North America vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Population density

North America
21.01 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
283.25 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
North America rank
45th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
44th

Population density over time

  • North America
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
0100200300196119922023

How they compare

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland currently reports 283.25 people per sq. km of land area against 21.01 people per sq. km of land area in North America, a difference of 262.24 people per sq. km of land area.

That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's figure about 13.5 times North America's.

Across all 63 years both countries report, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has been ahead every year.

North America ranks 45th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 44th of 47 groups.

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade North America United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1960s 11.78 people per sq. km of land area 224.26 people per sq. km of land area 212.48 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1970s 13.13 people per sq. km of land area 231.95 people per sq. km of land area 218.81 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1980s 14.5 people per sq. km of land area 233.85 people per sq. km of land area 219.35 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1990s 16.21 people per sq. km of land area 239.54 people per sq. km of land area 223.33 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 18.02 people per sq. km of land area 249.52 people per sq. km of land area 231.51 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 19.66 people per sq. km of land area 267.87 people per sq. km of land area 248.22 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 20.72 people per sq. km of land area 278.88 people per sq. km of land area 258.17 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher population density, North America or United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, at 283.25 people per sq. km of land area against 21.01 people per sq. km of land area in North America as of 2023.
What is the difference in population density between North America and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
262.24 people per sq. km of land area, with United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for North America and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do North America and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for population density?
North America ranks 45th and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 44th of 47 groups.
Where does this data come from?
FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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North America vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Population density. Statizoid, drawing on FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Retrieved 13 September 2026, from https://urban.statizoid.com/compare/population-density-people-per-sq-km-of-land-area/north-america/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Population density (people per sq. km of land area)
Unit
people per sq. km of land area
Source
FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
264 places, 15,342 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

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.