Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in India
India: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 169.62 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
169.62 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.8%
World rank
43rd
of 215 countries
All-time high
169.62 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
27.07 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in India, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
India recorded 169.62 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.8% on the previous year and up 22.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in India peaked at 169.62 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 27.07 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
India ranks 43rd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
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 India, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 27.07 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 27.91 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1963 | 28.79 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 29.73 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 30.7 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1966 | 31.68 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1967 | 32.73 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 33.83 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 34.97 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 36.2 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 37.49 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 38.91 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 40.5 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1974 | 42.26 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 44.16 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1976 | 46.14 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 1977 | 48.19 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 50.24 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1979 | 52.3 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1980 | 54.35 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1981 | 56.3 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 58.22 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1983 | 60.15 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1984 | 62.1 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 64.07 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 66.06 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 68.08 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 70.13 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 72.24 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 74.41 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 76.64 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 78.9 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 81.19 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 1994 | 83.48 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1995 | 85.81 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 88.19 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1997 | 90.63 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 93.13 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 95.71 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 98.37 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 101.16 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 104.02 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2003 | 106.92 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 109.93 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 112.99 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 116.1 people per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 2007 | 119.26 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 122.47 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 125.8 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 129.25 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2011 | 132.67 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 135.86 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 139.07 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 2014 | 142.25 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 2015 | 145.38 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 148.56 people per square kilometre | +2.2% |
| 2017 | 151.74 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 154.88 people per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 2019 | 157.97 people per square kilometre | +2.0% |
| 2020 | 161 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 163.83 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 2022 | 166.63 people per square kilometre | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 169.62 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 169.62 people per square kilometre is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.53 people per square kilometre, 5.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- India's 169.62 people per square kilometre is above the median for South Asia, which is 153.73 people per square kilometre, 1.1× the median. (6 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 30.82 people per square kilometre | 27.07 people per square kilometre | 34.97 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 43.64 people per square kilometre | 36.2 people per square kilometre | 52.3 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 63.17 people per square kilometre | 54.35 people per square kilometre | 72.24 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 84.81 people per square kilometre | 74.41 people per square kilometre | 95.71 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 111.7 people per square kilometre | 98.37 people per square kilometre | 125.8 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 143.76 people per square kilometre | 129.25 people per square kilometre | 157.97 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 165.27 people per square kilometre | 161 people per square kilometre | 169.62 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near India
- 40 Switzerland 191.25 people per square kilometre compare
- 41 Dominican Republic 170.11 people per square kilometre compare
- 42 Gambia 170.09 people per square kilometre compare
- 44 Marshall Islands 169.03 people per square kilometre compare
- 45 Sao Tome and Principe 164.99 people per square kilometre compare
- 46 Rwanda 163.22 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for India
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.2494 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4607 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 1.67 million Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.7665 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.7604 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 506.27 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 66.77 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in India?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in India was 169.62 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 India?
- The highest recorded value was 169.62 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 27.07 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does India rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- India ranks 43rd 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 India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 22.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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.