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Population density: Japan vs Qatar compared

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 673 people in Qatar. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 43,077 sq ft in Qatar. Japan and Qatar rank 28th and 44th 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 0.04% of the population and 0.008% of the land area for Qatar, making the population density in Japan 29.5% higher than in Qatar.

Population density by year

Japan
Qatar

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Japan Qatar
2026 872 673
2025 876 660
2024 881 644
2023 885 599
2022 889 599
2021 893 565
2020 897 630
2019 900 595
2018 901 582
2017 902 574
2016 903 558
2015 903 528
2014 904 485
2013 906 428
2012 907 384
2011 908 362
2010 910 361
2009 910 359
2008 910 318
2007 910 269.6
2006 908 217
2005 908 184.1
2004 908 172.5
2003 908 166.1
2002 906 158.7
2001 903 151.2
2000 901 143.9
1999 900 136.6
1998 898 129.5
1997 896 122.8
1996 894 118
1995 891 114.7
1994 889 111.4
1993 887 108.1
1992 884 104.8
1991 881 101.5
1990 877 98.2
1989 874 95
1988 871 91.7
1987 867 88.6
1986 863 85.3
1985 858 81.6
1984 853 77.6
1983 844 73.6
1982 838 69.5
1981 832 65.5
1980 826 61.6
1979 819 57.7
1978 812 53.9
1977 805 50.3
1976 797 46.6
1975 788 43.1
1974 778 39.6
1973 768 36.1
1972 757 32.7
1971 747 29.3
1970 730 26
1969 722 23
1968 713 20.5
1967 705 18.2
1966 698 16.1
1965 692 14.3
1964 684 12.7
1963 677 11.2
1962 671 9.96
1961 664 8.85

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/qatar | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 210.1% growth in Qatar.

In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Qatar was 89th in 2006 and ranks 44th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Japan
Qatar
1x
Year Urban population
Japan Qatar
2024 92.2% 99.3%
2023 92.1% 99.3%
2022 92% 99.2%
2021 91.9% 99.2%
2020 91.8% 99.2%
2019 91.7% 99.1%
2018 91.6% 99.1%
2017 91.5% 99%
2016 91.5% 99%
2015 91.4% 98.9%
2014 91.3% 98.9%
2013 91.2% 98.8%
2012 91% 98.7%
2011 90.9% 98.6%
2010 90.6% 98.5%
2009 90.1% 98.3%
2008 89.3% 98.1%
2007 88.3% 97.9%
2006 87.1% 97.6%
2005 86% 97.3%
2004 84.4% 97%
2003 82.4% 96.8%
2002 80.5% 96.6%
2001 79.2% 96.5%
2000 78.6% 96.3%
1999 78.4% 96.1%
1998 78.3% 95.9%
1997 78.2% 95.7%
1996 78.1% 95.4%
1995 78% 95.1%
1994 77.9% 94.7%
1993 77.7% 94.3%
1992 77.6% 93.9%
1991 77.5% 93.4%
1990 77.3% 92.9%
1989 77.2% 92.4%
1988 77.1% 91.8%
1987 76.9% 91.1%
1986 76.8% 90.4%
1985 76.7% 89.6%
1984 76.6% 88.3%
1983 76.5% 86.9%
1982 76.3% 85.4%
1981 76.3% 84%
1980 76.2% 83%
1979 76.1% 82.2%
1978 76.1% 81.6%
1977 76% 81%
1976 76% 80.4%
1975 75.9% 79.9%
1974 75.4% 79.5%
1973 74.6% 78.9%
1972 73.7% 78.4%
1971 72.7% 77.7%
1970 71.9% 77%
1969 71.1% 76.2%
1968 70.3% 75.3%
1967 69.5% 74.4%
1966 68.7% 73.3%
1965 67.9% 72.2%
1964 67% 71%
1963 66.1% 69.7%
1962 65.2% 68.3%
1961 64.3% 66.7%
1960 63.3% 65%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 97% to 99.3% in Qatar.

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

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

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