Population Density
Midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers.
This page uses the latest available World Bank observation (2023). Country-level datasets often lag the current calendar year because they depend on official reporting and validation.
What is the global average Population Density?
The global average Population Density is 499.5 people per km² as of 2023. Macau has the highest at 20.6K people per km², while New Caledonia has the lowest at 15.86 people per km². Data covers 195 countries. Source: World Bank.
Top Countries
Regional Averages
Country Rankings
View full rankings| # | Country | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macau | 20.6K people per km² |
| 2 | Monaco | 18.7K people per km² |
| 3 | Singapore | 8.2K people per km² |
| 4 | Hong Kong | 7.2K people per km² |
| 5 | Gibraltar | 3.8K people per km² |
| 6 | Bahrain | 2K people per km² |
| 7 | Maldives | 1.8K people per km² |
| 8 | Malta | 1.7K people per km² |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 1.3K people per km² |
| 10 | Sint Maarten | 1.3K people per km² |
| 11 | Bermuda | 1.2K people per km² |
| 12 | Palestine | 857.39 people per km² |
| 13 | Barbados | 656.6 people per km² |
| 14 | Mauritius | 625.26 people per km² |
| 15 | Aruba | 596.44 people per km² |
| 16 | Nauru | 593.75 people per km² |
| 17 | Rwanda | 565.65 people per km² |
| 18 | Lebanon | 564.37 people per km² |
| 19 | San Marino | 564.33 people per km² |
| 20 | Saint Martin | 550.3 people per km² |
| 21 | Burundi | 533.08 people per km² |
| 22 | Netherlands | 530.95 people per km² |
| 23 | South Korea | 529.84 people per km² |
| 24 | India | 483.68 people per km² |
| 25 | Comoros | 456.95 people per km² |
| 26 | Israel | 455.13 people per km² |
| 27 | Haiti | 422.26 people per km² |
| 28 | Belgium | 386.3 people per km² |
| 29 | Philippines | 385.32 people per km² |
| 30 | Puerto Rico | 361.19 people per km² |
| 31 | Sri Lanka | 356.24 people per km² |
| 32 | Curaçao | 348.32 people per km² |
| 33 | Grenada | 344.36 people per km² |
| 34 | Japan | 341.54 people per km² |
| 35 | Tuvalu | 327.2 people per km² |
| 36 | Pakistan | 321.07 people per km² |
| 37 | Vietnam | 320.18 people per km² |
| 38 | Guam | 308.34 people per km² |
| 39 | El Salvador | 304.52 people per km² |
| 40 | Cayman Islands | 304.33 people per km² |
| 41 | United States Virgin Islands | 299.76 people per km² |
| 42 | Saint Lucia | 293.91 people per km² |
| 43 | United Kingdom | 283.11 people per km² |
| 44 | Kuwait | 272.36 people per km² |
| 45 | Gambia | 266.59 people per km² |
| 46 | Trinidad and Tobago | 266.57 people per km² |
| 47 | Jamaica | 262.21 people per km² |
| 48 | Seychelles | 260.38 people per km² |
| 49 | British Virgin Islands | 259.9 people per km² |
| 50 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 259.8 people per km² |
| 51 | Luxembourg | 258.86 people per km² |
| 52 | Nigeria | 250.21 people per km² |
| 53 | Liechtenstein | 249.04 people per km² |
| 54 | Uganda | 242.65 people per km² |
| 55 | São Tomé and Príncipe | 240.49 people per km² |
| 56 | Germany | 238.35 people per km² |
| 57 | American Samoa | 237.61 people per km² |
| 58 | Dominican Republic | 235.1 people per km² |
| 59 | Qatar | 231.16 people per km² |
| 60 | Switzerland | 224.98 people per km² |
| 61 | Malawi | 223.85 people per km² |
| 62 | North Korea | 219.4 people per km² |
| 63 | Marshall Islands | 215.71 people per km² |
| 64 | Antigua and Barbuda | 212.08 people per km² |
| 65 | Nepal | 207.15 people per km² |
| 66 | Italy | 199.46 people per km² |
| 67 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 179.84 people per km² |
| 68 | Andorra | 172.03 people per km² |
| 69 | Togo | 171.07 people per km² |
| 70 | Guatemala | 169.14 people per km² |
| 71 | Kiribati | 163.62 people per km² |
| 72 | Micronesia | 160.9 people per km² |
| 73 | China | 150.26 people per km² |
| 74 | Denmark | 148.67 people per km² |
| 75 | Indonesia | 148.58 people per km² |
