Population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Population, per square kilometre was 283.11 units per square kilometre in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
283.11 units per square kilometre
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
28th
of 186 countries
All-time high
283.11 units per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
218.25 units per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in units per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom is 283.11 units per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.3% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom peaked at 283.11 units per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 218.25 units per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places United Kingdom 28th out of 186 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | units per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 218.25 units per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 220.1 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 221.76 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 223.21 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 224.64 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 225.89 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 227.1 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 228.21 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 229.16 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 230.08 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 231.04 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 231.83 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 232.28 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 232.42 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 232.41 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 232.35 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 232.27 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 232.28 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 232.49 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 232.77 units per square kilometre | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 232.85 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 232.77 units per square kilometre | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 232.85 units per square kilometre | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 233.22 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 233.75 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 234.29 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 234.79 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 235.31 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 235.92 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 236.63 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 237.36 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 238 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 238.58 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 239.18 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 239.82 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 240.43 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 241.05 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 241.75 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 242.56 units per square kilometre | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 243.43 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 244.37 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 245.4 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 246.55 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 247.96 units per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 249.66 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 251.51 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 253.47 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 255.47 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 257.42 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 259.44 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 261.48 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 263.35 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 265.11 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 267.1 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 269.04 units per square kilometre | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 271.18 units per square kilometre | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 272.67 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 274 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 275.41 units per square kilometre | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 275.88 units per square kilometre | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 276.87 units per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 279.44 units per square kilometre | +0.9% |
| 2023 | 283.11 units per square kilometre | +1.3% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 283.11 units per square kilometre is above the median for high income countries, which is 105.31 units per square kilometre, 2.7× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 283.11 units per square kilometre is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 80.91 units per square kilometre, 3.5× the median. (49 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 224.26 units per square kilometre | 218.25 units per square kilometre | 229.16 units per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 231.95 units per square kilometre | 230.08 units per square kilometre | 232.49 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 233.85 units per square kilometre | 232.77 units per square kilometre | 235.92 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 239.54 units per square kilometre | 236.63 units per square kilometre | 242.56 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 249.52 units per square kilometre | 243.43 units per square kilometre | 257.42 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 267.88 units per square kilometre | 259.44 units per square kilometre | 275.41 units per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 278.82 units per square kilometre | 275.88 units per square kilometre | 283.11 units per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 25 Vietnam 320.18 units per square kilometre compare
- 26 El Salvador 304.52 units per square kilometre compare
- 27 Saint Lucia 293.91 units per square kilometre compare
- 29 Kuwait 272.36 units per square kilometre compare
- 30 Gambia 266.58 units per square kilometre compare
- 31 Trinidad and Tobago 266.57 units per square kilometre compare
More gender data for United Kingdom
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) 11,226 (2030)
- Child population (UN estimates and projections) (0-14), annual growth -0.9161 % change on previous year (2030)
- Population 60,060 (2030)
- Working-age population (UN estimates and projections) 60,060 (2030)
- Population (UN estimates and projections), annual growth rate 0.7034 % change on previous year (2030)
- Age population, age 00, female, interpolated 335,907 (2025)
- Age population, age 00, male, interpolated 353,938 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, female, interpolated 340,922 (2025)
- Age population, age 01, male, interpolated 359,075 (2025)
- Age population, age 02, female, interpolated 343,706 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom?
- Population, per square kilometre in United Kingdom was 283.11 units per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest population, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 283.11 units per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest population, per square kilometre recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 218.25 units per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does United Kingdom rank for population, per square kilometre?
- United Kingdom ranks 28th out of 186 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population, per square kilometre rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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.