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Population density: Japan vs Poland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Poland. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 92,061 sq ft in Poland. Japan and Poland rank 28th and 80th 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 0.45% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Poland, making the population density in Japan 187.8% higher than in Poland.

Population density by year

Japan
Poland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Japan Poland
2026 872 303
2025 876 306
2024 881 309
2023 885 310
2022 889 312
2021 893 313
2020 897 317
2019 900 321
2018 901 321
2017 902 321
2016 903 321
2015 903 321
2014 904 322
2013 906 322
2012 907 322
2011 908 322
2010 910 322
2009 910 323
2008 910 322
2007 910 322
2006 908 322
2005 908 323
2004 908 323
2003 908 323
2002 906 323
2001 903 323
2000 901 324
1999 900 327
1998 898 327
1997 896 327
1996 894 327
1995 891 326
1994 889 326
1993 887 325
1992 884 324
1991 881 323
1990 877 322
1989 874 321
1988 871 320
1987 867 319
1986 863 317
1985 858 315
1984 853 312
1983 844 309
1982 838 306
1981 832 304
1980 826 301
1979 819 298.1
1978 812 295.7
1977 805 293.3
1976 797 290.5
1975 788 287.6
1974 778 284.8
1973 768 282.1
1972 757 279.5
1971 747 277.2
1970 730 276.2
1969 722 275.2
1968 713 273.1
1967 705 270.5
1966 698 267.9
1965 692 265.9
1964 684 263.3
1963 677 259.7
1962 671 256.3
1961 664 253.4

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/poland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 6.1% decline in Poland.

In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Poland was 64th in 2006 and ranks 80th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Japan
Poland
1x
Year Urban population
Japan Poland
2024 92.2% 60%
2023 92.1% 59.9%
2022 92% 59.8%
2021 91.9% 59.8%
2020 91.8% 59.9%
2019 91.7% 60%
2018 91.6% 60.1%
2017 91.5% 60.1%
2016 91.5% 60.2%
2015 91.4% 60.3%
2014 91.3% 60.4%
2013 91.2% 60.5%
2012 91% 60.6%
2011 90.9% 60.7%
2010 90.6% 60.8%
2009 90.1% 61%
2008 89.3% 61.1%
2007 88.3% 61.3%
2006 87.1% 61.4%
2005 86% 61.5%
2004 84.4% 61.7%
2003 82.4% 61.7%
2002 80.5% 61.8%
2001 79.2% 61.8%
2000 78.6% 61.7%
1999 78.4% 61.7%
1998 78.3% 61.7%
1997 78.2% 61.7%
1996 78.1% 61.6%
1995 78% 61.6%
1994 77.9% 61.5%
1993 77.7% 61.5%
1992 77.6% 61.4%
1991 77.5% 61.4%
1990 77.3% 61.3%
1989 77.2% 61.2%
1988 77.1% 61.1%
1987 76.9% 61%
1986 76.8% 60.7%
1985 76.7% 60.4%
1984 76.6% 60.1%
1983 76.5% 59.6%
1982 76.3% 59.2%
1981 76.3% 58.7%
1980 76.2% 58.2%
1979 76.1% 57.7%
1978 76.1% 57.2%
1977 76% 56.7%
1976 76% 56%
1975 75.9% 55.3%
1974 75.4% 54.6%
1973 74.6% 53.9%
1972 73.7% 53.2%
1971 72.7% 52.6%
1970 71.9% 52.1%
1969 71.1% 51.6%
1968 70.3% 51.2%
1967 69.5% 50.9%
1966 68.7% 50.6%
1965 67.9% 50.2%
1964 67% 49.9%
1963 66.1% 49.5%
1962 65.2% 49.1%
1961 64.3% 48.6%
1960 63.3% 48.1%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 61.7% to 60% in Poland.

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
Poland
City Population
Warsaw 1.86M
Krakow 804K
Wroclaw 674K
Lodz 649K
Poznan 547K
Gdansk 488K
Szczecin 388K
Lublin 335K
Bydgoszcz 325K
Bialystok 290K

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/poland | 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 (2020–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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