The characteristics of landfilled municipal solid waste have great influence on the design, operation, and management of landfills, affecting settlement, slope stability, and leachate/gas well integrity. Through analysis and study we observed that the landfill method is widely used to dispose of municipal solid waste (MSW), especially in developing countries. The research results of MSW landfill properties are different due to waste inhomogeneity. In this paper, MSW physical composition, unit weight, and permeability coefficient of landfills in several countries were reviewed and discussed. Landfilled MSW has strong regional and temporal characteristics. Landfilled MSW of developing countries has high organic content ranges from 75.00% to 97.15%. The organic contents in landfills of most developed regions are relatively small. The unit weight ranged from 4.9-17.8 kN/m³ and the permeability coefficient ranged from 3.5×10^-2 cm/sec to 5.0×10^-8 cm/sec within 60 m. In the process of waste degradation, MSW physical composition, unit weight, and permeability coefficient are changed. Waste classification improves the recovery and utilization of landfill and reduces the amount of waste, which affects the characteristics of landfilled MSW. Thus, strengthening waste classification, recycling, and recovery of MSW is significant and meaningful for construction, operation, and management of landfills.