Place comparison

Ishigaki Island compared with Miyako Island: area, population and density

Ishigaki Island has about 1.4 times Miyako Island’s land, but the two islands have almost the same population, so Miyako is about 1.4 times as dense.

Place A Grouped by country or region Place B Grouped by country or region

Equal-area outline comparison

Outlines are centered and scaled by official land area; position does not show geographic location.

Area

Population

Population density

Area data date

Population data date

The guide below belongs to this pair: Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island. Change the selector above and the page follows, so the reading always matches the tool.

Direct answer

How different are Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island?

Ishigaki Island covers 222.2 km²; Ishigaki Island's area is 1.4 times Miyako Island's. Its reported population is 49,387; Ishigaki Island's population is about 98.3% of Miyako Island's. By average density, Ishigaki Island's population density is about 70.2% of Miyako Island's.

Area difference

Ishigaki Island's area is 1.4 times Miyako Island's 222.2 km² · 158.5 km²

Population difference

Ishigaki Island's population is about 98.3% of Miyako Island's 49,387 · 50,218

Density difference

Ishigaki Island's population density is about 70.2% of Miyako Island's 222.2 /km² · 316.8 /km²

Full data and sources for each place: Ishigaki Island area & population, Miyako Island area & population

Straight-line distance between geometric centres: about 114 km; time difference: none.

On a familiar scale

Ishigaki Island ≈ 82% of Taipei City 4,500 m² of land per resident
Miyako Island ≈ the size of Kinmen County (reference rung) 3,157 m² of land per resident

Reference scales come from Department of Household Registration, Ministry of the Interior: Land area, households and population density by township and district (year-end 2025) , as of 2025-12-31.

How to read it

The two hubs of Okinawa’s southern islands hold about 50,000 people each; Ishigaki simply has more land for them.

Geography and shape

Both belong to the Sakishima Islands at the southwestern end of Okinawa Prefecture. Ishigaki is the main island of the Yaeyama group and is mountainous, rising to Mount Omoto, Okinawa’s highest peak; Miyako is the main island of the Miyako group and is low and flat, with no rivers of note.

Population context

Ishigaki counts 49,387 residents and Miyako 50,218 — within 2% of each other. On 222.24 km² against 158.54 km², that gives Ishigaki about 222 people per km² and Miyako about 317.

Boundaries and definitions

Both figures are for the island alone, not the city. Ishigaki’s population counts registered Japanese nationals only and its city limits (which include the Senkaku Islands) are not used; Miyako’s population excludes Ikema, Kurima, Irabu, Shimoji and Ogami islands, which belong to Miyakojima City. The two population dates also differ (early 2024 and end of 2024).

Ishigaki Island: Ishigaki Island only. Population is the registered Japanese-national population and excludes foreign residents. This does not use Ishigaki City's wider administrative area, which includes the Senkaku Islands.

Miyako Island: Miyako Island only. Population excludes Ikema, Kurima, Ogami, Irabu and Shimoji islands, even though all are part of Miyakojima City.

In-depth guide

How should Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island be understood in context?

Ishigaki and Miyako are the two islands Taiwanese travellers most often weigh against each other for a trip to Okinawa’s far south. They hold almost exactly the same number of people, but Ishigaki has about 40% more land.

Same population, different room

Ishigaki Island covers 222.24 km² with 49,387 residents; Miyako Island covers 158.54 km² with 50,218. That puts Miyako at about 317 people per km² and Ishigaki at about 222 — Miyako is the denser island by roughly 40%.

The landscapes differ as much as the numbers. Ishigaki is mountainous, rising to Mount Omoto, the highest peak in Okinawa Prefecture; Miyako is low and flat, with almost no rivers, and its neighbouring islands such as Irabu and Ikema are linked to it by bridges.

On a Taiwanese scale

Both islands are larger than all 90 islands of Penghu County put together (127.96 km²). Miyako is close to Kinmen County’s 151.66 km²; Ishigaki is about 1.7 times Penghu.

Questions people ask

About this geographic comparison

Which is bigger, Ishigaki Island or Miyako Island?

Ishigaki Island is bigger, with a land area about 1.4× that of Miyako Island (222.2 vs 158.5 km²).

How do Ishigaki Island and Miyako Island differ in area, population and density?

Ishigaki Island is 1.4× the size of Miyako Island — 222.2 km² vs 158.5 km². Population is 98.3% as high; average density is 70.2% as high. Each side’s scope and reference date are set out under “Boundaries and definitions” on this page.

Which island has more people, Ishigaki or Miyako?

They are almost tied: Miyako Island has 50,218 and Ishigaki Island 49,387, a gap of under 2% — and the two counts use slightly different rules.

Are both islands bigger than Penghu?

Yes. Penghu County’s 90 islands total 127.96 km², smaller than either Miyako Island (158.54 km²) or Ishigaki Island (222.24 km²).

Sources

Outline data: