China vs France: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre

China
99.3 people per square kilometre
in 2023
France
97.12 people per square kilometre
in 2023
China rank
68th
France rank
70th

Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre over time

  • China
  • France
20406080100196119922023

How they compare

China currently reports 99.3 people per square kilometre against 97.12 people per square kilometre in France, a difference of 2.18 people per square kilometre.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 63 shared years of data; in 1961 it was France ahead.

China ranks 68th and France ranks 70th of 215 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, China averaged higher in 1 and France in 6.

Head to head by decade

Decade China France Difference Ahead
1960s 13.75 people per square kilometre 60.53 people per square kilometre 46.79 people per square kilometre France
1970s 16.88 people per square kilometre 70.73 people per square kilometre 53.85 people per square kilometre France
1980s 26 people per square kilometre 75.49 people per square kilometre 49.49 people per square kilometre France
1990s 38.39 people per square kilometre 80.84 people per square kilometre 42.45 people per square kilometre France
2000s 59.09 people per square kilometre 87.89 people per square kilometre 28.8 people per square kilometre France
2010s 83.78 people per square kilometre 93.42 people per square kilometre 9.64 people per square kilometre France
2020s 98.28 people per square kilometre 96.69 people per square kilometre 1.59 people per square kilometre China

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre, China or France?
China, at 99.3 people per square kilometre against 97.12 people per square kilometre in France as of 2023.
What is the difference in number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre between China and France?
2.18 people per square kilometre, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and France?
63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do China and France rank globally for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
China ranks 68th and France ranks 70th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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China vs France: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/compare/number-of-people-living-in-urban-and-rural-areas-per-square-kilometre/china/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre
Unit
people per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
215 places, 12,288 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.