Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China
China: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 99.3 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
99.3 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
68th
of 215 countries
All-time high
99.3 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
12.27 people per square kilometre
in 1962
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China stood at 99.3 people per square kilometre. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and up 24.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China peaked at 99.3 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.27 people per square kilometre, in 1962.
That places China 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 13.48 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 12.27 people per square kilometre | -8.9% |
| 1963 | 12.28 people per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 13.74 people per square kilometre | +11.9% |
| 1965 | 13.86 people per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 14.12 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 14.38 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 14.66 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 14.95 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 15.24 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 15.52 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1972 | 15.76 people per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1973 | 16.17 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 16.46 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 16.93 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1976 | 17.28 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 17.64 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 18.25 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1979 | 19.58 people per square kilometre | +7.3% |
| 1980 | 20.31 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1981 | 21.42 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1982 | 22.2 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1983 | 23.7 people per square kilometre | +6.8% |
| 1984 | 25.59 people per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 26.76 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1986 | 28.14 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 1987 | 29.56 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1988 | 30.67 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 31.66 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1990 | 32.19 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 1991 | 33.6 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 34.65 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 35.7 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1994 | 36.71 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 37.74 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 39.96 people per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1997 | 42.19 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1998 | 44.43 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1999 | 46.68 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 49.27 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 51.29 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 53.58 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 55.89 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2004 | 57.92 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2005 | 59.99 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2006 | 62.26 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2007 | 64.81 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 2008 | 66.76 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 69.13 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 70.88 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 75.1 people per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 2012 | 77.46 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 80.04 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 82.42 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 85.26 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 88 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 90.62 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 92.96 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 95.09 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 96.49 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 98.34 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 99 people per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 99.3 people per square kilometre | +0.3% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 99.3 people per square kilometre is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 48.45 people per square kilometre, 2.0× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- China's 99.3 people per square kilometre is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 81.73 people per square kilometre, 1.2× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.75 people per square kilometre | 12.27 people per square kilometre | 14.95 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 16.88 people per square kilometre | 15.24 people per square kilometre | 19.58 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 26 people per square kilometre | 20.31 people per square kilometre | 31.66 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 38.39 people per square kilometre | 32.19 people per square kilometre | 46.68 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.09 people per square kilometre | 49.27 people per square kilometre | 69.13 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 83.78 people per square kilometre | 70.88 people per square kilometre | 95.09 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 98.28 people per square kilometre | 96.49 people per square kilometre | 99.3 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 65 Czechia 101.89 people per square kilometre compare
- 66 Turkey 100.94 people per square kilometre compare
- 67 Kiribati 100.67 people per square kilometre compare
- 69 Cape Verde 98.38 people per square kilometre compare
- 70 France 97.12 people per square kilometre compare
- 71 Cyprus 97.05 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.31 million Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.19 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -12.97 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -1.66 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -1.7% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 15.54 million people (2100)
- Population density 67.46 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -1.7% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3489 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in China was 99.3 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 99.3 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.27 people per square kilometre in 1962.
- How does China rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- China ranks 68th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 24.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
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.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
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.