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Population density: Ethiopia vs Norway compared

Updated on by Georank team

Ethiopia has a population density of 319 people per square mile compared to 40.3 people in Norway. Ethiopia has 90,009 sq ft of land per person vs 744,100 sq ft in Norway. Ethiopia and Norway rank 78th and 182nd 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 0.07% of the population and 0.24% of the land area for Norway, making the population density in Ethiopia 692% higher than in Norway.

Population density by year

Ethiopia
Norway

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Ethiopia Norway
2026 319 40.3
2025 311 40
2024 303 39.6
2023 295.4 39.2
2022 287.8 38.8
2021 280.3 38.5
2020 272.9 38.2
2019 265.6 37.9
2018 258.6 37.7
2017 251.7 37.4
2016 244.9 37.1
2015 238.4 36.8
2014 232.1 36.4
2013 225.9 36
2012 219.8 35.6
2011 213.8 35.1
2010 207.8 34.7
2009 202 34.2
2008 196.3 33.8
2007 190.7 33.4
2006 185.2 33
2005 179.8 32.8
2004 174.6 32.6
2003 191.2 32.4
2002 185.5 32.2
2001 180 32
2000 174.6 31.8
1999 169.3 31.6
1998 164.1 31.4
1997 159 31.2
1996 154 31.1
1995 149 30.9
1994 144 30.8
1993 139.1 30.6
1992 - 30.4
1991 - 30.2
1990 - 30.1
1989 - 30
1988 - 29.8
1987 - 29.7
1986 - 29.6
1985 - 29.4
1984 - 29.4
1983 - 29.3
1982 - 29.2
1981 - 29.1
1980 - 29
1979 - 28.9
1978 - 28.8
1977 - 28.7
1976 - 28.5
1975 - 28.4
1974 - 28.3
1973 - 28.1
1972 - 27.9
1971 - 27.7
1970 - 27.5
1969 - 27.3
1968 - 27.1
1967 - 26.8
1966 - 26.6
1965 - 26.4
1964 - 26.2
1963 - 26
1962 - 25.8
1961 - 25.6

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/norway | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ethiopia increased by 72.2%, compared to a 21.9% growth in Norway.

In 2006, Ethiopia ranked 101st by population density and is 78th now. Norway was 171st in 2006 and ranks 182nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Ethiopia
Norway
1x
Year Urban population
Ethiopia Norway
2024 23.6% 83.3%
2023 23.1% 83.1%
2022 22.7% 83%
2021 22.1% 82.9%
2020 21.6% 82.7%
2019 21.2% 82.5%
2018 20.8% 82.2%
2017 20.3% 82%
2016 19.9% 81.7%
2015 19.5% 81.2%
2014 19% 80.6%
2013 18.6% 80%
2012 18.2% 79.5%
2011 17.9% 79.3%
2010 17.5% 79.2%
2009 17.2% 79.1%
2008 16.8% 78.8%
2007 16.1% 78.4%
2006 16.2% 78.1%
2005 16% 77.8%
2004 15.8% 77.6%
2003 15.5% 77.3%
2002 15.3% 76.8%
2001 15.1% 76.4%
2000 14.9% 76.1%
1999 14.7% 75.8%
1998 14.5% 75.3%
1997 14.3% 74.7%
1996 14.1% 74.2%
1995 13.9% 73.9%
1994 13.7% 73.7%
1993 13.5% 73.2%
1992 13.3% 72.6%
1991 13% 72.2%
1990 12.8% 71.9%
1989 12.5% 71.7%
1988 12.2% 71.6%
1987 11.9% 71.5%
1986 11.7% 71.4%
1985 11.4% 71.3%
1984 11.2% 71.2%
1983 11% 71.1%
1982 10.8% 71%
1981 10.6% 70.8%
1980 10.4% 70.6%
1979 10.2% 70.4%
1978 9.98% 70.1%
1977 9.79% 69.7%
1976 9.61% 69.3%
1975 9.42% 68.9%
1974 9.24% 68.3%
1973 9.07% 67.7%
1972 8.9% 67.1%
1971 8.73% 66.4%
1970 8.57% 65.6%
1969 8.41% 64.4%
1968 8.25% 62.6%
1967 8.1% 60.5%
1966 7.95% 58.2%
1965 7.8% 55.9%
1964 7.66% 53.6%
1963 7.52% 51.6%
1962 7.38% 50.1%
1961 7.24% 49%
1960 7.11% 48.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15.8% to 23.6% in Ethiopia and from 77.6% to 83.3% in Norway.

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
Norway
City Population
Oslo 718K
Bergen 291K
Trondheim 199K
Stavanger 150K
Baerum 132K
Drammen 105K
Asker 100K
Lillestrom 95.8K
Fredrikstad 85.9K
Sandnes 84.9K

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/norway | 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 (2007–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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