The Dominican Republic has a population density of 624 people per square mile compared to 139.8 people in South Africa. The Dominican Republic has 45,844 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. The Dominican Republic and South Africa rank 49th and 135th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Dominican Republic has 0.14% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, making the population density in the Dominican Republic 346% higher than in South Africa.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Dominican Republic
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2026 | 624 | 139.8 |
| 2025 | 619 | 138.3 |
| 2024 | 614 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 609 | 135 |
| 2022 | 603 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 598 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 592 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 585 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 578 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 572 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 566 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 559 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 553 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 547 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 540 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 533 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 526 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 520 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 513 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 507 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 501 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 495 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 488 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 481 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 475 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 468 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 460 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 453 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 446 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 438 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 431 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 423 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 415 | 94 |
| 1993 | 407 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 399 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 391 | 89 |
| 1990 | 383 | 87 |
| 1989 | 375 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 368 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 360 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 352 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 345 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 337 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 330 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 322 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 315 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 307 | 63 |
| 1979 | 299.7 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 292.3 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 285 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 277.7 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 270.6 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 263.5 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 256.4 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 249.4 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 242.6 | 49 |
| 1970 | 235.9 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 229.3 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 222.9 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 216.5 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 210.3 | 42 |
| 1965 | 204.2 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 198.3 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 192.4 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 186.6 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 180.8 | 36.1 |
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/dominican-republic/south-africa | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Dominican Republic increased by 24.6%, compared to a 31% growth in South Africa.
In 2006, the Dominican Republic ranked 43rd by population density and is 49th now. South Africa was 134th in 2006 and ranks 135th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Dominican Republic
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 624 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 49/197 | 135/197 |
| Population |
11637906
|
65683993
|
| Land area | 18,609 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 45,399 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 27.6% | 36.3% |
| Urban population | 72.4% | 63.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 30.5% | 15% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Dominican Republic
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 72.4% | 63.7% |
| 2023 | 72.4% | 63.6% |
| 2022 | 72.4% | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 72.9% | 63.5% |
| 2020 | 73.3% | 63.4% |
| 2019 | 73.5% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 73.8% | 63.4% |
| 2017 | 73.9% | 63.3% |
| 2016 | 74.1% | 63.3% |
| 2015 | 74.1% | 63.2% |
| 2014 | 74.2% | 63.1% |
| 2013 | 74.2% | 63.1% |
| 2012 | 74.2% | 63% |
| 2011 | 74.2% | 62.9% |
| 2010 | 74.2% | 62.6% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 72.5% | 61.8% |
| 2007 | 71% | 61.2% |
| 2006 | 69.3% | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 67.6% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 65.9% | 59.1% |
| 2003 | 64.4% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 63.3% | 57.7% |
| 2001 | 62.3% | 57% |
| 2000 | 61.3% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 60.4% | 55.4% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 54.7% |
| 1997 | 58.6% | 54% |
| 1996 | 57.8% | 53.6% |
| 1995 | 57.1% | 53.3% |
| 1994 | 56.5% | 53.1% |
| 1993 | 56% | 52.9% |
| 1992 | 55.6% | 52.7% |
| 1991 | 55.3% | 52.4% |
| 1990 | 55% | 52% |
| 1989 | 54.7% | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 54.4% | 50.7% |
| 1987 | 54.2% | 50.1% |
| 1986 | 54% | 49.6% |
| 1985 | 53.7% | 49.2% |
| 1984 | 53.4% | 49% |
| 1983 | 53.1% | 48.8% |
| 1982 | 52.6% | 48.6% |
| 1981 | 52.1% | 48.5% |
| 1980 | 51.5% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 50.7% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 49.7% | 48.2% |
| 1977 | 48.6% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 47.5% | 48.1% |
| 1975 | 46.3% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 45% | 48% |
| 1973 | 43.8% | 48% |
| 1972 | 42.6% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 41.4% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 40.2% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 39.2% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 38.1% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 37.1% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 36% | 47.5% |
| 1965 | 34.9% | 47.4% |
| 1964 | 33.9% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 32.9% | 47.1% |
| 1962 | 31.9% | 47% |
| 1961 | 31% | 46.9% |
| 1960 | 30.2% | 46.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/dominican-republic/south-africa | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 65.9% to 72.4% in the Dominican Republic and from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Dominican Republic
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Santo Domingo | 2.2M |
| Santiago de los Caballeros | 1.34M |
| Puerto Plata | 338K |
| La Vega | 282K |
| Higuey | 251K |
| San Cristobal | 233K |
| San Pedro de Macoris | 217K |
| San Francisco de Macoris | 188K |
| San Juan de la Maguana | 169K |
| Bonao | 158K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| 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
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/dominican-republic/south-africa | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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