Ethiopia has a population density of 303 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Ethiopia has 90,009 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Ethiopia and South Africa are ranked 80th and 136th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Ethiopia is 121.8% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Ethiopia
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 303 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 80/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
138227398
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 435,716 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 91,982 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 76.3% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 23.7% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 4.32% | 14.8% |
Ethiopia vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Ethiopia increased by 73.6%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Ethiopia ranked 99th for population density and is in 80th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ethiopia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 303 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 295.4 | 135 |
| 2022 | 287.8 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 280.3 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 272.9 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 265.6 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 258.6 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 251.7 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 244.9 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 238.4 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 232.1 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 225.9 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 219.8 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 213.8 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 207.8 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 202 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 196.3 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 190.7 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 185.2 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 179.8 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 174.6 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 191.2 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 185.5 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 180 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 174.6 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 169.3 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 164.1 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 159 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 154 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 149 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 144 | 94 |
| 1993 | 139.1 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | - | 90.6 |
| 1991 | - | 89 |
| 1990 | - | 87 |
| 1989 | - | 84.6 |
| 1988 | - | 82.2 |
| 1987 | - | 79.7 |
| 1986 | - | 77.2 |
| 1985 | - | 74.8 |
| 1984 | - | 72.4 |
| 1983 | - | 69.9 |
| 1982 | - | 67.5 |
| 1981 | - | 65.2 |
| 1980 | - | 63 |
| 1979 | - | 61.1 |
| 1978 | - | 59.5 |
| 1977 | - | 57.9 |
| 1976 | - | 56.4 |
| 1975 | - | 54.9 |
| 1974 | - | 53.4 |
| 1973 | - | 51.9 |
| 1972 | - | 50.4 |
| 1971 | - | 49 |
| 1970 | - | 47.6 |
| 1969 | - | 46.1 |
| 1968 | - | 44.7 |
| 1967 | - | 43.4 |
| 1966 | - | 42 |
| 1965 | - | 40.8 |
| 1964 | - | 39.5 |
| 1963 | - | 38.3 |
| 1962 | - | 37.2 |
| 1961 | - | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ethiopia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 23.7% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 23.2% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 22.2% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 21.7% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 19.4% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 19% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 17.7% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 17.3% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 16.5% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 15.9% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 15.7% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 15.5% | 59% |
| 2003 | 15.3% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 15.1% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 14.9% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 14% | 55% |
| 1995 | 13.8% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 13.6% | 54% |
| 1993 | 13.4% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 13.1% | 53% |
| 1991 | 12.9% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 12.6% | 52% |
| 1989 | 12.4% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 12.1% | 51% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 11.5% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 11% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 10.8% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 10.6% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 10% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 9.83% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 9.64% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 9.46% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 9.28% | 48% |
| 1973 | 9.1% | 48% |
| 1972 | 8.93% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 8.76% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 8.59% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 8.42% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 8.26% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 8.1% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 7.84% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 7.59% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 7.34% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 7.1% | 47% |
| 1962 | 6.87% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 6.65% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 6.43% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15.5% to 23.7% in Ethiopia and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
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 |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| 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
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
Population density comparisons
