Skip to content

Population density: Bangladesh vs Iran compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bangladesh has a population density of 3,544 people per square mile compared to 148.9 people in Iran. Bangladesh has 9,152 sq ft of land per person vs 193,748 sq ft in Iran. Bangladesh and Iran rank 7th and 134th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bangladesh has 2.14% of the world's population and 0.09% of all countries' land area, compared to 1.13% of the population and 1.09% of the land area for Iran, making the population density in Bangladesh 2,280% higher than in Iran.

Population density by year

Bangladesh
Iran

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bangladesh Iran
2026 3,544 148.9
2025 3,501 147.6
2024 3,458 146.2
2023 3,417 144.6
2022 3,368 142.9
2021 3,336 141.2
2020 3,309 140
2019 3,281 139
2018 3,254 137.5
2017 3,227 135.7
2016 3,200 133.3
2015 3,171 131.4
2014 3,143 129.6
2013 3,115 127.9
2012 3,085 126.2
2011 3,056 124.6
2010 3,028 123.1
2009 3,002 121.6
2008 2,974 120.1
2007 2,945 118.6
2006 2,913 116.7
2005 2,879 114.2
2004 2,843 111.7
2003 2,805 109.4
2002 2,764 108.1
2001 2,722 107.3
2000 2,677 105.6
1999 2,629 104.1
1998 2,579 102.6
1997 2,531 101.2
1996 2,484 100
1995 2,439 98.9
1994 2,394 97.8
1993 2,350 97.6
1992 2,307 97.3
1991 2,264 95.4
1990 2,221 92.8
1989 2,177 90.2
1988 2,133 87.6
1987 2,088 84.8
1986 2,042 81.8
1985 1,995 78.8
1984 1,946 76
1983 1,897 73.2
1982 1,847 70.4
1981 1,797 66.8
1980 1,751 63.4
1979 1,710 61.1
1978 1,669 59
1977 1,629 57.1
1976 1,589 55.4
1975 1,549 53.8
1974 1,509 52.2
1973 1,467 50.6
1972 1,425 49.2
1971 1,398 47.8
1970 1,374 46.3
1969 1,339 45
1968 1,301 43.6
1967 1,264 42.3
1966 1,227 41.1
1965 1,192 39.8
1964 1,158 38.6
1963 1,124 37.4
1962 1,092 36.3
1961 1,061 35.2

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/iran | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bangladesh increased by 21.6%, compared to a 27.6% growth in Iran.

In 2006, Bangladesh ranked 6th by population density and is 7th now. Iran was 130th in 2006 and ranks 134th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bangladesh
Iran
1x
Year Urban population
Bangladesh Iran
2024 32.7% 77%
2023 32.2% 76.7%
2022 31.7% 76.3%
2021 31.4% 76%
2020 31.1% 75.6%
2019 30.8% 75.2%
2018 30.5% 74.8%
2017 30.2% 74.4%
2016 29.9% 73.9%
2015 29.5% 73.4%
2014 29.2% 72.8%
2013 28.8% 72.3%
2012 28.5% 71.8%
2011 28.1% 71.2%
2010 27.7% 70.6%
2009 27.3% 70%
2008 26.9% 69.4%
2007 26.4% 68.8%
2006 25.9% 68.3%
2005 25.5% 67.9%
2004 25% 67.3%
2003 24.6% 66.6%
2002 24.1% 65.9%
2001 23.7% 65.2%
2000 23.3% 64.5%
1999 23% 63.7%
1998 22.6% 62.9%
1997 22.3% 62.1%
1996 22% 61.1%
1995 21.7% 60.4%
1994 21.3% 59.6%
1993 21% 58.7%
1992 20.6% 57.9%
1991 20.3% 56.9%
1990 19.9% 56.5%
1989 19.4% 55.9%
1988 19% 55.4%
1987 18.6% 54.8%
1986 18.1% 54.2%
1985 17.6% 53.6%
1984 17.1% 52.8%
1983 16.6% 52.1%
1982 16% 51.4%
1981 15.4% 50.7%
1980 14.7% 49.9%
1979 13.8% 49.2%
1978 12.7% 48.5%
1977 11.6% 47.8%
1976 10.6% 46.8%
1975 9.63% 46.1%
1974 8.96% 45.2%
1973 8.49% 44.3%
1972 8.09% 43.3%
1971 7.72% 42.4%
1970 7.38% 41.5%
1969 7.07% 40.6%
1968 6.79% 39.7%
1967 6.53% 38.9%
1966 6.29% 37.7%
1965 6.07% 37.1%
1964 5.85% 36.6%
1963 5.66% 35.9%
1962 5.47% 35.3%
1961 5.28% 34.6%
1960 5.11% 34%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/iran | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25% to 32.7% in Bangladesh and from 67.3% to 77% in Iran.

Densely populated cities

Bangladesh
City Population
Dhaka 16.8M
Chittagong 2.58M
Narayanganj 968K
Khulna 929K
Sylhet 480K
Rajshahi 448K
Bogra 401K
Barisal 328K
Rangpur 294K
Brahmanbaria 268K
Iran
City Population
Tehran 8.69M
Mashhad 3M
Isfahan 1.96M
Karaj 1.59M
Shiraz 1.57M
Tabriz 1.56M
Qom 1.2M
Ahvaz 1.18M
Kermanshah 947K
Urmia 736K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bangladesh/iran | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.