Macau leads the world with about 21,826 people per square kilometer, followed by Monaco and Singapore, in a ranking of countries and dependent territories dominated by city-states and small islands; Bangladesh is the only large country in the top ten.
Macau is the most densely populated country or territory in the world, with about 21,826 people per km². Monaco is second at about 19,428 and Singapore third at about 8,290. The ranking uses population density of sovereign states and dependent territories, from Wikipedia's compiled table based on UN World Population Prospects 2025 figures, accessed October 2026.
Population density measures how many people live in a given area, expressed here as inhabitants per square kilometer. The most densely populated places are almost all small: city-states, special administrative regions, dependent territories and small island nations, where a modest population shares a tiny land area. This list ranks the ten most densely populated countries and territories using one compiled table, Wikipedia's list of countries and dependencies by population density, which draws on United Nations World Population Prospects figures for 2025. Both sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories (such as Gibraltar) are included.
Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China on the Pearl River Delta, is the most densely populated country or territory in the world, with about 21,826 people per km². Roughly 720,000 people live on about 33 km² of land.
Monaco is the most densely populated sovereign state, with about 19,428 people per km². The city-state on the French Riviera has fewer than 39,000 residents but only about 2 km² of land.
Singapore, a sovereign city-state at the tip of the Malay Peninsula, has about 8,290 people per km² — about 6.1 million people on 737 km² of land.
Hong Kong, a Special Administrative Region of China, averages about 7,062 people per km² across 1,050 km².
Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, has about 5,800 people per km². Around 39,000 people live on 6.8 km² of land.
Bahrain, an island kingdom in the Persian Gulf, has about 2,034 people per km² — about 1.6 million people on 790 km². It is the most densely populated country in the Middle East.
Vatican City, the world's smallest state at 0.44 km², has about 2,005 people per km² based on its 882 residents (2024, counted regardless of citizenship). Its tiny area means a few hundred people produce a high density figure.
The Maldives, a chain of coral atolls in the Indian Ocean, has about 1,759 people per km². Its roughly 528,000 people live on about 300 km² of land.
Malta, an island nation in the Mediterranean, has about 1,686 people per km² — about 540,000 people on 320 km² — making it the most densely populated member of the European Union.
Bangladesh has about 1,333 people per km², with roughly 173.6 million people on 130,170 km² of land. It is the only country on this list with more than 10 million people, which makes it the most densely populated large country in the world.
| # | Name | sovereignty | population | land_area_km2 | region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macau | China (SAR) | 720262 | 33 | East Asia |
| 2 | Monaco | Sovereign state | 38857 | 2 | Western Europe |
| 3 | Singapore | Sovereign state | 6110200 | 737 | Southeast Asia |
| 4 | Hong Kong | China (SAR) | 7414910 | 1050 | East Asia |
| 5 | Gibraltar | United Kingdom (overseas territory) | 39329 | 6.8 | Southern Europe |
| 6 | Bahrain | Sovereign state | 1607049 | 790 | Middle East |
| 7 | Vatican City | Sovereign state | 882 | 0.44 | Southern Europe |
| 8 | Maldives | Sovereign state | 527799 | 298 | South Asia |
| 9 | Malta | Sovereign state | 539607 | 320 | Southern Europe |
| 10 | Bangladesh | Sovereign state | 173562364 | 130170 | South Asia |
Ranked by population density (people per km²) as published in Wikipedia's 'List of countries and dependencies by population density' (accessed 18 October 2026). That table covers sovereign states and dependent territories with an ISO 3166-1 code, and uses UN World Population Prospects 2025 populations and areas unless noted. Two entries use official national figures instead, as the table notes: Gibraltar's 6.8 km² land area comes from the Gibraltar government, and Vatican City's population of 882 is the Vatican's own 2024 count of residents regardless of citizenship. For Vatican City the table displays 2,205 people per km², which does not match its own inputs; we use 882 ÷ 0.44 km² = 2,005, which places it seventh rather than sixth. All other density, population and area figures are as published in the table. Rank 1 is the highest density.
Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China, with about 21,826 people per km². Among sovereign states, Monaco is the most densely populated at about 19,428 people per km², followed by Singapore at about 8,290.
Density divides population by land area, so places with very little land, like Macau, Monaco and Gibraltar, produce extreme figures even with modest populations. Bangladesh is the exception: about 173.6 million people on 130,170 km² of land.
Yes. The list includes self-governing dependent territories such as Gibraltar, and China's special administrative regions Macau and Hong Kong, as well as sovereign states. Just outside the top ten are Sint Maarten (about 1,275 per km²) and Bermuda (about 1,197 per km²).
Population is divided by area in square kilometers. Different sources use different population estimates and area definitions, so published densities vary; this list uses one compiled table throughout.
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