Population density - Regions by country

About this data

Indicator

Population density - Regions

Unit

Persons

Source

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

Licence

OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required)

Coverage

57 places, 1,906 data points, 1990–2025

Last refreshed

17 August 2026

<p>This dataset provides indicators on population density and land areas, in large (TL2) regions and small (TL3) regions.</p> <p><strong>Data definition and source</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Population density per land area excludes inland water bodies. This indicator measures the number of people residing in small TL3 and large TL2 regions per square kilometers. Data is collected from Eurostat (reg_dem) for EU countries and via delegates of the OECD Working Party on Territorial Indicators (WPTI), as well as from national statistical offices' websites.</p> <p><strong>Definition of regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Regions are subnational units below national boundaries. OECD countries have two regional levels: large regions (territorial level 2 or TL2) and small regions (territorial level 3 or TL3). For more information, see the OECD Territorial grid <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD_territorial-grid_TL2024.pdf">(pdf)</a> and the OECD Territorial Correspondence Table <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Use of data on small regions</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">When demographic data are analysed along with economic data using the TL3 level, it is advisable to aggregate data at the metropolitan region level when several TL3 regions are associated to the same metropolitan region. Metropolitan regions combine TL3 regions when 50% or more of the regional population live in a functionnal urban areas above 250 000 inhabitants. This approach corrects the distortions created by commuting, see the list of OECD metropolitan regions <a href="https://webfs-cfe.oecd.org/files/.Stat/region/OECD%20Territorial%20correspondence%20-%20TL2024c.xlsx">(xlsx)</a> and the EU methodology <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/metropolitan-regions/background">(link)</a>.</p> <p><strong>Territorial typologies</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Small TL3 regions are categorized based on shared characteristics into regional typologies. See the demographic indicators aggregated by territorial typology at country level on the access to City typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_METRO&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a> and by urban-rural typology <a href="https://data-explorer.oecd.org/vis?df[ds]=dsDisseminateFinalDMZ&amp;df[id]=DSD_REG_DEMO%40DF_REGION_TYPE_RURB&amp;df[ag]=OECD.CFE.EDS&amp;df[vs]=1.0">(link)</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Cite this dataset</strong></p> <p>OECD Regions, Cities and Local Areas database&nbsp;<a href="http://oe.cd/geostats">http://oe.cd/geostats</a>.</p> <p><strong>Further information</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://regions-cities-atlas.oecd.org/">OECD Regions and Cities Statistical Atlas</a>&nbsp;</li> <li><a href="https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-regions-and-cities-at-a-glance-2024_f42db3bf-en.html">OECD Regions and Cities at a Glance</a></li> </ul> <p>For questions and/or comments, please email <a href="mailto:RegionStat@oecd.org">RegionStat@oecd.org</a>.</p>