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Population density: Bangladesh vs Nigeria compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bangladesh has a population density of 3,544 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Bangladesh has 9,152 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Bangladesh and Nigeria rank 7th and 41st 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 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in Bangladesh 414% higher than in Nigeria.

Population density by year

Bangladesh
Nigeria

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bangladesh Nigeria
2026 3,544 690
2025 3,501 676
2024 3,458 662
2023 3,417 648
2022 3,368 635
2021 3,336 621
2020 3,309 609
2019 3,281 596
2018 3,254 583
2017 3,227 569
2016 3,200 556
2015 3,171 542
2014 3,143 529
2013 3,115 515
2012 3,085 501
2011 3,056 487
2010 3,028 474
2009 3,002 461
2008 2,974 448
2007 2,945 436
2006 2,913 424
2005 2,879 412
2004 2,843 401
2003 2,805 390
2002 2,764 380
2001 2,722 369
2000 2,677 359
1999 2,629 350
1998 2,579 341
1997 2,531 332
1996 2,484 323
1995 2,439 315
1994 2,394 307
1993 2,350 298.9
1992 2,307 291.1
1991 2,264 283.6
1990 2,221 276.2
1989 2,177 268.8
1988 2,133 261.7
1987 2,088 254.8
1986 2,042 248.1
1985 1,995 241.4
1984 1,946 234.7
1983 1,897 228.7
1982 1,847 222.9
1981 1,797 216.3
1980 1,751 209.8
1979 1,710 203.3
1978 1,669 197.1
1977 1,629 191.2
1976 1,589 185.6
1975 1,549 180.3
1974 1,509 175.4
1973 1,467 170.9
1972 1,425 166.6
1971 1,398 162.7
1970 1,374 158.9
1969 1,339 155.4
1968 1,301 151.9
1967 1,264 148.7
1966 1,227 145.6
1965 1,192 142.4
1964 1,158 139.4
1963 1,124 136.4
1962 1,092 133.6
1961 1,061 130.8

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/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bangladesh increased by 21.6%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.

In 2006, Bangladesh ranked 6th by population density and is 7th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bangladesh
Nigeria
1x
Year Urban population
Bangladesh Nigeria
2024 32.7% 63%
2023 32.2% 62.2%
2022 31.7% 61.4%
2021 31.4% 60.6%
2020 31.1% 59.8%
2019 30.8% 59%
2018 30.5% 58.2%
2017 30.2% 57.3%
2016 29.9% 56.5%
2015 29.5% 55.7%
2014 29.2% 54.9%
2013 28.8% 54.1%
2012 28.5% 53.3%
2011 28.1% 52.5%
2010 27.7% 51.7%
2009 27.3% 50.9%
2008 26.9% 50.1%
2007 26.4% 49.2%
2006 25.9% 48.4%
2005 25.5% 47.6%
2004 25% 46.7%
2003 24.6% 45.8%
2002 24.1% 45%
2001 23.7% 44.1%
2000 23.3% 43.3%
1999 23% 42.4%
1998 22.6% 41.6%
1997 22.3% 40.8%
1996 22% 40%
1995 21.7% 39.1%
1994 21.3% 38.3%
1993 21% 37.5%
1992 20.6% 36.7%
1991 20.3% 36%
1990 19.9% 35.2%
1989 19.4% 34.4%
1988 19% 33.6%
1987 18.6% 32.8%
1986 18.1% 32.1%
1985 17.6% 31.3%
1984 17.1% 30.5%
1983 16.6% 29.7%
1982 16% 28.9%
1981 15.4% 28.2%
1980 14.7% 27.4%
1979 13.8% 26.7%
1978 12.7% 25.9%
1977 11.6% 25.2%
1976 10.6% 24.4%
1975 9.63% 23.7%
1974 8.96% 23%
1973 8.49% 22.3%
1972 8.09% 21.6%
1971 7.72% 20.9%
1970 7.38% 20.2%
1969 7.07% 19.6%
1968 6.79% 18.9%
1967 6.53% 18.3%
1966 6.29% 17.7%
1965 6.07% 17.1%
1964 5.85% 16.5%
1963 5.66% 15.9%
1962 5.47% 15.4%
1961 5.28% 14.8%
1960 5.11% 14.2%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25% to 32.7% in Bangladesh and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.

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
Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.55M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Maiduguri 1.2M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M

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/nigeria | CC BY

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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 (2006–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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