Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 287 people in Malaysia. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 100,140 sq ft in Malaysia. Japan and Malaysia rank 28th and 85th 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 0.44% of the population and 0.22% of the land area for Malaysia, making the population density in Japan 203.7% higher than in Malaysia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2026 | 872 | 287 |
| 2025 | 876 | 283.7 |
| 2024 | 881 | 280.3 |
| 2023 | 885 | 276.9 |
| 2022 | 889 | 273.5 |
| 2021 | 893 | 270.3 |
| 2020 | 897 | 267.2 |
| 2019 | 900 | 263.6 |
| 2018 | 901 | 259.4 |
| 2017 | 902 | 255.1 |
| 2016 | 903 | 250.6 |
| 2015 | 903 | 246.2 |
| 2014 | 904 | 242 |
| 2013 | 906 | 237.9 |
| 2012 | 907 | 233.8 |
| 2011 | 908 | 229.9 |
| 2010 | 910 | 225.9 |
| 2009 | 910 | 221.7 |
| 2008 | 910 | 217.3 |
| 2007 | 910 | 212.8 |
| 2006 | 908 | 208.3 |
| 2005 | 908 | 203.7 |
| 2004 | 908 | 199.1 |
| 2003 | 908 | 194.6 |
| 2002 | 906 | 190 |
| 2001 | 903 | 185.5 |
| 2000 | 901 | 181.1 |
| 1999 | 900 | 176.9 |
| 1998 | 898 | 172.7 |
| 1997 | 896 | 168.5 |
| 1996 | 894 | 164.4 |
| 1995 | 891 | 160.3 |
| 1994 | 889 | 156.2 |
| 1993 | 887 | 152.3 |
| 1992 | 884 | 148.5 |
| 1991 | 881 | 144.6 |
| 1990 | 877 | 140.6 |
| 1989 | 874 | 136.5 |
| 1988 | 871 | 132.4 |
| 1987 | 867 | 128.3 |
| 1986 | 863 | 124.2 |
| 1985 | 858 | 120.2 |
| 1984 | 853 | 116.3 |
| 1983 | 844 | 112.6 |
| 1982 | 838 | 109 |
| 1981 | 832 | 105.6 |
| 1980 | 826 | 102.3 |
| 1979 | 819 | 99.5 |
| 1978 | 812 | 97.2 |
| 1977 | 805 | 94.9 |
| 1976 | 797 | 92.6 |
| 1975 | 788 | 90.4 |
| 1974 | 778 | 88.3 |
| 1973 | 768 | 86.2 |
| 1972 | 757 | 84.2 |
| 1971 | 747 | 82.2 |
| 1970 | 730 | 80.2 |
| 1969 | 722 | 78.4 |
| 1968 | 713 | 76.7 |
| 1967 | 705 | 74.9 |
| 1966 | 698 | 73.2 |
| 1965 | 692 | 71.4 |
| 1964 | 684 | 69.6 |
| 1963 | 677 | 67.8 |
| 1962 | 671 | 66.1 |
| 1961 | 664 | 64.4 |
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/malaysia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 37.8% growth in Malaysia.
In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Malaysia was 92nd in 2006 and ranks 85th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Japan
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 872 ppl/mi² | 287 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 85/197 |
| Population |
122677250
|
36512221
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 126,854 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,653 sq ft | 99,458 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.81% | 23.1% |
| Urban population | 92.2% | 76.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28.3% | 24.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2024 | 92.2% | 76.9% |
| 2023 | 92.1% | 76.4% |
| 2022 | 92% | 76% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 75.5% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 75.1% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 74.8% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 74.6% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 74.2% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 73.9% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 73.4% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 73% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 72.5% |
| 2012 | 91% | 72% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | 71.4% |
| 2010 | 90.6% | 70.9% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | 70.2% |
| 2008 | 89.3% | 69.5% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | 68.8% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 86% | 67% |
| 2004 | 84.4% | 66.1% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | 65.1% |
| 2002 | 80.5% | 64.1% |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 63% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 62% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | 60.9% |
| 1998 | 78.3% | 59.7% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | 58.5% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 57.2% |
| 1995 | 78% | 55.9% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 54.6% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 53.2% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 51.9% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 50.5% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 49% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 45.8% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | 44% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 42.3% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 40.6% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 39% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 37.5% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | 36.2% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 35.1% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 34.2% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 33.6% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 33% |
| 1977 | 76% | 32.4% |
| 1976 | 76% | 31.9% |
| 1975 | 75.9% | 31.4% |
| 1974 | 75.4% | 30.9% |
| 1973 | 74.6% | 30.5% |
| 1972 | 73.7% | 30.1% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 29.8% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 29.4% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 29.1% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 28.8% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 28.5% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 28.1% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 27.8% |
| 1964 | 67% | 27.5% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 27.2% |
| 1962 | 65.2% | 26.8% |
| 1961 | 64.3% | 26.5% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 26.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/malaysia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 66.1% to 76.9% in Malaysia.
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 |
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kuala Lumpur | 9M |
| Klang | 878K |
| Ipoh | 867K |
| Johor Bahru | 798K |
| George Town | 794K |
| Shah Alam | 741K |
| Subang Jaya | 708K |
| Petaling Jaya | 639K |
| Kuantan | 608K |
| Sungai Petani | 545K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/malaysia | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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