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Population density: Bhutan vs Sao Tome and Principe compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bhutan has a population density of 54.5 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. Bhutan has 522,119 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. Bhutan and Sao Tome and Principe rank 168th and 46th 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 0.003% of the population and 0.0006% of the land area for Sao Tome and Principe, making the population density in Bhutan 91.8% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.

Population density by year

Bhutan
Sao Tome and Principe

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bhutan Sao Tome
2026 54.5 661
2025 54.1 648
2024 53.8 635
2023 53.4 623
2022 53 611
2021 52.7 599
2020 52.3 587
2019 51.9 576
2018 51.6 567
2017 51.2 558
2016 50.8 550
2015 50.3 540
2014 49.8 531
2013 49.3 521
2012 48.7 511
2011 48.2 501
2010 47.7 490
2009 47.2 480
2008 46.6 469
2007 46.1 458
2006 45.6 447
2005 45 436
2004 44.2 425
2003 41.5 415
2002 40.6 404
2001 39.7 395
2000 38.8 389
1999 37.9 384
1998 37.1 380
1997 36.4 375
1996 35.7 370
1995 35.7 364
1994 36.1 358
1993 30.7 352
1992 32 346
1991 33.2 339
1990 32.7 332
1989 31.8 324
1988 30.9 315
1987 30 307
1986 29.1 299.9
1985 28.2 293.1
1984 27.3 287
1983 26.5 281.6
1982 25.6 276.6
1981 24.8 271.4
1980 24 265.9
1979 23.2 259.7
1978 22.5 253
1977 21.7 246.3
1976 21 239.9
1975 20.3 233.9
1974 19.6 228.4
1973 18.9 223.4
1972 18.3 218.6
1971 17.7 214
1970 17.1 209.4
1969 16.5 205.3
1968 16 201.7
1967 15.5 198.6
1966 15 195.8
1965 14.5 193.4
1964 14 191.2
1963 13.6 189.2
1962 13.2 187.2
1961 12.8 185.4

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/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bhutan increased by 19.5%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.

In 2006, Bhutan ranked 160th by population density and is 168th now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bhutan
Sao Tome and Principe
1x
Year Urban population
Bhutan Sao Tome
2024 42.6% 68.9%
2023 41.7% 68.6%
2022 40.9% 68.4%
2021 40.3% 68.2%
2020 39.7% 68%
2019 39.1% 67.9%
2018 38.5% 67.8%
2017 37.9% 67.7%
2016 37.3% 67.5%
2015 36.7% 67.4%
2014 36.1% 67.3%
2013 35.6% 67.1%
2012 35% 67%
2011 34.5% 66.7%
2010 33.9% 66.1%
2009 33.3% 65.1%
2008 32.8% 63.9%
2007 32.2% 62.5%
2006 31.6% 61%
2005 30.9% 59.4%
2004 30.3% 57.9%
2003 29.6% 56.4%
2002 29% 55.1%
2001 28.3% 54%
2000 27.6% 53%
1999 26.9% 52%
1998 26.2% 51.1%
1997 25.5% 50.2%
1996 24.7% 49.4%
1995 24% 48.5%
1994 23.3% 47.6%
1993 22.5% 46.7%
1992 21.7% 45.8%
1991 21% 44.8%
1990 20.2% 43.7%
1989 19.4% 42.5%
1988 18.6% 41.3%
1987 17.9% 40%
1986 17.1% 38.7%
1985 16.3% 37.5%
1984 15.5% 36.3%
1983 14.7% 35.3%
1982 13.9% 34.5%
1981 13% 33.8%
1980 12.2% 33.3%
1979 11.2% 32.9%
1978 10.1% 32.6%
1977 8.99% 32.3%
1976 7.87% 32.1%
1975 6.78% 31.8%
1974 5.77% 31.5%
1973 4.86% 31.2%
1972 4.09% 30.8%
1971 3.51% 30.4%
1970 3.16% 29.8%
1969 3.01% 28.8%
1968 2.91% 27.4%
1967 2.83% 25.7%
1966 2.77% 23.8%
1965 2.71% 21.9%
1964 2.66% 20%
1963 2.61% 18.3%
1962 2.57% 16.9%
1961 2.53% 15.9%
1960 2.48% 15.4%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/bhutan/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 30.3% to 42.6% in Bhutan and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.

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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/sao-tome-and-principe | 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 (2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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