North Korea has a population density of 573 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. North Korea has 48,964 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. North Korea and Vietnam rank 52nd and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in North Korea 32.1% lower than in Vietnam.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
North Korea
|
Vietnam
|
|
| 2026 | 573 | 845 |
| 2025 | 572 | 840 |
| 2024 | 570 | 835 |
| 2023 | 568 | 829 |
| 2022 | 566 | 824 |
| 2021 | 564 | 818 |
| 2020 | 562 | 810 |
| 2019 | 560 | 803 |
| 2018 | 558 | 795 |
| 2017 | 555 | 787 |
| 2016 | 553 | 777 |
| 2015 | 550 | 767 |
| 2014 | 547 | 758 |
| 2013 | 545 | 749 |
| 2012 | 542 | 740 |
| 2011 | 540 | 731 |
| 2010 | 537 | 723 |
| 2009 | 535 | 716 |
| 2008 | 533 | 705 |
| 2007 | 530 | 693 |
| 2006 | 528 | 680 |
| 2005 | 525 | 671 |
| 2004 | 522 | 671 |
| 2003 | 518 | 665 |
| 2002 | 515 | 657 |
| 2001 | 512 | 649 |
| 2000 | 509 | 642 |
| 1999 | 505 | 607 |
| 1998 | 501 | 599 |
| 1997 | 497 | 591 |
| 1996 | 492 | 582 |
| 1995 | 488 | 573 |
| 1994 | 482 | 564 |
| 1993 | 475 | 554 |
| 1992 | 468 | 543 |
| 1991 | 461 | 532 |
| 1990 | 454 | 521 |
| 1989 | 447 | 510 |
| 1988 | 441 | 500 |
| 1987 | 435 | 490 |
| 1986 | 428 | 480 |
| 1985 | 422 | 470 |
| 1984 | 416 | 459 |
| 1983 | 410 | 448 |
| 1982 | 404 | 438 |
| 1981 | 398 | 428 |
| 1980 | 392 | 418 |
| 1979 | 387 | 409 |
| 1978 | 381 | 400 |
| 1977 | 376 | 390 |
| 1976 | 371 | 379 |
| 1975 | 365 | 370 |
| 1974 | 359 | 361 |
| 1973 | 352 | 353 |
| 1972 | 344 | 346 |
| 1971 | 335 | 338 |
| 1970 | 326 | 330 |
| 1969 | 318 | 323 |
| 1968 | 309 | 316 |
| 1967 | 300 | 309 |
| 1966 | 291.9 | 303 |
| 1965 | 284.3 | 295.4 |
| 1964 | 277.3 | 288.1 |
| 1963 | 270.3 | 280.5 |
| 1962 | 263.8 | 272.8 |
| 1961 | 257.9 | 265.8 |
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/vietnam | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in North Korea increased by 8.64%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.
In 2006, North Korea ranked 40th by population density and is 52nd now. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
North Korea
|
Vietnam
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 573 ppl/mi² | 845 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 52/197 | 30/197 |
| Population |
26659144
|
102365351
|
| Land area | 46,491 sq mi | 121,016 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 48,911 sq ft | 33,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.1% | 61.5% |
| Urban population | 63.9% | 38.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.7% | 31.2% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
North Korea
|
Vietnam
|
|
| 2024 | 63.9% | 38.5% |
| 2023 | 63.5% | 38.1% |
| 2022 | 63.2% | 37.5% |
| 2021 | 62.9% | 36.7% |
| 2020 | 62.6% | 35.6% |
| 2019 | 62.4% | 34.6% |
| 2018 | 62.1% | 33.9% |
| 2017 | 61.8% | 33.4% |
| 2016 | 61.6% | 32.8% |
| 2015 | 61.3% | 32.4% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 31.9% |
| 2013 | 60.9% | 31.5% |
| 2012 | 60.7% | 31.1% |
| 2011 | 60.5% | 30.7% |
| 2010 | 60.3% | 30.3% |
| 2009 | 60.2% | 29.8% |
| 2008 | 60% | 29.2% |
| 2007 | 59.9% | 28.6% |
| 2006 | 59.8% | 28% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 27.4% |
| 2004 | 59.7% | 26.8% |
| 2003 | 59.6% | 26.2% |
| 2002 | 59.5% | 25.6% |
| 2001 | 59.5% | 24.9% |
| 2000 | 59.4% | 24.4% |
| 1999 | 59.4% | 23.8% |
| 1998 | 59.3% | 23.3% |
| 1997 | 59.2% | 22.7% |
| 1996 | 59.2% | 22.1% |
| 1995 | 59.1% | 21.5% |
| 1994 | 59% | 20.9% |
| 1993 | 58.9% | 20.3% |
| 1992 | 58.7% | 19.8% |
| 1991 | 58.6% | 19.4% |
| 1990 | 58.4% | 19.2% |
| 1989 | 58.3% | 19.1% |
| 1988 | 58.1% | 19% |
| 1987 | 57.9% | 19.1% |
| 1986 | 57.7% | 19.1% |
| 1985 | 57.5% | 19.1% |
| 1984 | 57.4% | 19.1% |
| 1983 | 57.2% | 19.1% |
| 1982 | 57.1% | 19.1% |
| 1981 | 57% | 19.1% |
| 1980 | 56.9% | 19.2% |
| 1979 | 56.9% | 19.2% |
| 1978 | 56.8% | 19.2% |
| 1977 | 56.8% | 19.6% |
| 1976 | 56.8% | 20.4% |
| 1975 | 56.7% | 20.6% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | 20.5% |
| 1973 | 56.1% | 20.5% |
| 1972 | 55.6% | 20.6% |
| 1971 | 54.9% | 20.7% |
| 1970 | 54.2% | 20.7% |
| 1969 | 53.3% | 20.6% |
| 1968 | 52% | 20.1% |
| 1967 | 50.5% | 19.3% |
| 1966 | 49% | 18.4% |
| 1965 | 47.5% | 17.5% |
| 1964 | 46.2% | 16.9% |
| 1963 | 45% | 16.5% |
| 1962 | 43.7% | 16.1% |
| 1961 | 42.3% | 15.7% |
| 1960 | 40.6% | 15.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/north-korea/vietnam | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.7% to 63.9% in North Korea and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.
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 |
|
Vietnam
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Ho Chi Minh | 14M |
| Hanoi | 8.72M |
| Can Tho | 3.21M |
| Da Nang | 2.82M |
| Haiphong | 2.12M |
| Bien Hoa | 1.1M |
| Hue | 653K |
| Bac Ninh | 520K |
| Hai Duong | 507K |
| Vinh | 490K |
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/vietnam | 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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