World Population Density 2023

Eight billion people in the world live across 130 million square kilometers of land, with an average population density of 62 people per square kilometer. The distribution and density of population across continents, regions, and countries vary greatly and do not depend solely on their livability and natural environment. More than three-fourths of the world's population live in countries covering slightly more than one-fourth of the Earth's land area.

 

Asia, with 60% of the world's population, has a population density 2.5 times the world average. Although large parts of the Americas and Oceania continents, as well as countries like Russia, are covered by deserts, frozen areas, or thick forests and are not habitable, the population density of these areas is relatively low. A little more than one billion people live in the Americas, with a population density of 26 people per square kilometer (less than half of the world average and one-sixth of the Asian continent). Western and Southern Europe is home to 400 million people with a population density of 160 people per square kilometer. Eastern Europe (former Eastern Bloc allied to the Soviet Union) has 170 million people with a population density of 80 people per square kilometer.

 

The Indian subcontinent, including the countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, has 23.6% of the world's population with only 3.2% of the Earth's land. The population density of this subcontinent is 460 people per square kilometer, which is 7.5 times the world average. Estimates indicate that India's population will slightly surpass China's in 2023, making it the most populous country in the world with a population density of 480 people per square kilometer.

 

According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bangladesh, Palestine, Taiwan, Rwanda, South Korea, Lebanon, the Netherlands, and Burundi will be the top 10 countries in the world (with more than 5 million people) in terms of population density in 2023. The 10 least densely populated countries (with more than 5 million people) will include Australia, Libya, Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, Central African Republic, Bolivia, Turkmenistan, Chad, and Norway in 2023.

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