Burkina Faso has a population density of 222.9 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Burkina Faso has 125,334 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Burkina Faso and South Africa are ranked 102nd and 136th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burkina Faso has 0.29% of the world's population and 0.18% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Burkina Faso is 63.1% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Burkina Faso
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 222.9 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 102/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
24497999
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 105,638 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 125,060 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 66.8% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 33.2% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.4% | 14.8% |
Burkina Faso vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Burkina Faso increased by 74.4%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Burkina Faso ranked 121st for population density and is in 102nd place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Burkina Faso
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 222.9 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 218 | 135 |
| 2022 | 213.1 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 208.2 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 203.3 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 198.4 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 193.5 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 188.3 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 183 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 177.8 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 172.6 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 167.5 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 162.6 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 157.7 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 153.1 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 148.7 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 144.4 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 140.3 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 136.1 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 131.9 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 127.8 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 123.8 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 120 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 116.4 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 112.9 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 109.6 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 106.4 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 103.5 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 100.9 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 98.3 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 95.8 | 94 |
| 1993 | 93.4 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 91.2 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 88.9 | 89 |
| 1990 | 86.7 | 87 |
| 1989 | 84.5 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 80.1 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 77.9 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 75.7 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 73.6 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 71.5 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 69.5 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 67.6 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 65.8 | 63 |
| 1979 | 64 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 62.4 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 60.9 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 59.5 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 58.2 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 57 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 56 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 55 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 54 | 49 |
| 1970 | 53.1 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 52.2 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 51.3 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 50.4 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 49.6 | 42 |
| 1965 | 48.8 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 48 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 47.3 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 46.6 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 45.9 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Burkina Faso
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 33.2% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 32.5% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 31.9% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 31.2% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 30.6% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 30% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 29.4% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 28.7% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 28.1% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 27.5% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 26.9% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 26.3% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 25.8% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 25.2% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 24.6% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 24.1% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 23.5% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 23% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 22.3% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 21.5% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 20.8% | 59% |
| 2003 | 20% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 19.3% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 18.5% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 17.8% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 17.2% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 16.5% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 15.9% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 15.4% | 55% |
| 1995 | 15.1% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 14.9% | 54% |
| 1993 | 14.6% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | 53% |
| 1991 | 14.1% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 13.8% | 52% |
| 1989 | 13.6% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 13.3% | 51% |
| 1987 | 13.1% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 12.8% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 12.3% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 11.5% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 10.8% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 10.1% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 9.43% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 8.81% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 8.22% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 7.67% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 7.15% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 6.67% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 6.35% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 6.22% | 48% |
| 1973 | 6.1% | 48% |
| 1972 | 5.98% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 5.86% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 5.75% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 5.63% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 5.52% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 5.41% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 5.3% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 5.2% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 5.09% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 4.99% | 47% |
| 1962 | 4.89% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 4.8% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 4.7% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 20.8% to 33.2% in Burkina Faso and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Burkina Faso
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Ouagadougou | 2.45M |
| Bobo-Dioulasso | 904K |
| Koudougou | 160K |
| Ouahigouya | 125K |
| Fada N'gourma | 73.2K |
| Dedougou | 63.6K |
| Leo | 51.7K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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