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Population density: Eritrea vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Eritrea has a population density of 78.6 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Eritrea has 358,025 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Eritrea and Sri Lanka rank 156th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Eritrea has 0.04% of the world's population and 0.08% 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 Eritrea 91.5% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Eritrea
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Eritrea Sri Lanka
2026 78.6 928
2025 77 923
2024 75.6 918
2023 74.2 923
2022 72.9 929
2021 71.6 928
2020 70.4 918
2019 69.3 913
2018 68.3 907
2017 67.4 898
2016 66.8 888
2015 66.4 878
2014 66.2 858
2013 65.8 850
2012 65 874
2011 64.1 868
2010 63 862
2009 61.8 857
2008 60.3 852
2007 58.7 846
2006 57.9 841
2005 57 835
2004 55.6 830
2003 64 824
2002 61.4 818
2001 59.3 810
2000 57.6 797
1999 56.7 782
1998 55.9 768
1997 55.2 754
1996 54.6 739
1995 51.9 725
1994 49.1 714
1993 47.6 703
1992 - 691
1991 - 680
1990 - 675
1989 - 671
1988 - 664
1987 - 657
1986 - 650
1985 - 642
1984 - 638
1983 - 636
1982 - 631
1981 - 624
1980 - 613
1979 - 602
1978 - 591
1977 - 580
1976 - 570
1975 - 560
1974 - 550
1973 - 539
1972 - 529
1971 - 518
1970 - 507
1969 - 496
1968 - 485
1967 - 473
1966 - 462
1965 - 451
1964 - 440
1963 - 429
1962 - 419
1961 - 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/eritrea/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Eritrea increased by 35.9%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Eritrea ranked 153rd by population density and is 156th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Eritrea
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Eritrea Sri Lanka
2024 34.5% 20.3%
2023 34.7% 20.1%
2022 34.8% 20%
2021 35% 19.8%
2020 35.1% 19.7%
2019 35.2% 19.5%
2018 35.3% 19.3%
2017 35.4% 19.2%
2016 35.5% 19%
2015 35.6% 18.8%
2014 35.6% 18.6%
2013 35.7% 18.4%
2012 35.7% 18.3%
2011 35.7% 17.8%
2010 35.6% 17.2%
2009 35.6% 16.7%
2008 35.5% 16.3%
2007 35.4% 15.9%
2006 35.3% 15.5%
2005 35.1% 15.2%
2004 34.9% 14.9%
2003 34.7% 14.7%
2002 34.5% 14.6%
2001 34.3% 14.6%
2000 34.1% 14.6%
1999 33.5% 14.7%
1998 32.4% 14.9%
1997 30.9% 15.2%
1996 29.2% 15.5%
1995 27.2% 15.9%
1994 25.2% 16.3%
1993 23.3% 16.7%
1992 21.4% 17.1%
1991 19.8% 17.6%
1990 18.6% 18.1%
1989 17.7% 18.6%
1988 16.7% 19%
1987 16.2% 19.5%
1986 15.8% 19.9%
1985 15.4% 20.3%
1984 15.2% 20.7%
1983 14.9% 21%
1982 14.7% 21.3%
1981 14.5% 21.5%
1980 14.4% 21.6%
1979 14.2% 21.8%
1978 14% 21.9%
1977 13.9% 22%
1976 13.7% 22.1%
1975 13.6% 22.2%
1974 13.4% 22.3%
1973 13.3% 22.4%
1972 13.1% 22.4%
1971 13% 22.4%
1970 12.8% 22.3%
1969 12.6% 22%
1968 12.4% 21.5%
1967 12.2% 21%
1966 12% 20.4%
1965 11.7% 19.8%
1964 11.5% 19.3%
1963 11.2% 18.9%
1962 11% 18.5%
1961 10.7% 18%
1960 10.4% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 34.9% to 34.5% in Eritrea and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Eritrea
City Population
Asmara 963K
Keren 120K
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/eritrea/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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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