North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Somalia. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and Somalia are ranked 52nd and 154th, 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 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, hence the population density in North Korea is 626% higher than in Somalia.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 78.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 154/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
20177806
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 242,217 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 355,231 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 51.5% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 48.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 11.2% |
North Korea vs Somalia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 84.9% growth in Somalia.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. Somalia was 161st in 2004 and ranks 154th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 78.5 |
| 2023 | 568 | 75.8 |
| 2022 | 566 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 564 | 71.3 |
| 2020 | 562 | 68.7 |
| 2019 | 560 | 66.2 |
| 2018 | 558 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | 555 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | 553 | 59.2 |
| 2015 | 550 | 57 |
| 2014 | 547 | 55.1 |
| 2013 | 545 | 53.1 |
| 2012 | 542 | 51.4 |
| 2011 | 540 | 51 |
| 2010 | 537 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 535 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 533 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 530 | 46.7 |
| 2006 | 528 | 45.3 |
| 2005 | 525 | 43.9 |
| 2004 | 522 | 42.4 |
| 2003 | 518 | 40.9 |
| 2002 | 515 | 39.4 |
| 2001 | 512 | 38 |
| 2000 | 509 | 36.5 |
| 1999 | 505 | 35.1 |
| 1998 | 501 | 33.7 |
| 1997 | 497 | 32.3 |
| 1996 | 492 | 31.2 |
| 1995 | 488 | 30.1 |
| 1994 | 482 | 29 |
| 1993 | 475 | 27.6 |
| 1992 | 468 | 26.8 |
| 1991 | 461 | 28.1 |
| 1990 | 454 | 29.2 |
| 1989 | 447 | 29.4 |
| 1988 | 441 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 435 | 29.8 |
| 1986 | 428 | 28.8 |
| 1985 | 422 | 27.6 |
| 1984 | 416 | 26.5 |
| 1983 | 410 | 25.6 |
| 1982 | 404 | 24.8 |
| 1981 | 398 | 24.7 |
| 1980 | 392 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 387 | 22.5 |
| 1978 | 381 | 19.9 |
| 1977 | 376 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 371 | 18 |
| 1975 | 365 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 359 | 17.1 |
| 1973 | 352 | 16.7 |
| 1972 | 344 | 16.3 |
| 1971 | 335 | 15.8 |
| 1970 | 326 | 15.4 |
| 1969 | 318 | 15 |
| 1968 | 309 | 14.6 |
| 1967 | 300 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 13.9 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 13.5 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 13.2 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 12.8 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 12.5 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 12.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 48.5% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 47.9% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 47.3% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 46.7% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 46.1% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 45.6% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 45% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 44.4% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 43.8% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 43.2% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 42.7% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 42.1% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 41% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 39.3% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 37.6% |
| 2008 | 60% | 36% |
| 2007 | 60% | 34.4% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 37.1% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 36.3% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 35.5% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 34.8% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 34% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 33.6% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 33.2% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 32.9% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 32.5% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 32.1% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 31.8% |
| 1995 | 59% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 31.1% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 30.7% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 30.4% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 30% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 29.3% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 29% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 28.3% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 27.5% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 57% | 27% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 26.5% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 26.3% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 26% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 25.7% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 25.5% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 25% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 24.4% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 23.8% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 23.3% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 22.7% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 22.1% |
| 1968 | 49% | 21.6% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 21% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 20.5% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 20% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 19.5% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 18.9% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 18.4% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 17.8% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 17.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 35.5% to 48.5% in Somalia.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons