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Most densely populated countries, 1961 to 2024

Singapore is the most densely populated country in 2024 at 8,329 people per km², now ahead of Hong Kong at 7,166. Hong Kong led in 1961.

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What the data shows

  • In 2024, Singapore ranks #1 with 8,329, ahead of Hong Kong (7,166) and Bahrain (1,986).
  • Back in 1961, Hong Kong was #1 with 3,106.
  • The top spot changed hands once: Singapore in 2007.
  • Biggest climber: Bahrain, from #9 in 1961 to #3 in 2024.
  • Singapore grew 3.3× between 1961 and 2024.
  • West Bank and Gaza wasn't on the board in 1961 but is in the top 5 by 2024.

About this chart

Singapore is the densest place in the data in 2024, with 8,329 people per square kilometer of land, while Hong Kong is close behind at 7,166. The order was reversed in 1961, when Hong Kong had 3,106 and Singapore 2,541. Everything else is far less crowded: Bahrain is third at 1,986 and Bangladesh fourth at 1,333, followed by West Bank and Gaza (878) and Mauritius (623).

Rwanda (600), Lebanon (568), Burundi (547) and the Netherlands (534) complete the top ten. The measure is population divided by land area, with inland water excluded, from the World Bank, and it covers countries and territories with more than 1 million people. Density is an average: city-states like Singapore have almost no rural land, while countries such as Bangladesh are crowded across most of their area.

The data

Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (EN.POP.DNST), people per square km of land area; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026.

Most densely populated countries, People per km² of land, 1961–2024
Date🇸🇬 Singapore🇭🇰 Hong Kong🇧🇭 Bahrain🇧🇩 Bangladesh🇵🇸 West Bank and Gaza🇲🇺 Mauritius🇷🇼 Rwanda🇱🇧 Lebanon🇧🇮 Burundi🇳🇱 Netherlands🇰🇷 South Korea🇵🇷 Puerto Rico🇯🇵 Japan🇬🇧 United Kingdom
19612,5413,106250410335126181110345267271256218
19622,6123,240260422345129187113350275276259220
19632,6793,354270434354132193116354283282262222
19642,7493,436281447363135198119359290288264223
19652,8163,527291460371139204122364298292267225
19662,8873,559301474379143210125369305296270226
19672,9523,650310488386147216129373312298272227
19683,0033,728318502393152222132377320300275228
19693,0493,788322517400157228135381327303279229
19703,0963,881326531407161233137386334306282230
19713,1543,966334540413166239141391341311288231
19723,2134,043351550420171245141395347318292232
19733,2734,158370566426176252141398354325297232
19743,3284,292390583433181258144401360331300232
19753,3774,417410598439187263148405366338304232
19763,4234,473432613447192267151408372343308232
19773,4714,584453629454198270155410377348311232
19783,5134,668475644460204276160413383353314232
19793,5574,930498660468210282164416389357316232
19803,6035,063520676476217288171419395361319233
19813,7805,183541694483224294178422401366321233
19823,9505,318561713489232299182424408369324233
19834,0025,399581732493239303187426414373326233
19844,0785,452602751499248308192427419377329233
19854,0845,511624770503256315196429423381331234
19864,0805,580647788507265323200432427384333234
19874,1415,637671806510274331204434431388335235
19884,2485,684696824514282338209437436392336235
19894,3745,744721841518291345213440440395338236
19904,5485,762746858329522299351218443444399339237
19914,6795,810729874344527305359222446449402340237
19924,8225,859727891359534311366228450454404341238
19934,9455,961747908376541324373221453458408342239
19945,1036,096767925393548275380223456463411343239
19955,2605,863787942411553230387236458467415344240
19965,4796,129808959430559272394236460472420345240
19975,6666,180830977450566314402236462476424346241
19985,8626,232852996461572328409241465480426347242
19995,9096,2928751,015473579330416247468483428347243
20006,0126,3488981,034485585333423252472487430348243
20016,1766,3959311,051498589336430258475490431349244
20026,1886,4231,0011,067511593341436266478492431350245
20035,9916,4101,0621,083524598348442274481495431350247
20046,0506,4601,1281,098538601357450285482497431351248
20056,1946,4891,2011,112552605367457295483498431351250
20066,3466,5311,2981,125566608377464306484500429351252
20076,6066,5871,3861,137580611387474318485502426351253
20086,9176,6261,4521,148597613397481331487506424351255
20097,1296,6411,5511,159613614408488348490508422351257
20107,2376,6901,6121,169629616418493365493510420351259
20117,3686,7351,5581,180645627429498378495514416351261
20127,5306,8101,5701,191661629439512392497516413350263
20137,6426,8371,6281,203677629450561407499518409350265
20147,7216,8851,7051,214693631461620421501521404349267
20157,8136,9441,7611,224709631472633430503524399349269
20167,9156,9871,8281,235725632483618438506525392349271
20177,8897,0411,9251,246740632495602448509527385348273
20187,9047,0981,9321,256759633506585462512529371348274
20197,9747,1501,9021,267778633518566477515530372347275
20207,9277,1251,8751,278798633530557491518531370346276
20217,5977,0601,9041,288817633562559505521530368345277
20227,8036,9961,9301,301837631574562519526529363343280
20238,1787,1771,9711,317857624587564533531530361342283
20248,3297,1661,9861,333878623600568547534530361340286

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Frequently asked questions

Which country is the most densely populated?

In 2024, Singapore ranks #1 with 8,329, followed by Hong Kong (7,166) and Bahrain (1,986). Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators (EN.POP.DNST), people per square km of land area; countries over 1 million people.

Which country has the highest population density?

Singapore has the highest population density, at 8,329 people per square kilometer of land in 2024. Hong Kong is second at 7,166 and Bahrain third at 1,986.

What is the most densely populated large country?

Bangladesh is the most densely populated large country in this list, with 1,333 people per square kilometer in 2024, fourth overall. In 1961 it had 410, which put it third behind Hong Kong and Singapore.

How is population density calculated?

It is the number of people divided by land area in square kilometers, using World Bank population and land area data. Inland water bodies are not counted as land, so the figure is people per square kilometer of land, not of total area.

Where does this data come from?

World Bank, World Development Indicators (EN.POP.DNST), people per square km of land area; countries over 1 million people. Retrieved November 4, 2026. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

Can I turn this chart into a video?

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