Skip to main content
HomeCountriesChina › Population density (people per sq. km of land area)

China: Population density (people per sq. km of land area)

In , China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 150.26.

That's down 0.1% from 2022, the highest value since .

The global average for this indicator in 2023 was 453.71 . China ranks #73 globally out of 215 reporting countries. Within East Asia & Pacific, it ranks #16 of 37.

Source: World Bank Open Data (EN.POP.DNST) • Data as of 2023

Trend (2004–2023)

China Population density (people per sq. km of land area) trend

Highlights

Peak
150.44
Trough
138.05
1-year change
-0.1%
5-year change
+0.6%
+0.1% / yr
10-year change
+3.5%
+0.3% / yr

Historical Data — Last 10 Years

Year Population density (people per sq. km of land area)
150.2640
150.4200
150.4398
150.3055
149.9482
149.4172
148.7200
147.8226
146.9779
146.1258

About Population density (people per sq. km of land area)

Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.

Indicator code: EN.POP.DNSTCategory: Environment

Frequently asked questions

What was China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in 2023?
In 2023, China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 150.26, according to World Bank Open Data.
Is China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) rising or falling?
China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) fell 0.1% from 2022 to 2023.
How does China rank globally on Population density (people per sq. km of land area)?
In 2023, China ranked #73 out of 215 countries reporting Population density (people per sq. km of land area).
How does China's Population density (people per sq. km of land area) compare to the world average?
The global average for Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in 2023 was 453.71, so China is below the world average. Within East Asia & Pacific, it ranks #16 of 37.
What is Population density (people per sq. km of land area) and how is it measured?
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.
Download this data: CSV JSON

Source: World Bank Open Data (EN.POP.DNST), CC BY 4.0.