| 76 | Ghana | 148.5 people per km² |
| 77 | Isle of Man | 147.66 people per km² |
| 78 | United Arab Emirates | 147.62 people per km² |
| 79 | Cyprus | 145.56 people per km² |
| 80 | Tonga | 145.27 people per km² |
| 81 | Czechia | 140.79 people per km² |
| 82 | Thailand | 140.35 people per km² |
| 83 | Cape Verde | 129.61 people per km² |
| 84 | Jordan | 128.83 people per km² |
| 85 | Syria | 128.49 people per km² |
| 86 | France | 126.86 people per km² |
| 87 | Benin | 125.14 people per km² |
| 88 | Azerbaijan | 122.85 people per km² |
| 89 | Poland | 119.79 people per km² |
| 90 | Sierra Leone | 117.21 people per km² |
| 91 | Portugal | 115.48 people per km² |
| 92 | Egypt | 115.06 people per km² |
| 93 | Ethiopia | 114.04 people per km² |
| 94 | Slovakia | 112.87 people per km² |
| 95 | Turkey | 110.87 people per km² |
| 96 | Austria | 110.66 people per km² |
| 97 | Malaysia | 106.91 people per km² |
| 98 | Cuba | 106.17 people per km² |
| 99 | Slovenia | 105.31 people per km² |
| 100 | Armenia | 105.12 people per km² |
| 101 | Hungary | 105.11 people per km² |
| 102 | Iraq | 103.83 people per km² |
| 103 | Costa Rica | 99.99 people per km² |
| 104 | Cambodia | 98.71 people per km² |
| 105 | Northern Mariana Islands | 98.14 people per km² |
| 106 | Ivory Coast | 98.01 people per km² |
| 107 | Spain | 96.76 people per km² |
| 108 | Kenya | 95.27 people per km² |
| 109 | Honduras | 95.14 people per km² |
| 110 | Senegal | 93.89 people per km² |
| 111 | Timor-Leste | 93.09 people per km² |
| 112 | Dominica | 88.68 people per km² |
| 113 | Albania | 88.11 people per km² |
| 114 | Brunei | 87.09 people per km² |
| 115 | Moldova | 85.44 people per km² |
| 116 | Morocco | 84.5 people per km² |
| 117 | Burkina Faso | 84.16 people per km² |
| 118 | Myanmar | 82.94 people per km² |
| 119 | Romania | 82.85 people per km² |
| 120 | French Polynesia | 80.99 people per km² |
| 121 | Uzbekistan | 80.91 people per km² |
| 122 | Greece | 80.74 people per km² |
| 123 | Serbia | 78.76 people per km² |
| 124 | Tunisia | 78.53 people per km² |
| 125 | Samoa | 77.94 people per km² |
| 126 | Ireland | 77.1 people per km² |
| 127 | Guinea-Bissau | 76.58 people per km² |
| 128 | Lesotho | 76.14 people per km² |
| 129 | Tanzania | 75.21 people per km² |
| 130 | Tajikistan | 74.86 people per km² |
| 131 | Yemen | 74.61 people per km² |
| 132 | North Macedonia | 72.47 people per km² |
| 133 | Ecuador | 72.4 people per km² |
| 134 | Eswatini | 71.54 people per km² |
| 135 | Croatia | 68.97 people per km² |
| 136 | Mexico | 66.74 people per km² |
| 137 | Equatorial Guinea | 65.87 people per km² |
| 138 | Ukraine | 65.12 people per km² |
| 139 | Georgia | 65 people per km² |
| 140 | Afghanistan | 63.56 people per km² |
| 141 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 62.21 people per km² |
| 142 | Panama | 60.11 people per km² |
| 143 | Cameroon | 60.02 people per km² |
| 144 | Bulgaria | 59.38 people per km² |
| 145 | Guinea | 58.63 people per km² |
| 146 | Liberia | 57.03 people per km² |
| 147 | Nicaragua | 56.7 people per km² |
| 148 | Iran | 55.85 people per km² |
| 149 | Madagascar | 53.62 people per km² |
| 150 | South Africa | 52.11 people per km² |
| 151 | Fiji | 50.58 people per km² |
| 152 | Djibouti | 49.74 people per km² |
| 153 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 48.63 people per km² |
| 154 | Colombia | 47.16 people per km² |
| 155 | DR Congo | 46.66 people per km² |
| 156 | Montenegro | 46.36 people per km² |
| 157 | Lithuania | 45.87 people per km² |
| 158 | Belarus | 45.22 people per km² |
| 159 | Mozambique | 42.77 people per km² |
| 160 | Zimbabwe | 42.24 people per km² |
| 161 | Bahamas | 39.9 people per km² |
| 162 | Faroe Islands | 39.72 people per km² |
| 163 | Palau | 38.54 people per km² |
| 164 | Kyrgyzstan | 37.02 people per km² |
| 165 | United States | 36.82 people per km² |
| 166 | Laos | 33.21 people per km² |
| 167 | Venezuela | 32.09 people per km² |
