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Population density: DR Congo vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

The DR Congo has a population density of 133.1 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. The DR Congo has 230,973 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. The DR Congo and Sri Lanka rank 138th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The DR Congo has 1.34% of the world's population and 1.52% 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 the DR Congo 85.7% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

DR Congo
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
DR Congo Sri Lanka
2026 133.1 928
2025 128.9 923
2024 124.8 918
2023 120.9 923
2022 117 929
2021 113.3 928
2020 109.7 918
2019 106.2 913
2018 102.9 907
2017 99.5 898
2016 95.9 888
2015 92.6 878
2014 89.6 858
2013 86.6 850
2012 83.7 874
2011 80.9 868
2010 78.3 862
2009 75.9 857
2008 73.6 852
2007 71.4 846
2006 69.3 841
2005 67.1 835
2004 65.1 830
2003 63.2 824
2002 61.4 818
2001 59.6 810
2000 57.7 797
1999 55.9 782
1998 54 768
1997 52.6 754
1996 51.7 739
1995 50.8 725
1994 48.7 714
1993 46.4 703
1992 44.8 691
1991 43.3 680
1990 41.9 675
1989 40.5 671
1988 39.3 664
1987 38 657
1986 36.9 650
1985 35.7 642
1984 34.6 638
1983 33.4 636
1982 32.4 631
1981 31.4 624
1980 30.5 613
1979 29.6 602
1978 28.6 591
1977 27.7 580
1976 27 570
1975 26.3 560
1974 25.6 550
1973 24.9 539
1972 24.3 529
1971 23.6 518
1970 23 507
1969 22.4 496
1968 21.7 485
1967 21.1 473
1966 20.5 462
1965 19.9 451
1964 19.4 440
1963 18.9 429
1962 18.4 419
1961 17.9 409

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/dr-congo/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the DR Congo increased by 92.2%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, the DR Congo ranked 150th by population density and is 138th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

DR Congo
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
DR Congo Sri Lanka
2024 44.7% 20.3%
2023 44.4% 20.1%
2022 44% 20%
2021 43.6% 19.8%
2020 43.3% 19.7%
2019 42.9% 19.5%
2018 42.5% 19.3%
2017 42.1% 19.2%
2016 41.7% 19%
2015 41.3% 18.8%
2014 41% 18.6%
2013 40.6% 18.4%
2012 40.2% 18.3%
2011 39.8% 17.8%
2010 39.4% 17.2%
2009 39% 16.7%
2008 38.6% 16.3%
2007 38.2% 15.9%
2006 37.8% 15.5%
2005 37.4% 15.2%
2004 37% 14.9%
2003 36.5% 14.7%
2002 35.9% 14.6%
2001 35.4% 14.6%
2000 34.9% 14.6%
1999 34.4% 14.7%
1998 33.9% 14.9%
1997 33.4% 15.2%
1996 32.9% 15.5%
1995 32.5% 15.9%
1994 32% 16.3%
1993 31.5% 16.7%
1992 31.1% 17.1%
1991 30.7% 17.6%
1990 30.3% 18.1%
1989 29.9% 18.6%
1988 29.5% 19%
1987 29.1% 19.5%
1986 28.8% 19.9%
1985 28.4% 20.3%
1984 28.1% 20.7%
1983 27.8% 21%
1982 27.5% 21.3%
1981 27.2% 21.5%
1980 26.8% 21.6%
1979 26.5% 21.8%
1978 26.2% 21.9%
1977 25.9% 22%
1976 25.6% 22.1%
1975 25.4% 22.2%
1974 25.1% 22.3%
1973 24.8% 22.4%
1972 24.5% 22.4%
1971 24.3% 22.4%
1970 24% 22.3%
1969 23.8% 22%
1968 23.6% 21.5%
1967 23.4% 21%
1966 23.2% 20.4%
1965 23% 19.8%
1964 22.8% 19.3%
1963 22.7% 18.9%
1962 22.5% 18.5%
1961 22.4% 18%
1960 22.3% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 37% to 44.7% in the DR Congo and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

DR Congo
City Population
Kinshasa 14.6M
Mbuji-Mayi 2.89M
Kananga 1.97M
Lubumbashi 1.79M
Kisangani 1.37M
Tshikapa 1.01M
Uvira 726K
Bukavu 707K
Kolwezi 480K
Mbandaka 470K
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/dr-congo/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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