Population density per pixel at 100 metre resolution. WorldPop provides estimates of numbers of people residing in each 100x100m grid cell for every low and middle income country. Through ingegrating cencus, survey, satellite and GIS datasets in a flexible machine-learning framework, high resolution maps of population counts and densities for 2000-2020 are produced, along with accompanying metadata. DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Africa SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012, Population distribution, settlement patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010, PLoS ONE, 7(2): e31743. FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - AGO10adjv4.tif = Angola (AGO) population count map for 2010 (10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 4 (v4). Population maps are updated to new versions when improved census or other input data become available. Data and Resources TIFF Japan - Population density (2015) DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid...

The total population in Japan was estimated at 123.8 million people in 2024, according to the latest census figures and projections from Trading Economics. This dataset provides - Japan Population - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Population, Total for Japan (POPTOTJPA647NWDB) from 1960 to 2024 about Japan and population.

The world's most accurate population datasets. Seven maps/datasets for the distribution of various populations in Japan: (1) Overall population density (2) Women (3) Men (4) Children (ages 0-5) (5) Youth (ages 15-24) (6) Elderly (ages 60+) (7) Women of reproductive age (ages 15-49).

In 1800, the population of Japan was just over 30 million, a figure which would grow by just two million in the first half of the 19th century. However, with the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate and the restoration of the emperor in the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan would begin transforming from an isolated feudal island, to a modernized empire built on Western models. The Meiji period would see a rapid rise in the population of Japan, as industrialization and advancements in healthcare lead to a significant reduction in child mortality rates, while the creation overseas colonies would lead to a strong economic boom. However, this growth would slow beginning in 1937, as Japan entered a prolonged war with the Republic of China, which later grew into a major theater of the Second World War. The war was eventually brought to Japan's home front, with the escalation of Allied air raids on Japanese urban centers from 1944 onwards (Tokyo was the most-bombed city of the Second World War). By the war's end in 1945 and the subsequent occupation of the island by the Allied military, Japan had suffered over two and a half million military fatalities, and over one million civilian deaths.

The population figures of Japan were quick to recover, as the post-war “economic miracle” would see an unprecedented expansion of the Japanese economy, and would lead to the country becoming one of the first fully industrialized nations in East Asia. As living standards rose, the population of Japan would increase from 77 million in 1945, to over 127 million by the end of the century. However, growth would begin to slow in the late 1980s, as birth rates and migration rates fell, and Japan eventually grew to have one of the oldest populations in the world. The population would peak in 2008 at just over 128 million, but has consistently fallen each year since then, as the fertility rate of the country remains below replacement level (despite government initiatives to counter this) and the country's immigrant population remains relatively stable. The population of Japan is expected to continue its decline in the coming years, and in 2020, it is estimated that approximately 126 million people inhabit the island country.

Historical dataset showing total population for Japan by year from 1950 to 2025.

Population growth (annual %) in Japan was reported at --0.43565 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population growth (annual %) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Historical dataset showing Japan population growth rate by year from 1961 to 2023.

Japan: Population ages 65 and above, percent of total: The latest value from 2024 is 29.78 percent, an increase from 29.56 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 10.43 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1960 to 2024 is 15.37 percent. The minimum value, 5.74 percent, was reached in 1960 while the maximum of 29.78 percent was recorded in 2024.

Over the last decade, Japan’s population has aged more and more, to the point where more than a quarter of Japanese were 65 years and older in 2022. Population growth has stopped and even reversed, since it’s been in the red for several years now.

It’s getting old

With almost 30 percent of its population being elderly inhabitants, Japan is considered the “oldest” country in the world today. Japan boasts a high life expectancy, in fact, the Japanese tend to live longer than the average human worldwide. The increase of the aging population is accompanied by a decrease of the total population caused by a sinking birth rate. Japan’s fertility rate has been below the replacement rate for many decades now, mostly due to economic uncertainty and thus a decreasing number of marriages.

Are the Japanese invincible?

There is no real mystery surrounding the ripe old age of so many Japanese. Their high average age is very likely due to high healthcare standards, nutrition, and an overall high standard of living – all of which could be adopted by other industrial nations as well. But with high age comes less capacity, and Japan’s future enemy might not be an early death, but rather a struggling social network.

Historical dataset of population level and growth rate for the Tokyo, Japan metro area from 1950 to 2025.

