North Korea has a population density of 573 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. North Korea and Sao Tome and Principe rank 52nd and 46th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. North Korea has 0.33% of the world's population and 0.08% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.003% of the population and 0.0006% of the land area for Sao Tome and Principe, making the population density in North Korea 13.3% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
North Korea
|
Sao Tome
|
|
| 2026 | 573 | 661 |
| 2025 | 572 | 648 |
| 2024 | 570 | 635 |
| 2023 | 568 | 623 |
| 2022 | 566 | 611 |
| 2021 | 564 | 599 |
| 2020 | 562 | 587 |
| 2019 | 560 | 576 |
| 2018 | 558 | 567 |
| 2017 | 555 | 558 |
| 2016 | 553 | 550 |
| 2015 | 550 | 540 |
| 2014 | 547 | 531 |
| 2013 | 545 | 521 |
| 2012 | 542 | 511 |
| 2011 | 540 | 501 |
| 2010 | 537 | 490 |
| 2009 | 535 | 480 |
| 2008 | 533 | 469 |
| 2007 | 530 | 458 |
| 2006 | 528 | 447 |
| 2005 | 525 | 436 |
| 2004 | 522 | 425 |
| 2003 | 518 | 415 |
| 2002 | 515 | 404 |
| 2001 | 512 | 395 |
| 2000 | 509 | 389 |
| 1999 | 505 | 384 |
| 1998 | 501 | 380 |
| 1997 | 497 | 375 |
| 1996 | 492 | 370 |
| 1995 | 488 | 364 |
| 1994 | 482 | 358 |
| 1993 | 475 | 352 |
| 1992 | 468 | 346 |
| 1991 | 461 | 339 |
| 1990 | 454 | 332 |
| 1989 | 447 | 324 |
| 1988 | 441 | 315 |
| 1987 | 435 | 307 |
| 1986 | 428 | 299.9 |
| 1985 | 422 | 293.1 |
| 1984 | 416 | 287 |
| 1983 | 410 | 281.6 |
| 1982 | 404 | 276.6 |
| 1981 | 398 | 271.4 |
| 1980 | 392 | 265.9 |
| 1979 | 387 | 259.7 |
| 1978 | 381 | 253 |
| 1977 | 376 | 246.3 |
| 1976 | 371 | 239.9 |
| 1975 | 365 | 233.9 |
| 1974 | 359 | 228.4 |
| 1973 | 352 | 223.4 |
| 1972 | 344 | 218.6 |
| 1971 | 335 | 214 |
| 1970 | 326 | 209.4 |
| 1969 | 318 | 205.3 |
| 1968 | 309 | 201.7 |
| 1967 | 300 | 198.6 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 195.8 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 193.4 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 191.2 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 189.2 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 187.2 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 185.4 |
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/north-korea/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in North Korea increased by 8.64%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.
In 2006, North Korea ranked 40th by population density and is 52nd now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
North Korea
|
Sao Tome
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 573 ppl/mi² | 661 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 46/197 |
| Population |
26659144
|
246362
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 371 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 43,872 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.1% | 31.1% |
| Urban population | 63.9% | 68.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Sao Tome
|
|
| 2024 | 63.9% | 68.9% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | 68.6% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | 68.4% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | 68.2% |
| 2020 | 62.6% | 68% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | 67.9% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | 67.8% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | 67.7% |
| 2016 | 61.6% | 67.5% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 67.4% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 67.3% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 67.1% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 67% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | 66.7% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | 66.1% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 65.1% |
| 2008 | 60% | 63.9% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | 62.5% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | 61% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 59.4% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 57.9% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 56.4% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | 55.1% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 54% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 53% |
| 1999 | 59.4% | 52% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 51.1% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 50.2% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | 49.4% |
| 1995 | 59.1% | 48.5% |
| 1994 | 59% | 47.6% |
| 1993 | 58.9% | 46.7% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 45.8% |
| 1991 | 58.6% | 44.8% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 43.7% |
| 1989 | 58.3% | 42.5% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 41.3% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 40% |
| 1986 | 57.7% | 38.7% |
| 1985 | 57.5% | 37.5% |
| 1984 | 57.4% | 36.3% |
| 1983 | 57.2% | 35.3% |
| 1982 | 57.1% | 34.5% |
| 1981 | 57% | 33.8% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 33.3% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 32.9% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 32.6% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 32.3% |
| 1976 | 56.8% | 32.1% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 31.8% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | 31.5% |
| 1973 | 56.1% | 31.2% |
| 1972 | 55.6% | 30.8% |
| 1971 | 54.9% | 30.4% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 29.8% |
| 1969 | 53.3% | 28.8% |
| 1968 | 52% | 27.4% |
| 1967 | 50.5% | 25.7% |
| 1966 | 49% | 23.8% |
| 1965 | 47.5% | 21.9% |
| 1964 | 46.2% | 20% |
| 1963 | 45% | 18.3% |
| 1962 | 43.7% | 16.9% |
| 1961 | 42.3% | 15.9% |
| 1960 | 40.6% | 15.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/north-korea/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.
Densely populated cities
|
North Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Pyongyang | 2.86M |
| Hamhung | 769K |
| Chongjin | 668K |
| Sunchon | 437K |
| Nampo | 367K |
| Wonsan | 363K |
| Sinuiju | 359K |
| Tanchon | 346K |
| Kaechon | 320K |
| Kaesong | 308K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/north-korea/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2008–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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