Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 99.2 people in Palau. Japan has 32,979 sq ft of land per person vs 283,708 sq ft in Palau. Japan and Palau rank 28th and 148th 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 0.0002% of the population and 0.0003% of the land area for Palau, making the population density in Japan 779% higher than in Palau.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
Palau
|
|
| 2026 | 872 | 99.2 |
| 2025 | 876 | 99.4 |
| 2024 | 881 | 99.6 |
| 2023 | 885 | 99.8 |
| 2022 | 889 | 100 |
| 2021 | 893 | 100.1 |
| 2020 | 897 | 100.2 |
| 2019 | 900 | 100.2 |
| 2018 | 901 | 100.3 |
| 2017 | 902 | 100.3 |
| 2016 | 903 | 100.2 |
| 2015 | 903 | 100.1 |
| 2014 | 904 | 99.7 |
| 2013 | 906 | 99.4 |
| 2012 | 907 | 100 |
| 2011 | 908 | 101.8 |
| 2010 | 910 | 103.6 |
| 2009 | 910 | 105.3 |
| 2008 | 910 | 107 |
| 2007 | 910 | 108.7 |
| 2006 | 908 | 110.3 |
| 2005 | 908 | 111.6 |
| 2004 | 908 | 111.6 |
| 2003 | 908 | 110.7 |
| 2002 | 906 | 109.8 |
| 2001 | 903 | 109 |
| 2000 | 901 | 108 |
| 1999 | 900 | 106.4 |
| 1998 | 898 | 104.3 |
| 1997 | 896 | 102 |
| 1996 | 894 | 99.4 |
| 1995 | 891 | 96.8 |
| 1994 | 889 | 94.4 |
| 1993 | 887 | 92.2 |
| 1992 | 884 | 90 |
| 1991 | 881 | 87.9 |
| 1990 | 877 | - |
| 1989 | 874 | - |
| 1988 | 871 | - |
| 1987 | 867 | - |
| 1986 | 863 | - |
| 1985 | 858 | - |
| 1984 | 853 | - |
| 1983 | 844 | - |
| 1982 | 838 | - |
| 1981 | 832 | - |
| 1980 | 826 | - |
| 1979 | 819 | - |
| 1978 | 812 | - |
| 1977 | 805 | - |
| 1976 | 797 | - |
| 1975 | 788 | - |
| 1974 | 778 | - |
| 1973 | 768 | - |
| 1972 | 757 | - |
| 1971 | 747 | - |
| 1970 | 730 | - |
| 1969 | 722 | - |
| 1968 | 713 | - |
| 1967 | 705 | - |
| 1966 | 698 | - |
| 1965 | 692 | - |
| 1964 | 684 | - |
| 1963 | 677 | - |
| 1962 | 671 | - |
| 1961 | 664 | - |
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/palau | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.05%, compared to a 10.1% decline in Palau.
In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Palau was 133rd in 2006 and ranks 148th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Japan
|
Palau
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 872 ppl/mi² | 99.2 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 148/197 |
| Population |
122704252
|
17620
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 177.6 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,809 sq ft | 280,326 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.7% | 20.7% |
| Urban population | 92.3% | 79.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28.3% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
Palau
|
|
| 2025 | 92.3% | 79.3% |
| 2024 | 92.2% | 79.2% |
| 2023 | 92.1% | 79.2% |
| 2022 | 92% | 79.1% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 79.1% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 79.1% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 79.3% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 79.5% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 79.8% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 80.1% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 80.4% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 80.7% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 81.1% |
| 2012 | 91% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 90.9% | 81% |
| 2010 | 90.6% | 80.7% |
| 2009 | 90.1% | 80.2% |
| 2008 | 89.3% | 79.7% |
| 2007 | 88.3% | 79% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 78.3% |
| 2005 | 86% | 77.6% |
| 2004 | 84.4% | 76.4% |
| 2003 | 82.4% | 74.5% |
| 2002 | 80.5% | 72.4% |
| 2001 | 79.2% | 70.5% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 69.6% |
| 1999 | 78.4% | 69.7% |
| 1998 | 78.3% | 70.2% |
| 1997 | 78.2% | 70.8% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 71.2% |
| 1995 | 78% | 71.4% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 71.2% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 70.9% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 70.4% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 70% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 69.5% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 69.2% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 68.9% |
| 1987 | 76.9% | 68.7% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 68.3% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 67.8% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 66.8% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 65.5% |
| 1982 | 76.3% | 64.3% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 63.2% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 62.5% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 62.1% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 61.8% |
| 1977 | 76% | 61.6% |
| 1976 | 76% | 61.4% |
| 1975 | 75.9% | 61.1% |
| 1974 | 75.4% | 60.8% |
| 1973 | 74.6% | 60.4% |
| 1972 | 73.7% | 59.8% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 59.2% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 58.3% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 57.4% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 55.1% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 53.8% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 52.4% |
| 1964 | 67% | 50.9% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 49.3% |
| 1962 | 65.2% | 47.6% |
| 1961 | 64.3% | 45.8% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 43.9% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/japan/palau | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 86% to 92.3% in Japan and from 77.6% to 79.3% in Palau.
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/palau | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.