North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and South Africa are ranked 52nd and 136th, 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 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in North Korea is 317% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 14.8% |
North Korea vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 60% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 60% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 59% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 55% |
| 1995 | 59% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 54% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 53% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 52% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 51% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 57% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 48% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 48% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 49% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 47% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 59% to 69.3% 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 | 4.43M |
| 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
people per square mile
Population density
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