North Korea has a population density of 573 people per square mile compared to 139.8 people in South Africa. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. North Korea and South Africa rank 52nd and 135th 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 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, making the population density in North Korea 310% higher than in South Africa.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2026 | 573 | 139.8 |
| 2025 | 572 | 138.3 |
| 2024 | 570 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 568 | 135 |
| 2022 | 566 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 564 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 562 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 560 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 558 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 555 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 553 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 550 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 547 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 545 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 542 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 540 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 537 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 535 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 533 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 530 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 528 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 525 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 522 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 518 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 515 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 512 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 509 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 505 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 501 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 497 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 492 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 488 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 482 | 94 |
| 1993 | 475 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 468 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 461 | 89 |
| 1990 | 454 | 87 |
| 1989 | 447 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 441 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 435 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 428 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 422 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 416 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 410 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 404 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 398 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 392 | 63 |
| 1979 | 387 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 381 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 376 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 371 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 365 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 359 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 352 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 344 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 335 | 49 |
| 1970 | 326 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 318 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 309 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 300 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 42 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 36.1 |
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/south-africa | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in North Korea increased by 8.64%, compared to a 31% growth in South Africa.
In 2006, North Korea ranked 40th by population density and is 52nd now. South Africa was 134th in 2006 and ranks 135th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 573 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 135/197 |
| Population |
26659144
|
65683993
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.1% | 36.3% |
| Urban population | 63.9% | 63.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.7% | 15% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 63.9% | 63.7% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | 63.6% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | 63.5% |
| 2020 | 62.6% | 63.4% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | 63.4% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | 63.3% |
| 2016 | 61.6% | 63.3% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 63.2% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 63.1% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 63.1% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 63% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | 62.9% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | 62.6% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 60% | 61.8% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | 61.2% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 59.1% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | 57.7% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 57% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 59.4% | 55.4% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 54.7% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 54% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | 53.6% |
| 1995 | 59.1% | 53.3% |
| 1994 | 59% | 53.1% |
| 1993 | 58.9% | 52.9% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 52.7% |
| 1991 | 58.6% | 52.4% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 52% |
| 1989 | 58.3% | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 50.7% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 50.1% |
| 1986 | 57.7% | 49.6% |
| 1985 | 57.5% | 49.2% |
| 1984 | 57.4% | 49% |
| 1983 | 57.2% | 48.8% |
| 1982 | 57.1% | 48.6% |
| 1981 | 57% | 48.5% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 48.2% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 56.8% | 48.1% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | 48% |
| 1973 | 56.1% | 48% |
| 1972 | 55.6% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 54.9% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 53.3% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 52% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 50.5% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 49% | 47.5% |
| 1965 | 47.5% | 47.4% |
| 1964 | 46.2% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 45% | 47.1% |
| 1962 | 43.7% | 47% |
| 1961 | 42.3% | 46.9% |
| 1960 | 40.6% | 46.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/north-korea/south-africa | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea and from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa.
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 |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
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/south-africa | 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)
- Wikidata (2008–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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