Population density (people per km²) by country

Ah, population density . Because if there’s one thing humanity excels at, it’s the art of strategic clustering. What follows is a rather exhaustive, and frankly, somewhat predictable, compilation of how intensely we’ve managed to pack ourselves onto this planet. This list ranks countries and dependencies by their population density , meticulously calculated as the number of inhabitants per square kilometre or, for those who prefer more archaic measurements, per square mile .

This particular registry doesn’t discriminate lightly. It encompasses both fully recognized sovereign states – those entities that, for better or worse, claim to govern themselves – and their various self-governing dependent territories . All entries are meticulously aligned with the ISO standard ISO 3166-1 , a framework designed, presumably, to impose some semblance of order on global demographics. Furthermore, the list makes a point of including unrecognized but demonstrably de facto independent countries, because ignoring their existence doesn’t, regrettably, make them disappear.

For the sake of absolute, soul-crushing detail, the figures presented here account for total areas, which means they include all internal bodies of water. This covers everything from sprawling bays and tranquil lakes to artificial reservoirs and meandering rivers. Every square meter, wet or dry, contributes to the calculation, ensuring a comprehensive, if somewhat watery, picture of land use. What you won’t find here are entities that don’t conform to ISO 3166-1 , with the notable exception of the aforementioned states with limited recognition . So, rest assured, constituent countries not on the ISO standard, and larger, more amorphous entities like the European Union , are, thankfully, omitted. There are limits to how much administrative sprawl one can endure in a single document.

Unless explicitly stated otherwise in the individual notes, the population counts and geographical areas are derived from the United Nations ’ rather optimistic-sounding World Population Prospects report. This esteemed publication, which forms the bedrock of these statistics, purports to utilize the latest available censuses and official government figures, supplemented by data from the Food and Agriculture Organization , another specialized agency of the UN. These numbers, for what it’s worth, are considered current as of 2025. One can only hope humanity doesn’t shift its collective weight too drastically before then.

List

Here, then, is the curated selection of countries and dependencies, laid out for your perusal, detailing their population densities, total populations, and respective land areas.

• For those with an insatiable appetite for granular data, links for each location will direct you to their specific demography page, assuming such a page exists and someone bothered to update it.
• Dependencies are clearly delineated, their parent states dutifully noted in parentheses, a subtle reminder of the enduring chains of political affiliation.

List of countries and dependencies showing population densities, populations, and areas

See also

For those who simply cannot get enough of demographic statistics, or perhaps have some morbid fascination with humanity’s spatial arrangements, here are some related lists that might pique your interest. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

• List of countries by arable land density – Because not all land is created equal, especially when it comes to feeding the masses.
• List of countries and dependencies by area – For a purely territorial perspective, devoid of pesky human interference.
• List of countries and dependencies by population – The raw numbers, unburdened by the complexities of space.
• List of sovereign states – A definitive roster of those who claim ultimate authority.
• List of cities proper by population density – If national averages are too broad, perhaps urban congestion is more your speed.
• List of metropolitan areas by population density – For when you want to see how the suburbs contribute to the crush.
• Urban density – A deeper dive into why we insist on living on top of each other.

