Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 573 people in North Korea. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 48,964 sq ft in North Korea. Japan and North Korea rank 28th and 52nd 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 0.33% of the population and 0.08% of the land area for North Korea, making the population density in Japan 52.1% higher than in North Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 872 | 573 |
| 2025 | 876 | 572 |
| 2024 | 881 | 570 |
| 2023 | 885 | 568 |
| 2022 | 889 | 566 |
| 2021 | 893 | 564 |
| 2020 | 897 | 562 |
| 2019 | 900 | 560 |
| 2018 | 901 | 558 |
| 2017 | 902 | 555 |
| 2016 | 903 | 553 |
| 2015 | 903 | 550 |
| 2014 | 904 | 547 |
| 2013 | 906 | 545 |
| 2012 | 907 | 542 |
| 2011 | 908 | 540 |
| 2010 | 910 | 537 |
| 2009 | 910 | 535 |
| 2008 | 910 | 533 |
| 2007 | 910 | 530 |
| 2006 | 908 | 528 |
| 2005 | 908 | 525 |
| 2004 | 908 | 522 |
| 2003 | 908 | 518 |
| 2002 | 906 | 515 |
| 2001 | 903 | 512 |
| 2000 | 901 | 509 |
| 1999 | 900 | 505 |
| 1998 | 898 | 501 |
| 1997 | 896 | 497 |
| 1996 | 894 | 492 |
| 1995 | 891 | 488 |
| 1994 | 889 | 482 |
| 1993 | 887 | 475 |
| 1992 | 884 | 468 |
| 1991 | 881 | 461 |
| 1990 | 877 | 454 |
| 1989 | 874 | 447 |
| 1988 | 871 | 441 |
| 1987 | 867 | 435 |
| 1986 | 863 | 428 |
| 1985 | 858 | 422 |
| 1984 | 853 | 416 |
| 1983 | 844 | 410 |
| 1982 | 838 | 404 |
| 1981 | 832 | 398 |
| 1980 | 826 | 392 |
| 1979 | 819 | 387 |
| 1978 | 812 | 381 |
| 1977 | 805 | 376 |
| 1976 | 797 | 371 |
| 1975 | 788 | 365 |
| 1974 | 778 | 359 |
| 1973 | 768 | 352 |
| 1972 | 757 | 344 |
| 1971 | 747 | 335 |
| 1970 | 730 | 326 |
| 1969 | 722 | 318 |
| 1968 | 713 | 309 |
| 1967 | 705 | 300 |
| 1966 | 698 | 291.9 |
| 1965 | 692 | 284.3 |
| 1964 | 684 | 277.3 |
| 1963 | 677 | 270.3 |
| 1962 | 671 | 263.8 |
| 1961 | 664 | 257.9 |
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/north-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 8.64% growth in North Korea.
In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. North Korea was 40th in 2006 and ranks 52nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Japan
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 872 ppl/mi² | 573 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 52/197 |
| Population |
122677250
|
26659144
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 46,491 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,653 sq ft | 48,911 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.81% | 36.1% |
| Urban population | 92.2% | 63.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28.3% | 10.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
North Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 92.2% | 63.9% |
| 2023 | 92.1% | 63.5% |
| 2022 | 92% | 63.2% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 62.9% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 62.6% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 62.4% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 62.1% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 61.8% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 61.6% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 61.3% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 61.1% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 60.9% |
| 2012 | 91% | 60.7% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | 60.5% |
| 2010 | 90.6% | 60.3% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | 60.2% |
| 2008 | 89.3% | 60% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | 59.9% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 59.8% |
| 2005 | 86% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 84.4% | 59.7% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | 59.6% |
| 2002 | 80.5% | 59.5% |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 59.5% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 59.4% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | 59.4% |
| 1998 | 78.3% | 59.3% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | 59.2% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 59.2% |
| 1995 | 78% | 59.1% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 59% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 58.9% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 58.7% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 58.6% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 58.4% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 58.3% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 58.1% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | 57.9% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 57.7% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 57.5% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 57.4% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 57.2% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | 57.1% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 57% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 56.9% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 56.9% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 56.8% |
| 1977 | 76% | 56.8% |
| 1976 | 76% | 56.8% |
| 1975 | 75.9% | 56.7% |
| 1974 | 75.4% | 56.5% |
| 1973 | 74.6% | 56.1% |
| 1972 | 73.7% | 55.6% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 54.9% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 54.2% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 53.3% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 52% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 50.5% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 49% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 47.5% |
| 1964 | 67% | 46.2% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 45% |
| 1962 | 65.2% | 43.7% |
| 1961 | 64.3% | 42.3% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 40.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/north-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea.
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 |
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
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/north-korea | 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 (2008–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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