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Population density: Brazil vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Brazil has a population density of 66.2 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Brazil has 432,375 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Brazil and Sri Lanka rank 164th and 25th 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Brazil 92.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Brazil
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Brazil Sri Lanka
2026 66.2 928
2025 66 923
2024 65.7 918
2023 65.4 923
2022 65.2 929
2021 64.9 928
2020 64.7 918
2019 64.3 913
2018 63.9 907
2017 63.4 898
2016 63 888
2015 62.5 878
2014 62 858
2013 61.5 850
2012 61 874
2011 60.5 868
2010 60 862
2009 59.5 857
2008 59 852
2007 58.4 846
2006 57.8 841
2005 57.2 835
2004 56.6 830
2003 56 824
2002 55.3 818
2001 54.6 810
2000 53.9 797
1999 53.2 782
1998 52.4 768
1997 51.6 754
1996 50.9 739
1995 50.1 725
1994 49.4 714
1993 48.6 703
1992 47.8 691
1991 47 680
1990 46.2 675
1989 45.4 671
1988 44.6 664
1987 43.7 657
1986 42.9 650
1985 42 642
1984 41.1 638
1983 40.2 636
1982 39.3 631
1981 38.4 624
1980 37.6 613
1979 36.7 602
1978 35.8 591
1977 35 580
1976 34.2 570
1975 33.3 560
1974 32.6 550
1973 31.8 539
1972 31 529
1971 30.3 518
1970 29.6 507
1969 28.8 496
1968 28.1 485
1967 27.4 473
1966 26.7 462
1965 26 451
1964 25.3 440
1963 24.5 429
1962 23.8 419
1961 23.1 409

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/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Brazil increased by 14.5%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Brazil ranked 154th by population density and is 164th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Brazil
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Brazil Sri Lanka
2024 87.9% 20.3%
2023 87.6% 20.1%
2022 87.3% 20%
2021 87.1% 19.8%
2020 86.9% 19.7%
2019 86.7% 19.5%
2018 86.4% 19.3%
2017 86.2% 19.2%
2016 85.9% 19%
2015 85.7% 18.8%
2014 85.4% 18.6%
2013 85.2% 18.4%
2012 84.9% 18.3%
2011 84.6% 17.8%
2010 84.3% 17.2%
2009 84.1% 16.7%
2008 83.8% 16.3%
2007 83.5% 15.9%
2006 83.3% 15.5%
2005 83% 15.2%
2004 82.7% 14.9%
2003 82.4% 14.7%
2002 82% 14.6%
2001 81.6% 14.6%
2000 81.1% 14.6%
1999 80.5% 14.7%
1998 79.8% 14.9%
1997 79% 15.2%
1996 78.3% 15.5%
1995 77.7% 15.9%
1994 77.2% 16.3%
1993 76.6% 16.7%
1992 76.1% 17.1%
1991 75.5% 17.6%
1990 74.9% 18.1%
1989 74.2% 18.6%
1988 73.6% 19%
1987 73% 19.5%
1986 72.3% 19.9%
1985 71.6% 20.3%
1984 70.9% 20.7%
1983 70.1% 21%
1982 69.3% 21.3%
1981 68.4% 21.5%
1980 67.4% 21.6%
1979 66.3% 21.8%
1978 65% 21.9%
1977 63.5% 22%
1976 61.9% 22.1%
1975 60.3% 22.2%
1974 58.7% 22.3%
1973 57.1% 22.4%
1972 55.7% 22.4%
1971 54.3% 22.4%
1970 53.2% 22.3%
1969 52.2% 22%
1968 51.2% 21.5%
1967 50.3% 21%
1966 49.5% 20.4%
1965 48.7% 19.8%
1964 47.9% 19.3%
1963 47.1% 18.9%
1962 46.3% 18.5%
1961 45.5% 18%
1960 44.7% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/brazil/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.7% to 87.9% in Brazil and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

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
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
Gampaha 191K
Beruwala 165K
Negombo 142K
Kandy 120K
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 116K
Trincomalee 99.1K
Galle 93.1K
Matara 68.2K
Anuradhapura 63.2K

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/sri-lanka | 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 (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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