Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 6 people in Mongolia. Japan has 32,979 sq ft of land per person vs 4,717,318 sq ft in Mongolia. Japan and Mongolia rank 28th and 197th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Japan has 1.5% of the world's population and 0.24% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.04% of the population and 1.05% of the land area for Mongolia, making the population density in Japan 14,429% higher than in Mongolia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
Mongolia
|
|
| 2026 | 872 | 6 |
| 2025 | 876 | 5.93 |
| 2024 | 881 | 5.86 |
| 2023 | 885 | 5.79 |
| 2022 | 889 | 5.71 |
| 2021 | 893 | 5.63 |
| 2020 | 897 | 5.53 |
| 2019 | 900 | 5.43 |
| 2018 | 901 | 5.34 |
| 2017 | 902 | 5.24 |
| 2016 | 903 | 5.14 |
| 2015 | 903 | 5.03 |
| 2014 | 904 | 4.93 |
| 2013 | 906 | 4.82 |
| 2012 | 907 | 4.72 |
| 2011 | 908 | 4.63 |
| 2010 | 910 | 4.55 |
| 2009 | 910 | 4.48 |
| 2008 | 910 | 4.4 |
| 2007 | 910 | 4.33 |
| 2006 | 908 | 4.27 |
| 2005 | 908 | 4.23 |
| 2004 | 908 | 4.18 |
| 2003 | 908 | 4.13 |
| 2002 | 906 | 4.1 |
| 2001 | 903 | 4.05 |
| 2000 | 901 | 4 |
| 1999 | 900 | 3.94 |
| 1998 | 898 | 3.89 |
| 1997 | 896 | 3.84 |
| 1996 | 894 | 3.78 |
| 1995 | 891 | 3.72 |
| 1994 | 889 | 3.66 |
| 1993 | 887 | 3.62 |
| 1992 | 884 | 3.63 |
| 1991 | 881 | 3.62 |
| 1990 | 877 | 3.51 |
| 1989 | 874 | 3.56 |
| 1988 | 871 | 3.48 |
| 1987 | 867 | 3.39 |
| 1986 | 863 | 3.3 |
| 1985 | 858 | 3.22 |
| 1984 | 853 | 3.14 |
| 1983 | 844 | 3.06 |
| 1982 | 838 | 2.99 |
| 1981 | 832 | 2.92 |
| 1980 | 826 | 2.85 |
| 1979 | 819 | 2.78 |
| 1978 | 812 | 2.71 |
| 1977 | 805 | 2.64 |
| 1976 | 797 | 2.56 |
| 1975 | 788 | 2.49 |
| 1974 | 778 | 2.42 |
| 1973 | 768 | 2.35 |
| 1972 | 757 | 2.29 |
| 1971 | 747 | 2.23 |
| 1970 | 730 | 2.17 |
| 1969 | 722 | 2.11 |
| 1968 | 713 | 2.06 |
| 1967 | 705 | 2 |
| 1966 | 698 | 1.95 |
| 1965 | 692 | 1.89 |
| 1964 | 684 | 1.84 |
| 1963 | 677 | 1.79 |
| 1962 | 671 | 1.74 |
| 1961 | 664 | 1.69 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/mongolia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.05%, compared to a 40.5% growth in Mongolia.
In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Mongolia was 194th in 2006 and ranks 197th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Japan
|
Mongolia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 872 ppl/mi² | 6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 197/197 |
| Population |
122704252
|
3630744
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 601,740 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,809 sq ft | 4,700,380 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.7% | 28.9% |
| Urban population | 92.3% | 71.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28.3% | 38.5% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
Mongolia
|
|
| 2025 | 92.3% | 71.1% |
| 2024 | 92.2% | 71% |
| 2023 | 92.1% | 70.4% |
| 2022 | 92% | 69.8% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 69.2% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 68.1% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 67.8% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 67.9% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 67.9% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 68% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 68% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 68% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 68% |
| 2012 | 91% | 68% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | 67.9% |
| 2010 | 90.6% | 67.8% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | 67.4% |
| 2008 | 89.3% | 66.5% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | 65.3% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 63.8% |
| 2005 | 86% | 62.3% |
| 2004 | 84.4% | 60.8% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | 59.4% |
| 2002 | 80.5% | 58.1% |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 57.2% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 56.7% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | 56.6% |
| 1998 | 78.3% | 56.7% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | 56.7% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 56.7% |
| 1995 | 78% | 56.8% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 56.8% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 56.9% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 56.9% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 57% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 57% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 57% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 57% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | 56.8% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 56.4% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 55.9% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 55.3% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 54.6% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | 53.8% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 53% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 52.3% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 51.6% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 50.9% |
| 1977 | 76% | 50.2% |
| 1976 | 76% | 49.5% |
| 1975 | 75.9% | 48.7% |
| 1974 | 75.4% | 48% |
| 1973 | 74.6% | 47.2% |
| 1972 | 73.7% | 46.4% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 45.7% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 45% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 44.3% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 43.7% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 43.2% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 42.8% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 42.3% |
| 1964 | 67% | 41.8% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 41.2% |
| 1962 | 65.2% | 40.3% |
| 1961 | 64.3% | 38.8% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 36.9% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/mongolia | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 86% to 92.3% in Japan and from 62.3% to 71.1% in Mongolia.
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 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/mongolia | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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