The United Kingdom has a population density of 741 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. The United Kingdom has 37,705 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, the United Kingdom ranked 35th out of 197.
The United Kingdom has 0.85% of the world's population and 0.16% of all countries' land area.
Population density in the United Kingdom compared to the World's average
United Kingdom
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 741 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 35/197 | N/A |
| Population |
69945462
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 93,410 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 37,618 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 15.1% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 84.9% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.4% | 28.6% |
The United Kingdom population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in the United Kingdom has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 15.4%. The population density rank was 35th 21 years ago and is 35th still.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 741 | 35 |
| 2023 | 733 | 35 |
| 2022 | 724 | 35 |
| 2021 | 717 | 35 |
| 2020 | 715 | 35 |
| 2019 | 713 | 35 |
| 2018 | 710 | 35 |
| 2017 | 706 | 34 |
| 2016 | 702 | 35 |
| 2015 | 697 | 36 |
| 2014 | 692 | 36 |
| 2013 | 687 | 36 |
| 2012 | 682 | 36 |
| 2011 | 677 | 36 |
| 2010 | 672 | 34 |
| 2009 | 667 | 34 |
| 2008 | 662 | 34 |
| 2007 | 656 | 35 |
| 2006 | 651 | 35 |
| 2005 | 647 | 35 |
| 2004 | 642 | 35 |
| 2003 | 639 | 35 |
| 2002 | 636 | 35 |
| 2001 | 633 | 35 |
| 2000 | 630 | 35 |
| 1999 | 628 | 32 |
| 1998 | 626 | 31 |
| 1997 | 624 | 31 |
| 1996 | 623 | 31 |
| 1995 | 621 | 29 |
| 1994 | 619 | 29 |
| 1993 | 618 | 29 |
| 1992 | 616 | 28 |
| 1991 | 615 | 28 |
| 1990 | 613 | 27 |
| 1989 | 611 | 25 |
| 1988 | 609 | 25 |
| 1987 | 608 | 24 |
| 1986 | 607 | 24 |
| 1985 | 605 | 23 |
| 1984 | 604 | 22 |
| 1983 | 603 | 22 |
| 1982 | 603 | 21 |
| 1981 | 603 | 21 |
| 1980 | 603 | 20 |
| 1979 | 602 | 19 |
| 1978 | 602 | 18 |
| 1977 | 602 | 18 |
| 1976 | 602 | 18 |
| 1975 | 602 | 18 |
| 1974 | 602 | 18 |
| 1973 | 602 | 18 |
| 1972 | 600 | 18 |
| 1971 | 598 | 18 |
| 1970 | 596 | 18 |
| 1969 | 594 | 17 |
| 1968 | 591 | 17 |
| 1967 | 588 | 17 |
| 1966 | 585 | 17 |
| 1965 | 582 | 17 |
| 1964 | 578 | 17 |
| 1963 | 574 | 17 |
| 1962 | 570 | 17 |
| 1961 | 565 | 17 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in the United Kingdom from 1960 to 2024: 78.4% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 78.7% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 84.9%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 84.9% | 35 |
| 2023 | 84.6% | 34 |
| 2022 | 84.4% | 34 |
| 2021 | 84.2% | 34 |
| 2020 | 83.9% | 34 |
| 2019 | 83.7% | 34 |
| 2018 | 83.4% | 34 |
| 2017 | 83.1% | 34 |
| 2016 | 82.9% | 33 |
| 2015 | 82.6% | 34 |
| 2014 | 82.4% | 34 |
| 2013 | 82.1% | 34 |
| 2012 | 81.8% | 35 |
| 2011 | 81.6% | 35 |
| 2010 | 81.3% | 35 |
| 2009 | 81% | 35 |
| 2008 | 80.8% | 35 |
| 2007 | 80.5% | 35 |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 36 |
| 2005 | 79.9% | 36 |
| 2004 | 79.6% | 36 |
| 2003 | 79.3% | 36 |
| 2002 | 79% | 36 |
| 2001 | 78.8% | 35 |
| 2000 | 78.7% | 34 |
| 1999 | 78.6% | 33 |
| 1998 | 78.5% | 32 |
| 1997 | 78.5% | 31 |
| 1996 | 78.4% | 30 |
| 1995 | 78.4% | 28 |
| 1994 | 78.3% | 29 |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 28 |
| 1992 | 78.2% | 28 |
| 1991 | 78.1% | 28 |
| 1990 | 78.1% | 28 |
| 1989 | 78.2% | 28 |
| 1988 | 78.2% | 27 |
| 1987 | 78.3% | 26 |
| 1986 | 78.3% | 26 |
| 1985 | 78.4% | 26 |
| 1984 | 78.4% | 25 |
| 1983 | 78.5% | 25 |
| 1982 | 78.5% | 25 |
| 1981 | 78.6% | 25 |
| 1980 | 78.5% | 25 |
| 1979 | 78.3% | 25 |
| 1978 | 78.2% | 23 |
| 1977 | 78% | 23 |
| 1976 | 77.8% | 23 |
| 1975 | 77.7% | 22 |
| 1974 | 77.5% | 22 |
| 1973 | 77.4% | 21 |
| 1972 | 77.2% | 21 |
| 1971 | 77% | 21 |
| 1970 | 77.1% | 21 |
| 1969 | 77.3% | 21 |
| 1968 | 77.4% | 20 |
| 1967 | 77.5% | 18 |
| 1966 | 77.7% | 17 |
| 1965 | 77.8% | 15 |
| 1964 | 78% | 15 |
| 1963 | 78.1% | 13 |
| 1962 | 78.2% | 13 |
| 1961 | 78.4% | 12 |
| 1960 | 78.4% | 12 |
Densely populated cities
|
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
Relevant pages:
United Kingdom topic pages:
Population density comparisons
