Population, per square kilometre in China
China: Population, per square kilometre was 150.26 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
150.26 units per square kilometre
Change on year
down 0.1%
World rank
52nd
of 186 countries
All-time high
150.44 units per square kilometre
in 2021
All-time low
70.34 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population, per square kilometre in China, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
In 2023, population, per square kilometre in China stood at 150.26 units per square kilometre.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, per square kilometre in China peaked at 150.44 units per square kilometre in 2021 and was at its lowest, 70.34 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places China 52nd out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population, per square kilometre in China, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 70.34 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 70.92 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 72.68 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1964 | 74.39 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 76.18 units per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1966 | 78.33 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 80.37 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 82.5 units per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1969 | 84.79 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 87.16 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 89.59 units per square kilometre | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 91.82 units per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 1973 | 93.94 units per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1974 | 95.9 units per square kilometre | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 97.61 units per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 99.13 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 100.49 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1978 | 101.85 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 103.22 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1980 | 104.52 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1981 | 105.86 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1982 | 107.44 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 109 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1984 | 110.44 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 111.95 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1986 | 113.63 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1987 | 115.47 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 117.34 units per square kilometre | +1.6% |
| 1989 | 119.15 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1990 | 120.92 units per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1991 | 122.58 units per square kilometre | +1.4% |
| 1992 | 124.09 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1993 | 125.52 units per square kilometre | +1.2% |
| 1994 | 126.95 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1995 | 128.34 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1996 | 129.69 units per square kilometre | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 131.02 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1998 | 132.29 units per square kilometre | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 133.44 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 134.49 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 135.47 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2002 | 136.38 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 137.24 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 138.05 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 138.87 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 139.65 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 140.38 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 141.1 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 141.8 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 142.49 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 143.27 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 144.24 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 145.21 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 146.13 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 146.98 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2016 | 147.82 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2017 | 148.72 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 149.42 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 149.95 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 150.31 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 150.44 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 150.42 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 2023 | 150.26 units per square kilometre | -0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 76.72 units per square kilometre | 70.34 units per square kilometre | 84.79 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 96.07 units per square kilometre | 87.16 units per square kilometre | 103.22 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 111.48 units per square kilometre | 104.52 units per square kilometre | 119.15 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 127.48 units per square kilometre | 120.92 units per square kilometre | 133.44 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 138.34 units per square kilometre | 134.49 units per square kilometre | 141.8 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 146.42 units per square kilometre | 142.49 units per square kilometre | 149.95 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 150.36 units per square kilometre | 150.26 units per square kilometre | 150.44 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 49 Guatemala 169.14 units per square kilometre compare
- 50 Kiribati 163.62 units per square kilometre compare
- 51 Micronesia, Federated States of 160.9 units per square kilometre compare
- 53 Denmark 148.67 units per square kilometre compare
- 54 Indonesia 148.58 units per square kilometre compare
- 55 Ghana 148.5 units per square kilometre compare
More gender data for China
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 169,741 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -5.36 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 4.15 million (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 4.56 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 4.18 million (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 4.62 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 4.32 million (2025)
- Age population, age 02, male, interpolated 4.78 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, female, interpolated 4.69 million (2025)
- Age population, age 03, male, interpolated 5.18 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, per square kilometre in China?
- Population, per square kilometre in China was 150.26 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 150.44 units per square kilometre in 2021.
- What is the lowest population, per square kilometre recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 70.34 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does China rank for population, per square kilometre?
- China ranks 52nd out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population, per square kilometre rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Population, 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
Population 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.
Population ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Population International Monetary Fund
- 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
Population 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.