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Population density: Mexico vs South Korea compared

Updated on by Georank team

Mexico has a population density of 177.3 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Mexico has 162,251 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Mexico and South Korea rank 124th and 18th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Mexico has 1.61% of the world's population and 1.31% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, making the population density in Mexico 87.1% lower than in South Korea.

Population density by year

Mexico
South Korea

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Mexico South Korea
2026 177.3 1,371
2025 175.8 1,372
2024 174.4 1,373
2023 172.9 1,372
2022 171.4 1,371
2021 170.1 1,374
2020 168.9 1,376
2019 167.6 1,374
2018 166 1,370
2017 164.4 1,364
2016 162.9 1,361
2015 161.3 1,356
2014 159.6 1,349
2013 157.7 1,341
2012 155.6 1,336
2011 153.5 1,331
2010 151.4 1,320
2009 149.2 1,316
2008 147.1 1,310
2007 144.9 1,301
2006 142.9 1,295
2005 141 1,289
2004 139.1 1,286
2003 137.2 1,281
2002 135.3 1,275
2001 133.4 1,268
2000 131.4 1,262
1999 129.4 1,252
1998 127.3 1,243
1997 125.3 1,234
1996 123.2 1,222
1995 121.1 1,211
1994 118.9 1,199
1993 116.8 1,187
1992 114.6 1,175
1991 112.5 1,163
1990 110.3 1,151
1989 108.2 1,140
1988 106.2 1,129
1987 104.1 1,118
1986 102 1,107
1985 100 1,096
1984 97.9 1,085
1983 95.9 1,072
1982 93.8 1,056
1981 91.8 1,040
1980 89.7 1,024
1979 87.5 1,008
1978 85.2 993
1977 83 978
1976 80.8 963
1975 78.6 947
1974 76.4 932
1973 74.2 916
1972 72 900
1971 69.8 883
1970 67.7 866
1969 65.6 847
1968 63.5 828
1967 61.5 809
1966 59.5 790
1965 57.5 771
1964 55.7 751
1963 53.9 732
1962 52.1 712
1961 50.5 692

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/mexico/south-korea | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Mexico increased by 24%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.

In 2006, Mexico ranked 120th by population density and is 124th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Mexico
South Korea
1x
Year Urban population
Mexico South Korea
2024 79.8% 81.2%
2023 79.5% 81.2%
2022 79.2% 81.2%
2021 78.9% 81.2%
2020 78.7% 81.2%
2019 78.4% 81.3%
2018 78% 81.4%
2017 77.7% 81.5%
2016 77.4% 81.6%
2015 77.2% 81.6%
2014 77% 81.7%
2013 76.8% 81.8%
2012 76.7% 81.9%
2011 76.6% 82%
2010 76.5% 82%
2009 76.5% 81.9%
2008 76.5% 81.8%
2007 76.5% 81.7%
2006 76.5% 81.6%
2005 76.5% 81.4%
2004 76.3% 81.1%
2003 76% 80.7%
2002 75.7% 80.3%
2001 75.3% 79.9%
2000 74.9% 79.6%
1999 74.6% 79.4%
1998 74.3% 79.2%
1997 74% 79%
1996 73.6% 78.8%
1995 73.3% 78.4%
1994 73% 77.9%
1993 72.6% 77.1%
1992 72.2% 76.2%
1991 71.9% 75.2%
1990 71.5% 74%
1989 71% 72.5%
1988 70.6% 70.6%
1987 70.1% 68.6%
1986 69.6% 66.6%
1985 69.1% 64.8%
1984 68.6% 63.1%
1983 68.1% 61.5%
1982 67.5% 60%
1981 66.9% 58.3%
1980 66.3% 56.7%
1979 65.7% 54.9%
1978 65% 53.1%
1977 64.3% 51.3%
1976 63.6% 49.6%
1975 62.9% 48%
1974 62.1% 46.5%
1973 61.4% 45.1%
1972 60.6% 43.8%
1971 59.8% 42.3%
1970 59% 40.7%
1969 58.2% 38.7%
1968 57.4% 36.5%
1967 56.6% 34.6%
1966 55.8% 33.1%
1965 55% 32%
1964 54.1% 31%
1963 53.3% 30.1%
1962 52.4% 29.2%
1961 51.6% 28.4%
1960 50.7% 27.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/mexico/south-korea | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 76.3% to 79.8% in Mexico and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.

Densely populated cities

Mexico
City Population
Mexico 9.21M
Tijuana 1.96M
Ecatepec de Morelos 1.93M
Leon 1.58M
Puebla 1.43M
Guadalajara 1.39M
Ciudad Juarez 1.32M
Zapopan 1.26M
Monterrey 1.14M
Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl 1.07M
South Korea
City Population
Seoul 9.67M
Busan 3.45M
Incheon 3.05M
Daegu 2.38M
Daejeon 1.48M
Gwangju 1.41M
Suwon 1.23M
Ulsan 1.13M
Yongin 1.08M
Goyang 1.06M

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/mexico/south-korea | 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 (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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