Skip to content

Population density: Burundi vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Burundi has a population density of 1,487 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Burundi has 21,327 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Burundi and Sri Lanka rank 15th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burundi has 0.17% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Burundi 60.3% higher than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Burundi
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Burundi Sri Lanka
2026 1,487 928
2025 1,452 923
2024 1,417 918
2023 1,381 923
2022 1,344 929
2021 1,308 928
2020 1,273 918
2019 1,236 913
2018 1,196 907
2017 1,161 898
2016 1,134 888
2015 1,114 878
2014 1,089 858
2013 1,053 850
2012 1,016 874
2011 980 868
2010 946 862
2009 902 857
2008 858 852
2007 823 846
2006 793 841
2005 765 835
2004 737 830
2003 710 824
2002 688 818
2001 669 810
2000 653 797
1999 639 782
1998 624 768
1997 612 754
1996 612 739
1995 612 725
1994 576 714
1993 573 703
1992 591 691
1991 575 680
1990 563 675
1989 552 671
1988 541 664
1987 529 657
1986 517 650
1985 508 642
1984 497 638
1983 485 636
1982 472 631
1981 461 624
1980 442 613
1979 424 602
1978 414 591
1977 402 580
1976 392 570
1975 383 560
1974 374 550
1973 364 539
1972 365 529
1971 365 518
1970 356 507
1969 348 496
1968 341 485
1967 333 473
1966 325 462
1965 317 451
1964 308 440
1963 299.5 429
1962 293.3 419
1961 285.9 409

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/burundi/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Burundi increased by 87.4%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Burundi ranked 27th by population density and is 15th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Burundi
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Burundi Sri Lanka
2024 24.8% 20.3%
2023 23.6% 20.1%
2022 22.3% 20%
2021 21.1% 19.8%
2020 19.9% 19.7%
2019 18.8% 19.5%
2018 17.7% 19.3%
2017 16.6% 19.2%
2016 15.6% 19%
2015 14.7% 18.8%
2014 13.8% 18.6%
2013 13% 18.4%
2012 12.2% 18.3%
2011 11.6% 17.8%
2010 11% 17.2%
2009 10.5% 16.7%
2008 10.1% 16.3%
2007 9.77% 15.9%
2006 9.46% 15.5%
2005 9.18% 15.2%
2004 8.92% 14.9%
2003 8.68% 14.7%
2002 8.45% 14.6%
2001 8.24% 14.6%
2000 8.04% 14.6%
1999 7.86% 14.7%
1998 7.68% 14.9%
1997 7.51% 15.2%
1996 7.34% 15.5%
1995 7.17% 15.9%
1994 7% 16.3%
1993 6.83% 16.7%
1992 6.65% 17.1%
1991 6.46% 17.6%
1990 6.27% 18.1%
1989 6.07% 18.6%
1988 5.86% 19%
1987 5.66% 19.5%
1986 5.46% 19.9%
1985 5.26% 20.3%
1984 5.07% 20.7%
1983 4.88% 21%
1982 4.69% 21.3%
1981 4.51% 21.5%
1980 4.34% 21.6%
1979 4.18% 21.8%
1978 4.02% 21.9%
1977 3.87% 22%
1976 3.72% 22.1%
1975 3.57% 22.2%
1974 3.42% 22.3%
1973 3.28% 22.4%
1972 3.14% 22.4%
1971 3.01% 22.4%
1970 2.88% 22.3%
1969 2.75% 22%
1968 2.63% 21.5%
1967 2.51% 21%
1966 2.4% 20.4%
1965 2.3% 19.8%
1964 2.2% 19.3%
1963 2.11% 18.9%
1962 2.01% 18.5%
1961 1.92% 18%
1960 1.84% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 8.92% to 24.8% in Burundi and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Burundi
City Population
Bujumbura 659K
Gitega 136K
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/burundi/sri-lanka | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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 (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.