In 2022, the estimated population density of China was around 150.42 people per square kilometer. That year, China's population size declined for the first time in decades. Although China is the most populous country in the world, its overall population density is not much higher than the average population density in Asia. Uneven population distribution China is one of the largest countries in terms of land area, and its population density figures vary dramatically from region to region. Overall, the coastal regions in the East and Southeast have the highest population densities, as they belong to the more economically developed regions of the country. These coastal regions also have a higher urbanization rate. On the contrary, the regions in the West are covered with mountain landscapes which are not suitable for the development of big cities. Populous cities in China Several Chinese cities rank among the most populous cities in the world. According to estimates, Beijing and Shanghai will rank among the top ten megacities in the world by 2030. Both cities are also the largest Chinese cities in terms of land area. The previous colonial regions, Macao and Hong Kong, are two of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in China was reported at 150 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. China - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

China is a vast and diverse country and population density in different regions varies greatly. In 2023, the estimated population density of the administrative area of Shanghai municipality reached about 3,922 inhabitants per square kilometer, whereas statistically only around three people were living on one square kilometer in Tibet. Population distribution in China China's population is unevenly distributed across the country: while most people are living in the southeastern half of the country, the northwestern half – which includes the provinces and autonomous regions of Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia – is only sparsely populated. Even the inhabitants of a single province might be unequally distributed within its borders. This is significantly influenced by the geography of each region, and is especially the case in the Guangdong, Fujian, or Sichuan provinces due to their mountain ranges. The Chinese provinces with the largest absolute population size are Guangdong in the south, Shandong in the east and Henan in Central China. Urbanization and city population Urbanization is one of the main factors which have been reshaping China over the last four decades. However, when comparing the size of cities and urban population density, one has to bear in mind that data often refers to the administrative area of cities or urban units, which might be much larger than the contiguous built-up area of that city. The administrative area of Beijing municipality, for example, includes large rural districts, where only around 200 inhabitants are living per square kilometer on average, while roughly 20,000 residents per square kilometer are living in the two central city districts. This is the main reason for the huge difference in population density between the four Chinese municipalities Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Chongqing shown in many population statistics.

China population density for 2022 was 150.42, a 0.01% decline from 2021.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>China population density for 2021 was <strong>150.44</strong>, a <strong>0.09% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
<li>China population density for 2020 was <strong>150.31</strong>, a <strong>0.24% increase</strong> from 2019.</li>
<li>China population density for 2019 was <strong>149.95</strong>, a <strong>0.36% increase</strong> from 2018.</li>
</ul>Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.

In 2023, the average resident population density in the Shanghai municipality was 3,923 people per square kilometer. This figure remained largely unchanged in the recent five years.

China Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data was reported at 151.290 Person in 2022. This stayed constant from the previous number of 151.290 Person for 2021. China Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data is updated yearly, averaging 139.320 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2022, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 151.290 Person in 2022 and a record low of 122.410 Person in 1990. China Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.OECD.GGI: Social: Demography: Non OECD Member: Annual.

China: Population density, in people per sq. mile: The latest value from is people per sq. mile, unavailable from people per sq. mile in . In comparison, the world average is 0 people per sq. mile, based on data from countries. Historically, the average for China from to is people per sq. mile. The minimum value, people per sq. mile, was reached in while the maximum of people per sq. mile was recorded in .

In 2023, the district of the Beijing municipality with the highest resident population density was Xicheng district, with an average of 21,749 people living on one square kilometer. The average density of the population of the Beijing municipality in total was 1,332 people per square kilometer in 2023.

This statistic shows the population density in urban areas of China in 2023, by region. In 2023, cities in Heilongjiang province had the highest population density in China with around 5,361 people living on one square kilometer on average. However, as the administrative areas of many Chinese cities reach beyond their contiguous built-up urban areas - and this by varying degree, the statistical significance of the given figures may be limited. By comparison, the Chinese province with the highest overall population density is Jiangsu province in Eastern China reaching about 7956 people per square kilometer in 2023.

Population Density data was reported at 21.100 Person/sq km th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 21.400 Person/sq km th for 2016. Population Density data is updated yearly, averaging 18.500 Person/sq km th from Dec 1985 (Median) to 2017, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21.400 Person/sq km th in 2016 and a record low of 16.200 Person/sq km th in 2003. Population Density data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics and Census Service. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Macau SAR – Table MO.G006: Population Density.

Hong Kong SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data was reported at 7,110.400 Person in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 7,128.190 Person for 2021. Hong Kong SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data is updated yearly, averaging 6,601.040 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2022, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,133.560 Person in 2020 and a record low of 5,616.760 Person in 1990. Hong Kong SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR (China) – Table HK.OECD.GGI: Social: Demography: Non OECD Member: Annual.

In 2023, the district of the Shanghai municipality with the highest resident population density was Hongkou district with an average of 29,280 people living on one square kilometer. The average density of the population of the Shanghai municipality in total was 3,923 people per square kilometer that year.

