North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 348 people in Syria. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 80,788 sq ft in Syria. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and Syria are ranked 52nd and 71st, 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 0.3% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, hence the population density in North Korea is 63.8% higher than in Syria.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 348 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 71/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
26304877
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 70,900 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 80,112 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 42% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 58% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 19% |
North Korea vs Syria:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 34.5% growth in Syria.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. Syria was 77th in 2004 and ranks 71st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 348 |
| 2023 | 568 | 333 |
| 2022 | 566 | 317 |
| 2021 | 564 | 305 |
| 2020 | 562 | 296.9 |
| 2019 | 560 | 287.1 |
| 2018 | 558 | 276.1 |
| 2017 | 555 | 271.2 |
| 2016 | 553 | 270.7 |
| 2015 | 550 | 274 |
| 2014 | 547 | 285.9 |
| 2013 | 545 | 306 |
| 2012 | 542 | 321 |
| 2011 | 540 | 323 |
| 2010 | 537 | 317 |
| 2009 | 535 | 310 |
| 2008 | 533 | 305 |
| 2007 | 530 | 294.5 |
| 2006 | 528 | 277 |
| 2005 | 525 | 265.4 |
| 2004 | 522 | 258.7 |
| 2003 | 518 | 252.4 |
| 2002 | 515 | 246.2 |
| 2001 | 512 | 240.3 |
| 2000 | 509 | 234.5 |
| 1999 | 505 | 228.7 |
| 1998 | 501 | 223 |
| 1997 | 497 | 217.3 |
| 1996 | 492 | 211.6 |
| 1995 | 488 | 206 |
| 1994 | 482 | 200.2 |
| 1993 | 475 | 194.4 |
| 1992 | 468 | 188.6 |
| 1991 | 461 | 182.9 |
| 1990 | 454 | 177.3 |
| 1989 | 447 | 171.6 |
| 1988 | 441 | 166 |
| 1987 | 435 | 160.5 |
| 1986 | 428 | 155.1 |
| 1985 | 422 | 149.7 |
| 1984 | 416 | 144.6 |
| 1983 | 410 | 139.6 |
| 1982 | 404 | 134.9 |
| 1981 | 398 | 130.5 |
| 1980 | 392 | 126.2 |
| 1979 | 387 | 122.1 |
| 1978 | 381 | 118 |
| 1977 | 376 | 114 |
| 1976 | 371 | 110.2 |
| 1975 | 365 | 106.5 |
| 1974 | 359 | 102.9 |
| 1973 | 352 | 99.5 |
| 1972 | 344 | 96.2 |
| 1971 | 335 | 93 |
| 1970 | 326 | 89.9 |
| 1969 | 318 | 87 |
| 1968 | 309 | 84.3 |
| 1967 | 300 | 81.6 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 79 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 76.6 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 74.3 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 72 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 69.9 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 67.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 58% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 57.4% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 56.8% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 56.1% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 55.5% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 54.8% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 54.2% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 53.5% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 52.8% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 52.2% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 51.5% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 52.5% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 53.6% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 54.6% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 55.6% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 55.2% |
| 2008 | 60% | 54.9% |
| 2007 | 60% | 54.5% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 53.8% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 53.4% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 53% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 52.7% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 52.3% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 51.9% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 51.6% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 51.2% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 50.8% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 50.5% |
| 1995 | 59% | 50.1% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 49.8% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 49.6% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 49.3% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 49.1% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 48.9% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 48.7% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 48.5% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 48.3% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 48.1% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 47.9% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 47.7% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 47.5% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 47.3% |
| 1981 | 57% | 47% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 46.7% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 46.4% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 46% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 45.7% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 45.4% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 45.1% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 44.7% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 44.4% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 44.1% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 43.8% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 43.3% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 42.7% |
| 1968 | 49% | 42% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 41.3% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 40.7% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 40% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 39.3% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 38.7% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 38% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 37.4% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 36.8% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 53.4% to 58% in Syria.
Densely populated cities
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Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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