Japan has a population density of 881 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Japan and South Africa are ranked 28th and 136th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Japan has 1.52% of the world's population and 0.24% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Japan is 544% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Japan
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 881 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 28/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
123324642
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 140,761 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 31,653 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 7.87% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 92.1% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 28% | 14.8% |
Japan vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Japan decreased by 2.98%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Japan ranked 19th for population density and is in 28th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 881 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 885 | 135 |
| 2022 | 889 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 893 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 897 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 900 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 901 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 902 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 903 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 903 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 904 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 906 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 907 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 908 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 910 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 910 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 910 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 910 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 908 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 908 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 908 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 908 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 906 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 903 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 901 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 900 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 898 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 896 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 894 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 891 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 889 | 94 |
| 1993 | 887 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 884 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 881 | 89 |
| 1990 | 877 | 87 |
| 1989 | 874 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 871 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 867 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 863 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 858 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 853 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 844 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 838 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 832 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 826 | 63 |
| 1979 | 819 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 812 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 805 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 797 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 788 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 778 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 768 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 757 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 747 | 49 |
| 1970 | 730 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 722 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 713 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 705 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 698 | 42 |
| 1965 | 692 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 684 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 677 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 671 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 664 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Japan
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 92.1% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 92% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 92% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 91.9% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 91.8% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 91.7% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 91.6% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 91.5% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 91.5% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 91.4% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 91.3% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 91.2% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 91.1% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 91.1% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 90.8% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 90% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 89.1% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 88.1% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 87.1% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 86% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 84.6% | 59% |
| 2003 | 83.2% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 81.6% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 80% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 78.6% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 78.5% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 78.4% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 78.3% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 78.1% | 55% |
| 1995 | 78% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 77.9% | 54% |
| 1993 | 77.7% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 77.6% | 53% |
| 1991 | 77.5% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 77.3% | 52% |
| 1989 | 77.2% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 77.1% | 51% |
| 1987 | 77% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 76.8% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 76.6% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 76.5% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 76.4% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 76.3% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 76.2% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 76.1% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 76.1% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 76% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 75.9% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 75.7% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 75% | 48% |
| 1973 | 74.2% | 48% |
| 1972 | 73.5% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 72.7% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 71.9% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 71.1% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 70.3% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 68.7% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 67.9% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 67% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 66.1% | 47% |
| 1962 | 65.1% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 64.2% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 63.3% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 84.6% to 92.1% in Japan and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
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 |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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