324642
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,653 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.87% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 92.1% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28% | 28.6% |
Japan population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Japan has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density decreased by 2.98%. The population density rank was 19th 21 years ago and is 28th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 881 | 28 |
| 2023 | 885 | 28 |
| 2022 | 889 | 27 |
| 2021 | 893 | 26 |
| 2020 | 897 | 28 |
| 2019 | 900 | 28 |
| 2018 | 901 | 28 |
| 2017 | 902 | 27 |
| 2016 | 903 | 27 |
| 2015 | 903 | 27 |
| 2014 | 904 | 26 |
| 2013 | 906 | 25 |
| 2012 | 907 | 25 |
| 2011 | 908 | 25 |
| 2010 | 910 | 25 |
| 2009 | 910 | 21 |
| 2008 | 910 | 20 |
| 2007 | 910 | 19 |
| 2006 | 908 | 19 |
| 2005 | 908 | 19 |
| 2004 | 908 | 19 |
| 2003 | 908 | 18 |
| 2002 | 906 | 18 |
| 2001 | 903 | 18 |
| 2000 | 901 | 18 |
| 1999 | 900 | 17 |
| 1998 | 898 | 16 |
| 1997 | 896 | 16 |
| 1996 | 894 | 16 |
| 1995 | 891 | 16 |
| 1994 | 889 | 16 |
| 1993 | 887 | 16 |
| 1992 | 884 | 16 |
| 1991 | 881 | 16 |
| 1990 | 877 | 15 |
| 1989 | 874 | 15 |
| 1988 | 871 | 15 |
| 1987 | 867 | 14 |
| 1986 | 863 | 14 |
| 1985 | 858 | 14 |
| 1984 | 853 | 14 |
| 1983 | 844 | 14 |
| 1982 | 838 | 14 |
| 1981 | 832 | 14 |
| 1980 | 826 | 14 |
| 1979 | 819 | 14 |
| 1978 | 812 | 14 |
| 1977 | 805 | 14 |
| 1976 | 797 | 14 |
| 1975 | 788 | 14 |
| 1974 | 778 | 14 |
| 1973 | 768 | 14 |
| 1972 | 757 | 14 |
| 1971 | 747 | 15 |
| 1970 | 730 | 15 |
| 1969 | 722 | 15 |
| 1968 | 713 | 15 |
| 1967 | 705 | 15 |
| 1966 | 698 | 15 |
| 1965 | 692 | 15 |
| 1964 | 684 | 15 |
| 1963 | 677 | 14 |
| 1962 | 671 | 14 |
| 1961 | 664 | 13 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Japan from 1960 to 2024: 63.3% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 78.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 92.1%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 92.1% | 17 |
| 2023 | 92% | 16 |
| 2022 | 92% | 15 |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 15 |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 15 |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 15 |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 14 |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 14 |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 14 |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 14 |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 14 |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 14 |
| 2012 | 91.1% | 13 |
| 2011 | 91.1% | 13 |
| 2010 | 90.8% | 14 |
| 2009 | 90% | 15 |
| 2008 | 89.1% | 15 |
| 2007 | 88.1% | 17 |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 18 |
| 2005 | 86% | 22 |
| 2004 | 84.6% | 23 |
| 2003 | 83.2% | 25 |
| 2002 | 81.6% | 28 |
| 2001 | 80% | 30 |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 35 |
| 1999 | 78.5% | 34 |
| 1998 | 78.4% | 33 |
| 1997 | 78.3% | 33 |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 33 |
| 1995 | 78% | 32 |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 30 |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 30 |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 30 |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 29 |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 29 |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 29 |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 29 |
| 1987 | 77% | 29 |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 28 |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 27 |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 27 |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 27 |
| 1982 | 76.4% | 26 |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 26 |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 26 |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 26 |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 26 |
| 1977 | 76% | 25 |
| 1976 | 75.9% | 25 |
| 1975 | 75.7% | 25 |
| 1974 | 75% | 26 |
| 1973 | 74.2% | 26 |
| 1972 | 73.5% | 28 |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 28 |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 28 |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 28 |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 28 |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 28 |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 28 |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 28 |
| 1964 | 67% | 28 |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 27 |
| 1962 | 65.1% | 27 |
| 1961 | 64.2% | 28 |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 28 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Japan topic pages:
Population density comparisons
