North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 42.5 people in Saudi Arabia. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 686,079 sq ft in Saudi Arabia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and Saudi Arabia are ranked 52nd and 179th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.43% of the population and 1.44% of the land area for Saudi Arabia, hence the population density in North Korea is 1,240% higher than in Saudi Arabia.
Population density comparison
North Korea
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 42.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 179/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
36428123
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 830,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 655,493 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 14.8% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 85.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 44% |
North Korea vs Saudi Arabia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 79.5% growth in Saudi Arabia.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. Saudi Arabia was 175th in 2004 and ranks 179th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 42.5 |
| 2023 | 568 | 40.6 |
| 2022 | 566 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 564 | 37.1 |
| 2020 | 562 | 38 |
| 2019 | 560 | 36.2 |
| 2018 | 558 | 36.4 |
| 2017 | 555 | 37.3 |
| 2016 | 553 | 37.3 |
| 2015 | 550 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 547 | 34.1 |
| 2013 | 545 | 33.3 |
| 2012 | 542 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 540 | 30.2 |
| 2010 | 537 | 28.9 |
| 2009 | 535 | 29.2 |
| 2008 | 533 | 28.1 |
| 2007 | 530 | 26.9 |
| 2006 | 528 | 25.9 |
| 2005 | 525 | 24.8 |
| 2004 | 522 | 23.7 |
| 2003 | 518 | 22.6 |
| 2002 | 515 | 21.6 |
| 2001 | 512 | 20.5 |
| 2000 | 509 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 505 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 501 | 18 |
| 1997 | 497 | 17.3 |
| 1996 | 492 | 16.7 |
| 1995 | 488 | 16 |
| 1994 | 482 | 15.4 |
| 1993 | 475 | 14.7 |
| 1992 | 468 | 14.1 |
| 1991 | 461 | 13.4 |
| 1990 | 454 | 12.8 |
| 1989 | 447 | 12.2 |
| 1988 | 441 | 11.6 |
| 1987 | 435 | 11 |
| 1986 | 428 | 10.4 |
| 1985 | 422 | 9.82 |
| 1984 | 416 | 9.27 |
| 1983 | 410 | 8.74 |
| 1982 | 404 | 8.22 |
| 1981 | 398 | 7.74 |
| 1980 | 392 | 7.29 |
| 1979 | 387 | 6.87 |
| 1978 | 381 | 6.48 |
| 1977 | 376 | 6.12 |
| 1976 | 371 | 5.79 |
| 1975 | 365 | 5.49 |
| 1974 | 359 | 5.21 |
| 1973 | 352 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | 344 | 4.71 |
| 1971 | 335 | 4.49 |
| 1970 | 326 | 4.29 |
| 1969 | 318 | 4.12 |
| 1968 | 309 | 3.96 |
| 1967 | 300 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 3.66 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 3.53 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 3.4 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 3.28 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 3.16 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 3.04 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 85.2% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 85% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 84.7% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 84.5% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 84.3% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 84.1% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 83.8% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 83.6% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 83.4% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 83.2% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 83% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 82.7% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 82.5% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 60% | 81.6% |
| 2007 | 60% | 81.4% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 81.2% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 81% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 80.8% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 80.5% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 80.1% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 59% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 77.9% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 77.2% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 76.6% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 75.9% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 75.3% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 74.6% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 73.9% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 72.6% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 71.4% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 70% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 68.7% |
| 1981 | 57% | 67.3% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 65.9% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 64.4% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 62.9% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 61.4% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 59.9% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 58.3% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 56.7% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 54.7% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 52.7% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 50.7% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 48.7% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 46.7% |
| 1968 | 49% | 44.7% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 42.7% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 40.7% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 38.8% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 36.9% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 35% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 33.5% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 32.4% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 31.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia.
Densely populated cities
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