Japan: Refugee population: The latest value from 2023 is 22335 refugees, an increase from 15451 refugees in 2022. In comparison, the world average is 233913 refugees, based on data from 159 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1977 to 2023 is 4103 refugees. The minimum value, 600 refugees, was reached in 1977 while the maximum of 22335 refugees was recorded in 2023.

Population of compulsory school age, male (number) in Japan was reported at 5156573 Persons in 2018, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population of compulsory school age, male - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Actual value and historical data chart for Japan Population Ages 65 And Above Percent Of Total

Japan: Rural population, percent of total population: The latest value from 2024 is 7.87 percent, a decline from 7.96 percent in 2023. In comparison, the world average is 38.30 percent, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Japan from 1960 to 2024 is 20.19 percent. The minimum value, 7.87 percent, was reached in 2024 while the maximum of 36.73 percent was recorded in 1960.

Population ages 60-64, male (% of male population) in Japan was reported at 6.3225 % in 2024, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Japan - Population ages 50-64, male (% of male population) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on November of 2025.

Context

Global Map is a set of basic geospatial information at the scale of 1:1 million, which was developed and verified by National Geospatial Information Authorities (NGIAs) in the world so that it is considered as “authoritative data.” Global Mapping Project is a collaborative international project of developing Global Map for sustainable development, environmental protection and disaster mitigation.

The International Steering Committee for Global Mapping (ISCGM) was established to implement the Project. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) served as the Secretariat of ISCGM for the whole duration of the Committee from February 1996 to March 2017, and supported the Project activities.

Recognizing that the objective of Global Mapping Project was mostly achieved by the collective efforts of ISCGM and the participating NGIAs, the 23rd ISCGM meeting held in August, 2016 adopted the resolution of dissolving ISCGM and transferring the Global Map data to the Geospatial Information Section of the United Nations. Thus, Global Mapping Project came to end.

Content

This dataset contains geospatial vector and raster data across the map of Japan. Each zip file contains a portion (or all) of the data layers for the specific map version.

Filename breakdown:
'gm-jpn-ve_u_1_0.zip'
'GlobalMap - Japan - Layer _ Version _ Version_Num .zip'

Acknowledgements

This data is pulled directly from the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan website (http://www.gsi.go.jp/kankyochiri/gm_japan_e.html). To see more information on licensing, please visit the website's Terms of Use.

From Terms of Use:
Information made available on this website (hereinafter referred to as “Content”) may be freely used, copied, publicly transmitted, translated or otherwise modified on condition that the user complies with provisions 1) to 7) below. Commercial use of Content is also permitted.

Cover photo by David Edelstein on Unsplash
Unsplash Images are distributed under a unique Unsplash License.

DATASET: Alpha version 2000 and 2010 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and MODIS-derived urban extent change built in. REGION: Asia SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described on the website and in: Gaughan AE, Stevens FR, Linard C, Jia P and Tatem AJ, 2013, High resolution population distribution maps for Southeast Asia in 2010 and 2015, PLoS ONE, 8(2): e55882 FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - VNM00urbchg.tif = Vietnam (VNM) population count map for 2000 (00) adjusted to match UN national estimates and incorporating urban extent and urban population estimates for 2000. DATE OF PRODUCTION: July 2013 Dataset construction details and input data are provided here: www.asiapop.org and here: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0055882

Historical dataset showing Japan urban population by year from 1960 to 2023.

DATASET: Alpha version 2010 and 2015 estimates of numbers of people per grid square, with national totals adjusted to match UN population division estimates (http://esa.un.org/wpp/) and remaining unadjusted. REGION: Asia SPATIAL RESOLUTION: 0.000833333 decimal degrees (approx 100m at the equator) PROJECTION: Geographic, WGS84 UNITS: Estimated persons per grid square MAPPING APPROACH: Land cover based, as described in: Gaughan AE, Stevens FR, Linard C, Jia P and Tatem AJ, 2013, High resolution population distribution maps for Southeast Asia in 2010 and 2015, PLoS ONE, 8(2): e55882 FORMAT: Geotiff (zipped using 7-zip (open access tool): www.7-zip.org) FILENAMES: Example - VNM_popmap10adj_v2.tif = Vietnam (VNM) population count map for 2010 (popmap10) adjusted to match UN national estimates (adj), version 2 (v2). DATE OF PRODUCTION: January 2013