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Population density: Japan vs Kenya compared

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 261.5 people in Kenya. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 110,878 sq ft in Kenya. Japan and Kenya rank 28th and 94th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Japan has 1.53% of the world's population and 0.24% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.69% of the population and 0.39% of the land area for Kenya, making the population density in Japan 233.3% higher than in Kenya.

Population density by year

Japan
Kenya

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Japan Kenya
2026 872 261.5
2025 876 256.6
2024 881 251.6
2023 885 246.7
2022 889 241.9
2021 893 237.3
2020 897 232.8
2019 900 229.1
2018 901 225.4
2017 902 221.6
2016 903 217.6
2015 903 213.6
2014 904 209.6
2013 906 204.7
2012 907 199.7
2011 908 194.6
2010 910 189.3
2009 910 183.9
2008 910 178.4
2007 910 173.1
2006 908 167.9
2005 908 162.9
2004 908 158
2003 908 153.1
2002 906 148.5
2001 903 143.9
2000 901 139.4
1999 900 135.3
1998 898 131.5
1997 896 127.9
1996 894 124.4
1995 891 121.1
1994 889 117.7
1993 887 114.3
1992 884 111
1991 881 107.6
1990 877 104.2
1989 874 100.7
1988 871 97.2
1987 867 93.8
1986 863 90.6
1985 858 87.4
1984 853 84.3
1983 844 81.2
1982 838 78.3
1981 832 75.5
1980 826 72.9
1979 819 70.4
1978 812 68
1977 805 65.7
1976 797 63.5
1975 788 61.5
1974 778 59.5
1973 768 57.5
1972 757 55.5
1971 747 53.6
1970 730 51.7
1969 722 49.8
1968 713 47.9
1967 705 46
1966 698 44.2
1965 692 42.5
1964 684 40.8
1963 677 39.3
1962 671 37.8
1961 664 36.3

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/japan/kenya | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 55.7% growth in Kenya.

In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Kenya was 111th in 2006 and ranks 94th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Japan
Kenya
1x
Year Urban population
Japan Kenya
2024 92.2% 31.9%
2023 92.1% 31.6%
2022 92% 31.4%
2021 91.9% 31.3%
2020 91.8% 31.2%
2019 91.7% 31.2%
2018 91.6% 31.4%
2017 91.5% 31.5%
2016 91.5% 31.7%
2015 91.4% 31.7%
2014 91.3% 31.8%
2013 91.2% 31.8%
2012 91% 31.9%
2011 90.9% 31.9%
2010 90.6% 31.9%
2009 90.1% 31.9%
2008 89.3% 31.4%
2007 88.3% 30.4%
2006 87.1% 29%
2005 86% 27.3%
2004 84.4% 25.4%
2003 82.4% 23.6%
2002 80.5% 21.9%
2001 79.2% 20.4%
2000 78.6% 19.5%
1999 78.4% 19%
1998 78.3% 18.9%
1997 78.2% 18.8%
1996 78.1% 18.7%
1995 78% 18.6%
1994 77.9% 18.5%
1993 77.7% 18.5%
1992 77.6% 18.4%
1991 77.5% 18.3%
1990 77.3% 18.2%
1989 77.2% 18.1%
1988 77.1% 17.9%
1987 76.9% 17.7%
1986 76.8% 17.5%
1985 76.7% 17.3%
1984 76.6% 17%
1983 76.5% 16.8%
1982 76.3% 16.5%
1981 76.3% 16.2%
1980 76.2% 15.8%
1979 76.1% 15.5%
1978 76.1% 15%
1977 76% 14.5%
1976 76% 13.9%
1975 75.9% 13.2%
1974 75.4% 12.5%
1973 74.6% 11.8%
1972 73.7% 11.2%
1971 72.7% 10.6%
1970 71.9% 10.1%
1969 71.1% 9.83%
1968 70.3% 9.61%
1967 69.5% 9.42%
1966 68.7% 9.26%
1965 67.9% 9.12%
1964 67% 8.97%
1963 66.1% 8.82%
1962 65.2% 8.63%
1961 64.3% 8.44%
1960 63.3% 8.23%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 25.4% to 31.9% in Kenya.

Densely populated cities

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
Kenya
City Population
Nairobi 5.54M
Mombasa 1.21M
Kisumu 398K
Nakuru 308K
Eldoret 289K
Thika 279K
Malindi 120K
Machakos 114K
Mumias 100K

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/japan/kenya | 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 (1999–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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