Skip to content

Population density: Japan vs Tanzania compared

Updated on by Georank team

Japan has a population density of 872 people per square mile compared to 212.2 people in Tanzania. Japan has 32,817 sq ft of land per person vs 148,726 sq ft in Tanzania. Japan and Tanzania rank 28th and 106th 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 0.84% of the population and 0.59% of the land area for Tanzania, making the population density in Japan 311% higher than in Tanzania.

Population density by year

Japan
Tanzania

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Japan Tanzania
2026 872 212.2
2025 876 206.3
2024 881 200.5
2023 885 194.8
2022 889 189.2
2021 893 183.7
2020 897 178.3
2019 900 173
2018 901 167.9
2017 902 162.7
2016 903 157.4
2015 903 152.1
2014 904 147.2
2013 906 142.8
2012 907 138.5
2011 908 134.6
2010 910 130.9
2009 910 127.6
2008 910 124.5
2007 910 121.2
2006 908 117.8
2005 908 114.6
2004 908 111.4
2003 908 108.4
2002 906 105.6
2001 903 102.9
2000 901 100.2
1999 900 97.4
1998 898 94.8
1997 896 92.3
1996 894 90.5
1995 891 88.8
1994 889 86.1
1993 887 82.8
1992 884 80.3
1991 881 78.3
1990 877 76.3
1989 874 74.4
1988 871 72.4
1987 867 70.3
1986 863 68
1985 858 65.8
1984 853 63.7
1983 844 61.6
1982 838 59.6
1981 832 57.8
1980 826 56.1
1979 819 54.4
1978 812 52.6
1977 805 50.7
1976 797 48.9
1975 788 47.2
1974 778 45.5
1973 768 43.9
1972 757 42.3
1971 747 40.9
1970 730 39.5
1969 722 38.1
1968 713 36.8
1967 705 35.7
1966 698 34.6
1965 692 33.5
1964 684 32.5
1963 677 31.6
1962 671 30.7
1961 664 29.8

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/tanzania | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Japan decreased by 4.07%, compared to a 80.1% growth in Tanzania.

In 2006, Japan ranked 19th by population density and is 28th now. Tanzania was 128th in 2006 and ranks 106th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Japan
Tanzania
1x
Year Urban population
Japan Tanzania
2024 92.2% 36.2%
2023 92.1% 35.5%
2022 92% 34.8%
2021 91.9% 34.4%
2020 91.8% 33.9%
2019 91.7% 33.3%
2018 91.6% 32.8%
2017 91.5% 32.3%
2016 91.5% 31.8%
2015 91.4% 31.2%
2014 91.3% 30.6%
2013 91.2% 30.1%
2012 91% 29.5%
2011 90.9% 28.9%
2010 90.6% 28.2%
2009 90.1% 27.5%
2008 89.3% 26.8%
2007 88.3% 26.1%
2006 87.1% 25.4%
2005 86% 24.7%
2004 84.4% 24.1%
2003 82.4% 23.5%
2002 80.5% 23%
2001 79.2% 22.6%
2000 78.6% 22.2%
1999 78.4% 21.8%
1998 78.3% 21.5%
1997 78.2% 21.1%
1996 78.1% 20.8%
1995 78% 20.5%
1994 77.9% 20.2%
1993 77.7% 19.9%
1992 77.6% 19.6%
1991 77.5% 19.3%
1990 77.3% 18.9%
1989 77.2% 18.6%
1988 77.1% 18.2%
1987 76.9% 17.8%
1986 76.8% 17.4%
1985 76.7% 17%
1984 76.6% 16.6%
1983 76.5% 16.2%
1982 76.3% 15.7%
1981 76.3% 15.3%
1980 76.2% 14.8%
1979 76.1% 14.2%
1978 76.1% 13.7%
1977 76% 13%
1976 76% 12.1%
1975 75.9% 11.2%
1974 75.4% 10.1%
1973 74.6% 9.05%
1972 73.7% 8.03%
1971 72.7% 7.08%
1970 71.9% 6.26%
1969 71.1% 5.62%
1968 70.3% 5.19%
1967 69.5% 5.04%
1966 68.7% 5%
1965 67.9% 4.97%
1964 67% 4.95%
1963 66.1% 4.93%
1962 65.2% 4.92%
1961 64.3% 4.9%
1960 63.3% 4.89%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 84.4% to 92.2% in Japan and from 24.1% to 36.2% in Tanzania.

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
Tanzania
City Population
Dar es Salaam 4.72M
Zanzibar 710K
Mwanza 706K
Mbeya 542K
Arusha 416K
Tanga 221K
Dodoma 214K
Morogoro 207K
Moshi 145K

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/tanzania | 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:

  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 (2002–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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.