In this piece, we will take a look at the 50 most densely populated countries in the world. For more countries, head on over to 10 Most Densely Populated Countries in the World at the end of this article.
Depending on who you ask, some people will say that the world’s population is growing too fast while others will say that it isn’t growing fast enough. A report from the United Nations’ Department of Economic and Social Affairs takes a mixed look. It believes that the global population is on a fast track to growth and that it has tripled from levels in 1950 to sit at 8.8 billion by the end of 2022.
However, this rate is slowing down now, and despite tripling in less than a hundred years, the population is estimated to sit at a mere 11 billion by 2100. The bulk of this growth is expected to take place in middle and low income countries, which is perhaps the most worrying aspect of this growth for the U.N. This population growth also carries the risk of affecting the global body’s Sustainable Development Goals which seek to reduce global emissions at levels that they do not threaten the climate.
Worryingly, U.N.’s data also shows that the highest rates of population growth between 2000 and 2020 were in regions that have the lowest global spending per capita on primary and secondary education, while the countries that spend the highest amounts had growth rates either in the negative or below one percent.
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At the same time, while population growth might be a problem in areas with low education spending, the inverse is also present in regions that spend more on education. The best example of the perils of negative growth comes from the world’s third largest economy Japan. Japan is one of the most interesting countries in the world in terms of demographics. Not only does it have the world’s biggest and most populous city Tokyo, but it had the shortest post-World War Two baby boom and has the highest levels of life expectancy in the world. At the same time, Japan’s population also dropped by half a million in 2022, marking the twelfth consecutive year for a drop. This drop comes amidst rather shocking statistics that have seen one Japanese village not see childbirth for a stunning 25 years.
So, what are the economic impacts of this slowdown in birth rates? Well, according to estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Japan’s labor force has fallen from an all-time high of 70% in 1991-1993 to 59%. This reduction in the labor force places a higher burden of productivity on younger members of the population and it also reduces Japan’s tax base – with the latter being particularly concerning since Japan has public debt as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the world.
Now, let’s take a look at the flip side, i.e. the impact of high population growth on weaker economies. On this front, research from the KDI School of Public Policy and Management sheds some light. It takes a look at population growth in 43 Sub-Saharan African countries between 1990 and 2019 to see how this has affected the economy. Using mathematical models, it concludes that population growth leads to a higher GDP per capita – but to fully utilize its benefits, the African countries must increase their saving and investment rates as well as their educational expenditure to ensure that there is sufficient investment in their economies and that the growing labor force is productive through gainful employment.
Finally, another hot topic in the argument against overpopulation claims that this will lead to a shortage of global resources and lead to overall poorer standards of living for the broader population. Billionaire Bill Gates shared his take on this particular debate in 2020 as he outlined:
Yeah it’s a huge challenge that the places where babies will be born are increasingly the toughest places in the world. The number of babies being born has peaked and is going down slightly, but the portion that are born in Africa will go over the course of the century from about 22% today to about 50% by the end of the century. And that you know Africa today is only a billion of the 7.3 billion people, and the fact that that’s where half the children will be born at the end of the century speaks to this issue. And even within Africa, it’s places like Niger, the North of Nigeria where you’ll still have a lot of kids being born. So you know we have to help those governments get their primary education right, get all the things that we take for granted.
With these details in mind, let’s take a look at the countries with the highest population density in the world.
Top 50 Most Densely Populated Countries in the World.
50. Republic of Uganda
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 190
The Republic of Uganda is a landlocked Eastern African nation that is one of the poorest nations in the world.
49. Italian Federation
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 197
The Italian Federation is a developed European country with a population of 59 million people.
48. Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 204
The Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal is a landlocked South Asian country with thirty million people living in its borders.
47. Swiss Confederation
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 211
The Swiss Confederation is one of the most prosperous nations in the world with a high GDP per capita.
46. Antigua and Barbuda
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 211
Antigua and Barbuda is a West Indian country that is one of the smallest in the world in terms of area.
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45. Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 215
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, or North Korea, is an East Asian country on the Korean peninsula.
44. Federal Republic of Nigeria
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 231
The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a West African country with one of the largest economies on the continent.
43. Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 231
The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is an island African nation with an area of just 964 square kilometers.
42. Dominican Republic
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 231
The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean country with a population of 11 million as of 2021.
41. State of Qatar
Number of People Per Square Kilometer: 232
The State of Qatar is an Asian country with a large economy fueled by the global energy market.
Click to continue reading and see 40 Most Densely Populated Countries in the World.
