Population density in Pakistan
Pakistan: Population density was 321.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
321.07 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
36th
of 215 countries
All-time high
321.07 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
60.87 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Pakistan, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
In 2023, population density in Pakistan stood at 321.07 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 17.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Pakistan peaked at 321.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 60.87 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Pakistan ranks 36th of 215 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 60.87 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 62.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 64.14 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 65.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 67.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 69.63 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 71.63 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 73.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 75.84 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 78.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 80.23 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 82.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 84.92 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 87.45 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 90.11 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 92.91 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 95.87 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 98.99 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 102.48 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1980 | 106.75 people per sq. km of land area | +4.2% |
| 1981 | 111.3 people per sq. km of land area | +4.3% |
| 1982 | 115.57 people per sq. km of land area | +3.8% |
| 1983 | 119.64 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1984 | 123.45 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 127.42 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 131.81 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1987 | 136.38 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1988 | 141.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1989 | 145.72 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 150.68 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 155.75 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 160.27 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 164.77 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 169.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1995 | 174.58 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 179.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 184.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 190.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 195.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 200.91 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2001 | 206.61 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2002 | 211.74 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 216.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2004 | 222.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 227.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 233.09 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2007 | 239.33 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 245.82 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2009 | 252.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 258.46 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2011 | 264.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 269.39 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2013 | 273.81 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 277.95 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 281.87 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 285.57 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 2017 | 289.63 people per sq. km of land area | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 294.38 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 299.4 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 304.85 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 310.65 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2022 | 316.13 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 321.07 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 67.99 people per sq. km of land area | 60.87 people per sq. km of land area | 75.84 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 89.35 people per sq. km of land area | 78.05 people per sq. km of land area | 102.48 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 125.91 people per sq. km of land area | 106.75 people per sq. km of land area | 145.72 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 172.57 people per sq. km of land area | 150.68 people per sq. km of land area | 195.32 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 225.62 people per sq. km of land area | 200.91 people per sq. km of land area | 252.15 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 279.48 people per sq. km of land area | 258.46 people per sq. km of land area | 299.4 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 313.18 people per sq. km of land area | 304.85 people per sq. km of land area | 321.07 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
- 33 Grenada 344.36 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 34 Japan 341.55 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 35 Tuvalu 327.2 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 37 Viet Nam 320.18 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 38 Guam 308.34 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 39 El Salvador 304.52 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Pakistan
- Population in the largest city 17.9% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 58.37 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2008 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 51.25 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.59 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 63.14 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 18.08 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 9.2 Tonnes (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 354.81 Hectares (2020)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Pakistan?
- Population density in Pakistan was 321.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 321.07 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 60.87 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Pakistan rank for population density?
- Pakistan ranks 36th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 17.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan data come from?
- The figures 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 part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.