Population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Population density was 283.25 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
283.25 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 1.3%
World rank
44th
of 216 countries
All-time high
283.25 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
218.25 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 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
The most recent figure for population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is 283.25 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.3% on the previous year and up 6.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland peaked at 283.25 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 218.25 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 44th of 216 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 218.25 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 220.1 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 221.76 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 223.21 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 224.64 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 225.89 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 227.1 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 1968 | 228.21 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 1969 | 229.16 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 230.08 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 1971 | 231.04 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 1972 | 231.83 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 232.28 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 232.42 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 1975 | 232.41 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 232.35 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
| 1977 | 232.27 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
| 1978 | 232.28 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 232.49 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 232.77 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 232.85 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 232.77 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 232.85 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 233.22 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 233.75 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 234.29 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 234.79 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 235.31 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 235.92 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1990 | 236.63 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 237.36 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 238 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 238.58 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 239.18 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 239.82 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 240.43 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 241.05 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 241.75 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 242.56 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2000 | 243.43 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 244.37 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 245.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 246.55 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2004 | 247.96 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 249.66 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 251.51 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 253.47 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 255.47 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 257.41 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 259.44 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 261.48 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 263.35 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 265.11 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 267.1 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 269.03 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 271.18 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 272.66 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 273.99 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2019 | 275.4 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 275.87 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 276.85 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 279.57 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 283.25 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 224.26 people per sq. km of land area | 218.25 people per sq. km of land area | 229.16 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 231.95 people per sq. km of land area | 230.08 people per sq. km of land area | 232.49 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 233.85 people per sq. km of land area | 232.77 people per sq. km of land area | 235.92 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 239.54 people per sq. km of land area | 236.63 people per sq. km of land area | 242.56 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 249.52 people per sq. km of land area | 243.43 people per sq. km of land area | 257.41 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 267.87 people per sq. km of land area | 259.44 people per sq. km of land area | 275.4 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 278.88 people per sq. km of land area | 275.87 people per sq. km of land area | 283.25 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- 41 Cayman Islands 304.32 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 42 United States Virgin Islands 299.76 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 43 Saint Lucia 293.91 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 45 Kuwait 272.36 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 46 Gambia 266.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 47 Trinidad and Tobago 266.57 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Population in the largest city 17.0% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 9.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.2742 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 19.05 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 0.8373 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 77.42 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 9.84 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 995.65 Hectares (2020)
- Establishments, bedrooms and bed-places in tourist accommodation, by 84,579 Number (2016)
All data for United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Population density in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 283.25 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 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 283.25 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 218.25 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland rank for population density?
- United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ranks 44th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
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.