Small states vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Population density

Small states
26.64 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
Small states rank
44th
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank
44th

Population density over time

  • Small states
  • 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 26.64 people per sq. km of land area in Small states, a difference of 256.61 people per sq. km of land area.

That makes United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland's figure about 10.6 times Small states's.

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

Small states ranks 44th 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 Small states United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Difference Ahead
1960s 14.03 people per sq. km of land area 224.26 people per sq. km of land area 210.23 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1970s 16.42 people per sq. km of land area 231.95 people per sq. km of land area 215.52 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1980s 19.18 people per sq. km of land area 233.85 people per sq. km of land area 214.67 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
1990s 20.95 people per sq. km of land area 239.54 people per sq. km of land area 218.59 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2000s 22.8 people per sq. km of land area 249.52 people per sq. km of land area 226.72 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2010s 24.96 people per sq. km of land area 267.87 people per sq. km of land area 242.91 people per sq. km of land area United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
2020s 26.27 people per sq. km of land area 278.88 people per sq. km of land area 252.61 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, Small states 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 26.64 people per sq. km of land area in Small states as of 2023.
What is the difference in population density between Small states and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
256.61 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 Small states and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do Small states and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank globally for population density?
Small states ranks 44th 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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Small states 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 12 September 2026, from https://urban.statizoid.com/compare/population-density-people-per-sq-km-of-land-area/small-states/united-kingdom/

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<a href="https://urban.statizoid.com/compare/population-density-people-per-sq-km-of-land-area/small-states/united-kingdom/">Small states vs United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Population density</a> — Statizoid

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.