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Population density: Bhutan vs Nigeria compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bhutan has a population density of 54.5 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Bhutan has 522,119 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Bhutan and Nigeria rank 168th and 41st by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bhutan has 0.01% of the world's population and 0.03% 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 Bhutan 92.1% lower than in Nigeria.

Population density by year

Bhutan
Nigeria

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bhutan Nigeria
2026 54.5 690
2025 54.1 676
2024 53.8 662
2023 53.4 648
2022 53 635
2021 52.7 621
2020 52.3 609
2019 51.9 596
2018 51.6 583
2017 51.2 569
2016 50.8 556
2015 50.3 542
2014 49.8 529
2013 49.3 515
2012 48.7 501
2011 48.2 487
2010 47.7 474
2009 47.2 461
2008 46.6 448
2007 46.1 436
2006 45.6 424
2005 45 412
2004 44.2 401
2003 41.5 390
2002 40.6 380
2001 39.7 369
2000 38.8 359
1999 37.9 350
1998 37.1 341
1997 36.4 332
1996 35.7 323
1995 35.7 315
1994 36.1 307
1993 30.7 298.9
1992 32 291.1
1991 33.2 283.6
1990 32.7 276.2
1989 31.8 268.8
1988 30.9 261.7
1987 30 254.8
1986 29.1 248.1
1985 28.2 241.4
1984 27.3 234.7
1983 26.5 228.7
1982 25.6 222.9
1981 24.8 216.3
1980 24 209.8
1979 23.2 203.3
1978 22.5 197.1
1977 21.7 191.2
1976 21 185.6
1975 20.3 180.3
1974 19.6 175.4
1973 18.9 170.9
1972 18.3 166.6
1971 17.7 162.7
1970 17.1 158.9
1969 16.5 155.4
1968 16 151.9
1967 15.5 148.7
1966 15 145.6
1965 14.5 142.4
1964 14 139.4
1963 13.6 136.4
1962 13.2 133.6
1961 12.8 130.8

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/bhutan/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bhutan increased by 19.5%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.

In 2006, Bhutan ranked 160th by population density and is 168th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bhutan
Nigeria
1x
Year Urban population
Bhutan Nigeria
2024 42.6% 63%
2023 41.7% 62.2%
2022 40.9% 61.4%
2021 40.3% 60.6%
2020 39.7% 59.8%
2019 39.1% 59%
2018 38.5% 58.2%
2017 37.9% 57.3%
2016 37.3% 56.5%
2015 36.7% 55.7%
2014 36.1% 54.9%
2013 35.6% 54.1%
2012 35% 53.3%
2011 34.5% 52.5%
2010 33.9% 51.7%
2009 33.3% 50.9%
2008 32.8% 50.1%
2007 32.2% 49.2%
2006 31.6% 48.4%
2005 30.9% 47.6%
2004 30.3% 46.7%
2003 29.6% 45.8%
2002 29% 45%
2001 28.3% 44.1%
2000 27.6% 43.3%
1999 26.9% 42.4%
1998 26.2% 41.6%
1997 25.5% 40.8%
1996 24.7% 40%
1995 24% 39.1%
1994 23.3% 38.3%
1993 22.5% 37.5%
1992 21.7% 36.7%
1991 21% 36%
1990 20.2% 35.2%
1989 19.4% 34.4%
1988 18.6% 33.6%
1987 17.9% 32.8%
1986 17.1% 32.1%
1985 16.3% 31.3%
1984 15.5% 30.5%
1983 14.7% 29.7%
1982 13.9% 28.9%
1981 13% 28.2%
1980 12.2% 27.4%
1979 11.2% 26.7%
1978 10.1% 25.9%
1977 8.99% 25.2%
1976 7.87% 24.4%
1975 6.78% 23.7%
1974 5.77% 23%
1973 4.86% 22.3%
1972 4.09% 21.6%
1971 3.51% 20.9%
1970 3.16% 20.2%
1969 3.01% 19.6%
1968 2.91% 18.9%
1967 2.83% 18.3%
1966 2.77% 17.7%
1965 2.71% 17.1%
1964 2.66% 16.5%
1963 2.61% 15.9%
1962 2.57% 15.4%
1961 2.53% 14.8%
1960 2.48% 14.2%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 30.3% to 42.6% in Bhutan and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.

Densely populated cities

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

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