Notes

• [a] This refers to the data portal available at the World Population Prospects site. A treasure trove of numbers, if you’re into that sort of thing. [1]
• [b] The global population density of 55 people per square kilometre (or 140 per square mile ) is a rather misleading average. When one, quite reasonably, excludes the vast, largely uninhabitable expanse of Antarctica from the calculation, the density jumps to a more concentrated 60 per km² (143 per mi²). It seems even the planet’s empty spaces are skewing our perception of how truly crowded we are.
• [c] The land area figure for Gibraltar provided here is considered official [3]. Curiously, the CIA World Factbook (not cited here, but a known fact) rather bluntly states zero water area [4]. One wonders if they just overlooked the sea.
• [d] Ah, Vatican City . A prime example of how even the most sacred spaces struggle with accurate accounting. For decades, the area was cited as 0.44 km² (0.17 sq mi) in the venerable Calendario atlante De Agostini [5], a figure that persisted like a stubborn stain despite being corrected to 0.49 km² (0.19 sq mi) in its 1945–46 edition [6]. The persistence of inaccuracy is truly a testament to human inertia, or perhaps just a lack of interest in surveying tiny city-states. As for its population, a mere 882 residents in 2024, regardless of citizenship [7], a number so small it almost feels like an oversight in the grand scheme of things. Of these, 246 were resident citizens in 2018 [7]. The density provided is calculated using the number of residents, regardless of citizenship, and that slightly less incorrect, revised area of 0.49 km² (0.19 sq mi). It’s almost charming, in a depressing way, how even a sovereign state built on divine authority can’t nail down its own square footage consistently.
• [e] Then there’s Palestine , a geopolitical headache condensed into a demographic statistic. While the Palestinian Authority is nominally the recognized government for both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank , the Gaza Strip has been operating as a de facto independent entity since the 2007 Battle of Gaza , a detail that tends to complicate things like, say, unified statistics. The numbers themselves are stark: the West Bank , with its 575 people per km² (1,490 per sq mi) [8], seems almost spacious compared to the Gaza Strip’s suffocating 5,950 per km² (15,400 per sq mi) [9]. A clear illustration of how political realities can literally squeeze people together.
• [f] The population estimate for Guernsey is, according to the CIA World Factbook [11], a figure that presumably includes all souls clinging to its shores. The Bailiwick of Guernsey isn’t just Guernsey proper, mind you (which had 64,037 residents as of September 2023 [12]), but also includes the smaller, perhaps less significant, islands of Alderney (2,141 residents) [13] and Sark (a mere 562 souls) [14]. The United Nations estimate of 63,544 may, therefore, be a selective count, potentially excluding these smaller, easily forgotten landmasses.
• [g] The population, land area, and resultant population density figures for the United Kingdom are based on the UK’s own Office for National Statistics 2024 population estimates [15]. At least they’re consistent with their own data, which is more than one can say for some.
• [h] The area data for Kosovo is sourced from the CIA World Factbook [16]. Because who better to measure disputed territories than those who watch everything?
• [i] This entry for Denmark does not include the vast, icy expanse of Greenland or the rugged charm of the Faroe Islands . Their demographic contributions are, apparently, considered separately.
• [j] The figures for France are strictly limited to metropolitan France . Any overseas territories, with their inconveniently lower densities, are conveniently left out of this particular calculation.
• [k] The population for Northern Cyprus is based on 2022 figures [17]. The area, always a point of contention in such regions, is stated by academic sources [18], which, one hopes, are less politically motivated than official government declarations.
• [l] Data for Transnistria is, perhaps unsurprisingly, pulled from BBC News [19]. Because sometimes, the most reliable source for an unrecognized state is a major news outlet.
• [m] The population figure for Serbia is an official count, but it pointedly does not include Kosovo [20]. This is a statistical choice with clear political undertones. However, the accompanying area figure does include Kosovo, leading to a delightful inconsistency. If one were to calculate the area without Kosovo, it would shrink to 77,589 square kilometres (29,957 sq mi) [21], thereby, one assumes, altering the density. Facts, much like allegiances, are fluid in this region.
• [n] Data for Akrotiri and Dhekelia is, once again, sourced from the ever-vigilant CIA World Factbook [22].
• [o] The population for Norfolk Island is based on 2021 data [23], while its area is provided by the CIA World Factbook [24]. A snapshot of a small, isolated community.
• [p] The population for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands is also from 2021 [25], with its official area completing the picture [26].
• [q] The population estimate for Somaliland is from 2024 [27], while its area, like Transnistria, finds its way into the BBC News archives [28]. The inclusion of unrecognized entities like Transnistria , Somaliland , Abkhazia , South Ossetia , Northern Cyprus , and Kosovo in this list serves as a rather blunt reminder that political recognition doesn’t always align with lived reality. People exist, they occupy space, and they contribute to these metrics, regardless of whether their ‘state’ has a seat at the United Nations table. It’s almost as if human presence is a more fundamental truth than diplomatic niceties.
• [r] Data for Abkhazia also comes from BBC News [29], maintaining the trend for unrecognized territories.
• [s] The population estimate for Åland is from 2023 [30], with its land area helpfully provided by The Nordic Council [31].
• [t] Data for South Ossetia is yet another entry sourced from BBC News [32].
• [u] The population for Christmas Island is from 2021 [33], with its area being officially recorded [34].
• [v] The Pitcairn Islands present a fascinating case of demographic fluctuation. Its tourist site, ever keen to present a precise image, gives an undated figure of exactly 40 residents as of 2023 [35]. However, its official government site, perhaps more attuned to the ephemeral nature of such a small population, states the number is merely “around fifty” [36]. The difference of ten souls, in a population so minuscule, is almost comically significant.