The United Kingdom has a population density of 750 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. The United Kingdom has 37,705 sq ft of land per person and ranks 35th out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
The United Kingdom has 0.85% of the world's population and 0.16% of the total land area of all countries.
The United Kingdom population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 750 | 35 |
| 2025 | 746 | 35 |
| 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 | 33 |
| 1998 | 626 | 32 |
| 1997 | 624 | 32 |
| 1996 | 623 | 32 |
| 1995 | 621 | 30 |
| 1994 | 619 | 30 |
| 1993 | 618 | 30 |
| 1992 | 616 | 29 |
| 1991 | 615 | 29 |
| 1990 | 613 | 28 |
| 1989 | 611 | 27 |
| 1988 | 609 | 27 |
| 1987 | 608 | 26 |
| 1986 | 607 | 26 |
| 1985 | 605 | 25 |
| 1984 | 604 | 24 |
| 1983 | 603 | 24 |
| 1982 | 603 | 23 |
| 1981 | 603 | 23 |
| 1980 | 603 | 21 |
| 1979 | 602 | 20 |
| 1978 | 602 | 19 |
| 1977 | 602 | 19 |
| 1976 | 602 | 19 |
| 1975 | 602 | 19 |
| 1974 | 602 | 19 |
| 1973 | 602 | 19 |
| 1972 | 600 | 19 |
| 1971 | 598 | 19 |
| 1970 | 596 | 19 |
| 1969 | 594 | 18 |
| 1968 | 591 | 18 |
| 1967 | 588 | 18 |
| 1966 | 585 | 18 |
| 1965 | 582 | 18 |
| 1964 | 578 | 18 |
| 1963 | 574 | 18 |
| 1962 | 570 | 18 |
| 1961 | 565 | 18 |
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/united-kingdom | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in the United Kingdom has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 15.1%. The United Kingdom ranked 35th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 35th still.
Density metrics
United Kingdom
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 750 ppl/mi² | 35/197 |
| Population |
70154914
|
21/197 |
| Land area | 93,410 sq mi | 78/197 |
| Land area per capita | 37,618 sq ft | 163/197 |
| Rural population | 16.8% | 158/195 |
| Urban population | 83.2% | 38/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.2% | 63/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 83.2% | 38 |
| 2023 | 83.2% | 37 |
| 2022 | 83.1% | 37 |
| 2021 | 83% | 37 |
| 2020 | 82.9% | 36 |
| 2019 | 82.7% | 36 |
| 2018 | 82.4% | 36 |
| 2017 | 82.2% | 35 |
| 2016 | 82% | 36 |
| 2015 | 81.8% | 36 |
| 2014 | 81.6% | 37 |
| 2013 | 81.5% | 36 |
| 2012 | 81.3% | 36 |
| 2011 | 81.1% | 36 |
| 2010 | 81% | 37 |
| 2009 | 80.9% | 36 |
| 2008 | 80.8% | 35 |
| 2007 | 80.6% | 35 |
| 2006 | 80.5% | 35 |
| 2005 | 80.4% | 35 |
| 2004 | 80.3% | 34 |
| 2003 | 80.2% | 34 |
| 2002 | 80.1% | 35 |
| 2001 | 80% | 32 |
| 2000 | 79.8% | 30 |
| 1999 | 79.6% | 30 |
| 1998 | 79.4% | 30 |
| 1997 | 79.1% | 29 |
| 1996 | 78.9% | 29 |
| 1995 | 78.7% | 29 |
| 1994 | 78.4% | 29 |
| 1993 | 78.3% | 30 |
| 1992 | 78.2% | 29 |
| 1991 | 78.1% | 29 |
| 1990 | 78.1% | 29 |
| 1989 | 78.1% | 29 |
| 1988 | 78.2% | 28 |
| 1987 | 78.3% | 27 |
| 1986 | 78.3% | 27 |
| 1985 | 78.4% | 26 |
| 1984 | 78.5% | 26 |
| 1983 | 78.5% | 25 |
| 1982 | 78.6% | 25 |
| 1981 | 78.6% | 25 |
| 1980 | 78.6% | 25 |
| 1979 | 78.5% | 25 |
| 1978 | 78.3% | 23 |
| 1977 | 78.1% | 23 |
| 1976 | 77.8% | 23 |
| 1975 | 77.5% | 23 |
| 1974 | 77.3% | 22 |
| 1973 | 77.1% | 22 |
| 1972 | 77% | 21 |
| 1971 | 76.9% | 21 |
| 1970 | 76.9% | 21 |
| 1969 | 77% | 19 |
| 1968 | 77.1% | 18 |
| 1967 | 77.2% | 17 |
| 1966 | 77.4% | 17 |
| 1965 | 77.6% | 14 |
| 1964 | 77.8% | 12 |
| 1963 | 78% | 12 |
| 1962 | 78.2% | 11 |
| 1961 | 78.4% | 10 |
| 1960 | 78.6% | 10 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/united-kingdom | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in the United Kingdom from 1960 to 2024: 78.6% lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.8% in 2000, and 83.2% in 2024.
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 |
| Cardiff | 384K |
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/united-kingdom | 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)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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