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Population density: Brazil vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Brazil has a population density of 66.2 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Brazil has 432,375 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Brazil and Rwanda rank 164th and 13th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Brazil has 2.61% of the world's population and 5.61% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Brazil 95.8% lower than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

Brazil
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Brazil Rwanda
2026 66.2 1,563
2025 66 1,529
2024 65.7 1,497
2023 65.4 1,465
2022 65.2 1,433
2021 64.9 1,402
2020 64.7 1,372
2019 64.3 1,341
2018 63.9 1,311
2017 63.4 1,281
2016 63 1,251
2015 62.5 1,222
2014 62 1,193
2013 61.5 1,165
2012 61 1,137
2011 60.5 1,110
2010 60 1,083
2009 59.5 1,056
2008 59 1,029
2007 58.4 1,003
2006 57.8 976
2005 57.2 951
2004 56.6 926
2003 56 901
2002 55.3 882
2001 54.6 870
2000 53.9 862
1999 53.2 855
1998 52.4 848
1997 51.6 814
1996 50.9 704
1995 50.1 596
1994 49.4 713
1993 48.6 838
1992 47.8 807
1991 47 790
1990 46.2 774
1989 45.4 754
1988 44.6 732
1987 43.7 709
1986 42.9 686
1985 42 663
1984 41.1 641
1983 40.2 620
1982 39.3 600
1981 38.4 580
1980 37.6 562
1979 36.7 545
1978 35.8 529
1977 35 513
1976 34.2 498
1975 33.3 484
1974 32.6 470
1973 31.8 456
1972 31 443
1971 30.3 430
1970 29.6 418
1969 28.8 405
1968 28.1 393
1967 27.4 381
1966 26.7 370
1965 26 359
1964 25.3 350
1963 24.5 342
1962 23.8 334
1961 23.1 326

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/brazil/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Brazil increased by 14.5%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, Brazil ranked 154th by population density and is 164th now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Brazil
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
Brazil Rwanda
2024 87.9% 29.9%
2023 87.6% 28.9%
2022 87.3% 27.8%
2021 87.1% 26.1%
2020 86.9% 24.5%
2019 86.7% 23%
2018 86.4% 21.5%
2017 86.2% 20.2%
2016 85.9% 19.1%
2015 85.7% 18.2%
2014 85.4% 17.5%
2013 85.2% 17.1%
2012 84.9% 16.9%
2011 84.6% 16.9%
2010 84.3% 16.9%
2009 84.1% 16.9%
2008 83.8% 16.9%
2007 83.5% 16.9%
2006 83.3% 16.9%
2005 83% 16.9%
2004 82.7% 16.9%
2003 82.4% 16.9%
2002 82% 16.9%
2001 81.6% 16.5%
2000 81.1% 15.8%
1999 80.5% 14.7%
1998 79.8% 13.3%
1997 79% 11.8%
1996 78.3% 10.3%
1995 77.7% 8.82%
1994 77.2% 7.48%
1993 76.6% 6.4%
1992 76.1% 5.66%
1991 75.5% 5.36%
1990 74.9% 5.27%
1989 74.2% 5.2%
1988 73.6% 5.14%
1987 73% 5.09%
1986 72.3% 5.05%
1985 71.6% 5.01%
1984 70.9% 4.98%
1983 70.1% 4.95%
1982 69.3% 4.91%
1981 68.4% 4.87%
1980 67.4% 4.82%
1979 66.3% 4.75%
1978 65% 4.67%
1977 63.5% 4.55%
1976 61.9% 4.39%
1975 60.3% 4.19%
1974 58.7% 3.97%
1973 57.1% 3.75%
1972 55.7% 3.55%
1971 54.3% 3.37%
1970 53.2% 3.24%
1969 52.2% 3.14%
1968 51.2% 3.06%
1967 50.3% 3%
1966 49.5% 2.94%
1965 48.7% 2.88%
1964 47.9% 2.83%
1963 47.1% 2.78%
1962 46.3% 2.72%
1961 45.5% 2.67%
1960 44.7% 2.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/brazil/rwanda | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.7% to 87.9% in Brazil and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

Densely populated cities

Brazil
City Population
Sao Paulo 11.5M
Rio de Janeiro 6.21M
Brasilia 3M
Fortaleza 2.58M
Salvador 2.42M
Belo Horizonte 2.32M
Manaus 2.3M
Curitiba 1.77M
Recife 1.49M
Goiania 1.44M
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

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/brazil/rwanda | 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 (2012–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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