North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 918 people in Sri Lanka. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and Sri Lanka are ranked 52nd and 25th, 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, hence the population density in North Korea is 37.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density comparison
North Korea
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 918 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
22125995
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 80.6% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 19.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 0% |
North Korea vs Sri Lanka:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 10.6% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. Sri Lanka was 24th in 2004 and ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 918 |
| 2023 | 568 | 923 |
| 2022 | 566 | 929 |
| 2021 | 564 | 928 |
| 2020 | 562 | 918 |
| 2019 | 560 | 913 |
| 2018 | 558 | 907 |
| 2017 | 555 | 898 |
| 2016 | 553 | 888 |
| 2015 | 550 | 878 |
| 2014 | 547 | 858 |
| 2013 | 545 | 850 |
| 2012 | 542 | 874 |
| 2011 | 540 | 868 |
| 2010 | 537 | 862 |
| 2009 | 535 | 857 |
| 2008 | 533 | 852 |
| 2007 | 530 | 846 |
| 2006 | 528 | 841 |
| 2005 | 525 | 835 |
| 2004 | 522 | 830 |
| 2003 | 518 | 824 |
| 2002 | 515 | 818 |
| 2001 | 512 | 810 |
| 2000 | 509 | 797 |
| 1999 | 505 | 782 |
| 1998 | 501 | 768 |
| 1997 | 497 | 754 |
| 1996 | 492 | 739 |
| 1995 | 488 | 725 |
| 1994 | 482 | 714 |
| 1993 | 475 | 703 |
| 1992 | 468 | 691 |
| 1991 | 461 | 680 |
| 1990 | 454 | 675 |
| 1989 | 447 | 671 |
| 1988 | 441 | 664 |
| 1987 | 435 | 657 |
| 1986 | 428 | 650 |
| 1985 | 422 | 642 |
| 1984 | 416 | 638 |
| 1983 | 410 | 636 |
| 1982 | 404 | 631 |
| 1981 | 398 | 624 |
| 1980 | 392 | 613 |
| 1979 | 387 | 602 |
| 1978 | 381 | 591 |
| 1977 | 376 | 580 |
| 1976 | 371 | 570 |
| 1975 | 365 | 560 |
| 1974 | 359 | 550 |
| 1973 | 352 | 539 |
| 1972 | 344 | 529 |
| 1971 | 335 | 518 |
| 1970 | 326 | 507 |
| 1969 | 318 | 496 |
| 1968 | 309 | 485 |
| 1967 | 300 | 473 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 462 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 451 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 440 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 429 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 419 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 409 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 19% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 18.9% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 18.7% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 18.6% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 18.5% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 18.3% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 18.3% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 18.2% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 18.2% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 18.2% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 18.2% |
| 2008 | 60% | 18.3% |
| 2007 | 60% | 18.3% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 18.3% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 18.3% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 18.3% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 18.3% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 18.4% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 18.4% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 18.4% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 18.4% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 18.4% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 18.4% |
| 1995 | 59% | 18.5% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 18.5% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 18.5% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 18.5% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 18.5% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 18.6% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 18.6% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 18.6% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 18.6% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 18.6% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 18.6% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 18.7% |
| 1981 | 57% | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 18.6% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 18.5% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 18.4% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 18.3% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 18.2% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 18.1% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 18% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 17.9% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 17.8% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 17.6% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 49% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 17.3% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 17.2% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 17% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 16.9% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 16.8% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 16.6% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 16.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 18.3% to 19.4% in Sri Lanka.
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 |
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 753K |
| Gampaha | 191K |
| Beruwala | 165K |
| Negombo | 142K |
| Kandy | 120K |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 116K |
| Trincomalee | 99.1K |
| Galle | 93.1K |
| Matara | 68.2K |
| Anuradhapura | 63.2K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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