Macau SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data was reported at 21,344.140 Person in 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 21,042.480 Person for 2021. Macau SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data is updated yearly, averaging 19,647.000 Person from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2022, with 33 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 21,865.450 Person in 2000 and a record low of 16,889.410 Person in 2002. Macau SAR (China) Population Density: Inhabitants per sq km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Macau SAR (China) – Table MO.OECD.GGI: Social: Demography: Non OECD Member: Annual.

Population density population distribution is the main form and the main indicators to measure regional differences in population distribution. Town (Street) at the grass-roots administrative system in China, is China's smallest administrative unit of the public release of census data, population density in the township-level data can be objective and precise characterization of the spatial pattern of population distribution and trends in China, and for research on resources, environment and population issues is of great significance. Paper standardized processing has China Liaoning, and Jilin, and in Inner Mongolia (part area), and Beijing, and Tianjin, and Shanghai, and Hebei, and Henan, and Shaanxi, and Ningxia, and Shanxi, and Shandong, and Anhui, and Jiangsu, and Hunan, and Hubei, and Jiangxi, and Zhejiang, and Fujian, and Guangdong, and Hainan, and Yunnan, and Guizhou, and Qinghai, and Tibet, 25 a province (municipalities, and autonomous regions) Township (Street) level administrative line data and the fifth times census Township (Street) level population statistics data, guarantee Township border county (district) Territories consistent, and Spatial and census information for each township unit corresponds to one by one. On this basis, accurately matching the spatial extent of each township and census information, calculated the average population density of communes, form the data set.

Hong Kong HK: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 7,039.714 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 6,987.238 Person/sq km for 2016. Hong Kong HK: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 5,743.636 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7,039.714 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 3,105.980 Person/sq km in 1961. Hong Kong HK: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Hong Kong SAR – Table HK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted average;

As of 2023, the population density in Guangdong province in China was around 707 persons per square kilometer. Guangdong is the most populous province in China, and its population density is higher than in many countries in the world.

Township is so far the smallest unit for official demographic statistics in China. When correlated with administrative boundary, demographic data can be used to analyze the spatial distribution of population, which is significant for research on geography, resources, environment, ecology, disasters, sustainable development, etc. Based on the demographic data of the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions publicized by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2010, we correlated township administrative units with the number of population in each, while attending to spatial topological problems such as pattern spot gaps and overlaps between the spatial divisions. In total, 42122 spatial units were paired with their demographic data by using the decision tree. The average population density was calculated as the number of population per spatial unit, which was then converted into vector data for generating the dataset of township-level population density in China (2010). A validation of the data shows an overall accuracy of 99%, with a less than 10% deviation for each province or municipality. The dataset is in the TIFF format, with a total volume of 108 MB.

1. Climate zone China’s climate zone data is compiled by China meteorological administration. The data takes the average daily temperature that more than 10 ℃ and the coldest temperature or multi-year extreme minimum temperature as heat index. Taking dryness as water index. Combining these two indices with topography and geomorphology characteristics, the country is divided into 8 primary climate regions and 32 secondary climate regions. Data Format: Shapefile. Projected Coordinate System: Krassovsky_1940_Albers. URL: https://www.resdc.cn/data.aspx?DATAID=243
2. Ecological services Ecological services are the many and varied benefits to humans provided by the natural environment and from healthy ecosystems. To assess the value of ecological services is an important basis for ecological environment protection, ecological function zoning, environmental economic accounting and ecological compensation decision-making. Based on the assessment of global ecological services by Costanza et al. (1997) and Xie et al. (2003), the equivalent weight factor table of ecological services of terrestrial ecosystems was formulated in China. This method has been widely adopted and quoted. In the estimation process, considering the basic equivalent of each ecosystem type, the method also considered the influence of spatiotemporal dynamic factors of NPP, precipitation and soil conservation regulation. The data was revised by biomass parameters to reflect regional differences in ecological services value. Units:￥·hm-1. Spatial resolution: 1 km. Projected Coordinate System: GCS_Krassovsky_1940. Data format: ArcGis Grid. URL: https://www.resdc.cn/DOI/DOI.aspx?DOIID=48
3. Population density The kilometre grid dataset of China's population spatial distribution is based on the demographic data of the national population statistics. Taking into account land use type, night light intensity, residential density and other factors that closely related to population. Using the multi-factor weight allocation method to upscale the population data which based on administrative regions as the basic statistical units. Firstly, calculate the population distribution weight of land use type, night light intensity, and residential density. Secondly, the total weight of each country-level administrative unit is calculated on the basic of standardizing the influence weights of above three aspects. Finally, using grid space calculation method to combine the unit weight of population with the total weight to spatialize population. Units: person·km-2. Spatial resolution: 1 km. Projected Coordinate System: GCS_Krassovsky_1940. Data format: ArcGis Grid. URL: https://www.resdc.cn/DOI/DOI.aspx?DOIid=32

By the end of 2022, the population density in Henan province in China increased to around 591 people per square kilometer. Henan is one of the most populous provinces in China. It is located in China's middle region, next to Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Anhui and Hubei.

Population density and GDP density of all county-level administrative regions in China's coastal areas in 2016; population density and GDP density of each buffer zone formed by buffering with 1km step length in GIS starting from the coastline.