| 168 | Estonia | 32.07 people per km² |
| 169 | Latvia | 30.27 people per km² |
| 170 | Angola | 29.48 people per km² |
| 171 | Somalia | 29.26 people per km² |
| 172 | Eritrea | 28.64 people per km² |
| 173 | Solomon Islands | 28.58 people per km² |
| 174 | Zambia | 27.88 people per km² |
| 175 | Sudan | 26.79 people per km² |
| 176 | Chile | 26.46 people per km² |
| 177 | Peru | 26.44 people per km² |
| 178 | Vanuatu | 26.28 people per km² |
| 179 | Sweden | 25.87 people per km² |
| 180 | Brazil | 25.26 people per km² |
| 181 | Papua New Guinea | 22.94 people per km² |
| 182 | Niger | 20.65 people per km² |
| 183 | Bhutan | 20.62 people per km² |
| 184 | New Zealand | 19.75 people per km² |
| 185 | Mali | 19.48 people per km² |
| 186 | Algeria | 19.38 people per km² |
| 187 | Uruguay | 19.36 people per km² |
| 188 | Finland | 18.37 people per km² |
| 189 | South Sudan | 18.17 people per km² |
| 190 | Republic of the Congo | 18.11 people per km² |
| 191 | Belize | 18.02 people per km² |
| 192 | Paraguay | 17.28 people per km² |
| 193 | Argentina | 16.64 people per km² |
| 194 | Oman | 16.31 people per km² |
| 195 | New Caledonia | 15.86 people per km² |
Definition
Population density is a demographic measurement representing the average number of people per unit of land area. According to World Bank data, it is calculated by dividing midyear population by total land area in 1 km² (0.39 sq mi). This indicator helps evaluate human distribution, urbanization levels, and resource demands across different regions.
How it is calculated
This indicator is calculated by dividing the total midyear population of a region by its total land area. Land area is defined as the total area of a country excluding inland water bodies, such as major rivers and lakes. The resulting figure is expressed as the number of residents per 1 km² (0.39 sq mi).
Interpretation
High values often indicate high urbanization or limited land, which can lead to infrastructure strain or high economic activity. Low values suggest sparse settlement, often due to geographical factors like deserts, mountains, or ice. Context is vital, as density varies between urban centers and rural hinterlands within a single country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Population density is a demographic measurement that represents the average number of individuals residing within a specific unit of area. The metric is typically expressed as people per 1 km² (0.39 sq mi) and is calculated by dividing the total population by the total land area. It helps researchers understand how human settlements are distributed globally.
According to the latest available data covering 215 countries and territories, Macau has the highest population density. Recent estimates show approximately 20,570 people per 1 km² (0.39 sq mi). This extremely high figure is driven by its small land area and intense urbanization, making it the most crowded territory among those tracked by major international organizations.
Greenland currently holds the record for the lowest population density among 215 tracked regions, with approximately 0.14 people per 1 km² (0.39 sq mi). Since massive portions of the territory are covered by ice and remain uninhabitable, the resident population is extremely sparse relative to the total land area across the entire island.
Population density is calculated by taking the total midyear population of a specific country and dividing it by its total land area. Land area excludes inland water bodies like lakes and rivers. The standard unit for comparison is the number of people per 1 km² (0.39 sq mi), providing a consistent measure for global demographic analysis.
About this data
- Source
- World Bank
EN.POP.DNST - Definition
- Midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers.
- Coverage
- Data for 195 countries (2023)
- Limitations
- Data may lag 1-2 years for some countries. Coverage varies by indicator.