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Population density: Ethiopia vs Netherlands compared

Updated on by Georank team

Ethiopia has a population density of 319 people per square mile compared to 1,402 people in the Netherlands. Ethiopia has 90,009 sq ft of land per person vs 22,360 sq ft in the Netherlands. Ethiopia and the Netherlands rank 78th and 17th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ethiopia has 1.62% of the world's population and 0.76% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.22% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for the Netherlands, making the population density in Ethiopia 77.3% lower than in the Netherlands.

Population density by year

Ethiopia
Netherlands

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Ethiopia Netherlands
2026 319 1,402
2025 311 1,394
2024 303 1,384
2023 295.4 1,375
2022 287.8 1,362
2021 280.3 1,349
2020 272.9 1,342
2019 265.6 1,334
2018 258.6 1,326
2017 251.7 1,318
2016 244.9 1,310
2015 238.4 1,303
2014 232.1 1,297
2013 225.9 1,292
2012 219.8 1,287
2011 213.8 1,282
2010 207.8 1,276
2009 202 1,269
2008 196.3 1,262
2007 190.7 1,257
2006 185.2 1,254
2005 179.8 1,252
2004 174.6 1,249
2003 191.2 1,245
2002 185.5 1,239
2001 180 1,231
2000 174.6 1,222
1999 169.3 1,213
1998 164.1 1,205
1997 159 1,198
1996 154 1,191
1995 149 1,186
1994 144 1,180
1993 139.1 1,173
1992 - 1,165
1991 - 1,156
1990 - 1,147
1989 - 1,139
1988 - 1,132
1987 - 1,125
1986 - 1,118
1985 - 1,112
1984 - 1,107
1983 - 1,102
1982 - 1,098
1981 - 1,093
1980 - 1,086
1979 - 1,077
1978 - 1,070
1977 - 1,063
1976 - 1,057
1975 - 1,048
1974 - 1,039
1973 - 1,031
1972 - 1,023
1971 - 1,012
1970 - 1,000
1969 - 988
1968 - 977
1967 - 967
1966 - 956
1965 - 943
1964 - 930
1963 - 918
1962 - 906
1961 - 893

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/ethiopia/netherlands | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ethiopia increased by 72.2%, compared to a 11.8% growth in the Netherlands.

In 2006, Ethiopia ranked 101st by population density and is 78th now. The Netherlands was 15th in 2006 and ranks 17th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Ethiopia
Netherlands
1x
Year Urban population
Ethiopia Netherlands
2024 23.6% 95.6%
2023 23.1% 95.3%
2022 22.7% 95%
2021 22.1% 94.6%
2020 21.6% 94.3%
2019 21.2% 93.9%
2018 20.8% 92.6%
2017 20.3% 91.1%
2016 19.9% 90.6%
2015 19.5% 90.3%
2014 19% 89.8%
2013 18.6% 89.2%
2012 18.2% 88.5%
2011 17.9% 88%
2010 17.5% 87.4%
2009 17.2% 86.2%
2008 16.8% 85.6%
2007 16.1% 85.4%
2006 16.2% 84.7%
2005 16% 83.5%
2004 15.8% 82.3%
2003 15.5% 81.3%
2002 15.3% 80.8%
2001 15.1% 80.2%
2000 14.9% 78.5%
1999 14.7% 77.1%
1998 14.5% 76.8%
1997 14.3% 75.6%
1996 14.1% 72.4%
1995 13.9% 70.7%
1994 13.7% 70.4%
1993 13.5% 69.8%
1992 13.3% 69.3%
1991 13% 69.2%
1990 12.8% 69%
1989 12.5% 68.8%
1988 12.2% 68.4%
1987 11.9% 68.2%
1986 11.7% 68%
1985 11.4% 67.6%
1984 11.2% 67.4%
1983 11% 66.9%
1982 10.8% 66.5%
1981 10.6% 65.7%
1980 10.4% 65%
1979 10.2% 64.8%
1978 9.98% 64.6%
1977 9.79% 64.6%
1976 9.61% 64.5%
1975 9.42% 64.4%
1974 9.24% 64.2%
1973 9.07% 63.5%
1972 8.9% 63.1%
1971 8.73% 62.8%
1970 8.57% 62.1%
1969 8.41% 61.8%
1968 8.25% 61.8%
1967 8.1% 61.6%
1966 7.95% 61.3%
1965 7.8% 61.2%
1964 7.66% 60.9%
1963 7.52% 60.3%
1962 7.38% 60.3%
1961 7.24% 60.1%
1960 7.11% 59.9%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/ethiopia/netherlands | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15.8% to 23.6% in Ethiopia and from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands.

Densely populated cities

Ethiopia
City Population
Addis Ababa 5.7M
Gondar 324K
Mekelle 324K
Awasa 300K
Dire Dawa 277K
Bahir Dar 243K
Dessie 188K
Jimma 178K
Harar 157K
Jijiga 126K
Netherlands
City Population
Amsterdam 921K
Rotterdam 664K
The Hague 548K
Utrecht 359K
Eindhoven 244K
Groningen 238K
Tilburg 228K
Almere 215K
Breda 188K
Nijmegen 177K

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/ethiopia/netherlands | 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 (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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