North Korea has a population density of 570 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, North Korea and the United Kingdom are ranked 52nd and 35th, 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in North Korea is 23.1% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
North Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 570 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
26621357
|
69945462
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.5% | 15.1% |
| Urban population | 63.5% | 84.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.8% | 14.4% |
North Korea vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in North Korea increased by 9.25%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, North Korea ranked 40th for population density and is in 52nd place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 570 | 741 |
| 2023 | 568 | 733 |
| 2022 | 566 | 724 |
| 2021 | 564 | 717 |
| 2020 | 562 | 715 |
| 2019 | 560 | 713 |
| 2018 | 558 | 710 |
| 2017 | 555 | 706 |
| 2016 | 553 | 702 |
| 2015 | 550 | 697 |
| 2014 | 547 | 692 |
| 2013 | 545 | 687 |
| 2012 | 542 | 682 |
| 2011 | 540 | 677 |
| 2010 | 537 | 672 |
| 2009 | 535 | 667 |
| 2008 | 533 | 662 |
| 2007 | 530 | 656 |
| 2006 | 528 | 651 |
| 2005 | 525 | 647 |
| 2004 | 522 | 642 |
| 2003 | 518 | 639 |
| 2002 | 515 | 636 |
| 2001 | 512 | 633 |
| 2000 | 509 | 630 |
| 1999 | 505 | 628 |
| 1998 | 501 | 626 |
| 1997 | 497 | 624 |
| 1996 | 492 | 623 |
| 1995 | 488 | 621 |
| 1994 | 482 | 619 |
| 1993 | 475 | 618 |
| 1992 | 468 | 616 |
| 1991 | 461 | 615 |
| 1990 | 454 | 613 |
| 1989 | 447 | 611 |
| 1988 | 441 | 609 |
| 1987 | 435 | 608 |
| 1986 | 428 | 607 |
| 1985 | 422 | 605 |
| 1984 | 416 | 604 |
| 1983 | 410 | 603 |
| 1982 | 404 | 603 |
| 1981 | 398 | 603 |
| 1980 | 392 | 603 |
| 1979 | 387 | 602 |
| 1978 | 381 | 602 |
| 1977 | 376 | 602 |
| 1976 | 371 | 602 |
| 1975 | 365 | 602 |
| 1974 | 359 | 602 |
| 1973 | 352 | 602 |
| 1972 | 344 | 600 |
| 1971 | 335 | 598 |
| 1970 | 326 | 596 |
| 1969 | 318 | 594 |
| 1968 | 309 | 591 |
| 1967 | 300 | 588 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 585 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 582 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 578 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 574 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 570 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 63.5% | 84.9% |
| 2023 | 63.2% | 84.6% |
| 2022 | 62.9% | 84.4% |
| 2021 | 62.6% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 62.4% | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 62.1% | 83.7% |
| 2018 | 61.9% | 83.4% |
| 2017 | 61.7% | 83.1% |
| 2016 | 61.5% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 82.6% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 82.4% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 82.1% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 81.8% |
| 2011 | 60.6% | 81.6% |
| 2010 | 60.4% | 81.3% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 81% |
| 2008 | 60% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 60% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 59.9% | 80.2% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 79.6% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 79.3% |
| 2002 | 59.6% | 79% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 78.8% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 78.7% |
| 1999 | 59.3% | 78.6% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 78.5% |
| 1996 | 59.1% | 78.4% |
| 1995 | 59% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 58.9% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 58.8% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 58.5% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 58.2% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 57.8% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 57.6% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 57.5% | 78.4% |
| 1983 | 57.3% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 57.2% | 78.5% |
| 1981 | 57% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 78.5% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 78.3% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 78.2% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 78% |
| 1976 | 56.7% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 77.7% |
| 1974 | 56.2% | 77.5% |
| 1973 | 55.7% | 77.4% |
| 1972 | 55.2% | 77.2% |
| 1971 | 54.7% | 77% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 77.1% |
| 1969 | 51.6% | 77.3% |
| 1968 | 49% | 77.4% |
| 1967 | 47.1% | 77.5% |
| 1966 | 46.1% | 77.7% |
| 1965 | 45.1% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 44.1% | 78% |
| 1963 | 43.1% | 78.1% |
| 1962 | 42.1% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 41.2% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 40.2% | 78.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.5% in North Korea and from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom.
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 |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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