Ethiopia has a population density of 319 people per square mile compared to 374 people in Syria. Ethiopia has 87,742 sq ft of land per person vs 77,800 sq ft in Syria. Ethiopia and Syria rank 78th and 68th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ethiopia has 1.65% of the world's population and 0.76% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.31% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, making the population density in Ethiopia 14.8% lower than in Syria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Ethiopia
|
Syria
|
|
| 2026 | 319 | 374 |
| 2025 | 311 | 361 |
| 2024 | 303 | 348 |
| 2023 | 295.4 | 333 |
| 2022 | 287.8 | 317 |
| 2021 | 280.3 | 305 |
| 2020 | 272.9 | 296.9 |
| 2019 | 265.6 | 287.1 |
| 2018 | 258.6 | 276.1 |
| 2017 | 251.7 | 271.2 |
| 2016 | 244.9 | 270.7 |
| 2015 | 238.4 | 274 |
| 2014 | 232.1 | 285.9 |
| 2013 | 225.9 | 306 |
| 2012 | 219.8 | 321 |
| 2011 | 213.8 | 323 |
| 2010 | 207.8 | 317 |
| 2009 | 202 | 310 |
| 2008 | 196.3 | 305 |
| 2007 | 190.7 | 294.5 |
| 2006 | 185.2 | 277 |
| 2005 | 179.8 | 265.4 |
| 2004 | 174.6 | 258.7 |
| 2003 | 191.2 | 252.4 |
| 2002 | 185.5 | 246.2 |
| 2001 | 180 | 240.3 |
| 2000 | 174.6 | 234.5 |
| 1999 | 169.3 | 228.7 |
| 1998 | 164.1 | 223 |
| 1997 | 159 | 217.3 |
| 1996 | 154 | 211.6 |
| 1995 | 149 | 206 |
| 1994 | 144 | 200.2 |
| 1993 | 139.1 | 194.4 |
| 1992 | - | 188.6 |
| 1991 | - | 182.9 |
| 1990 | - | 177.3 |
| 1989 | - | 171.6 |
| 1988 | - | 166 |
| 1987 | - | 160.5 |
| 1986 | - | 155.1 |
| 1985 | - | 149.7 |
| 1984 | - | 144.6 |
| 1983 | - | 139.6 |
| 1982 | - | 134.9 |
| 1981 | - | 130.5 |
| 1980 | - | 126.2 |
| 1979 | - | 122.1 |
| 1978 | - | 118 |
| 1977 | - | 114 |
| 1976 | - | 110.2 |
| 1975 | - | 106.5 |
| 1974 | - | 102.9 |
| 1973 | - | 99.5 |
| 1972 | - | 96.2 |
| 1971 | - | 93 |
| 1970 | - | 89.9 |
| 1969 | - | 87 |
| 1968 | - | 84.3 |
| 1967 | - | 81.6 |
| 1966 | - | 79 |
| 1965 | - | 76.6 |
| 1964 | - | 74.3 |
| 1963 | - | 72 |
| 1962 | - | 69.9 |
| 1961 | - | 67.9 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ethiopia/syria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ethiopia increased by 72.2%, compared to a 35.1% growth in Syria.
In 2006, Ethiopia ranked 101st by population density and is 78th now. Syria was 74th in 2006 and ranks 68th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Ethiopia
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 319 ppl/mi² | 374 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 78/197 | 68/197 |
| Population |
140722974
|
26956472
|
| Land area | 435,716 sq mi | 70,900 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,665 sq ft | 77,148 sq ft |
| Rural population | 75.9% | 27.9% |
| Urban population | 24.1% | 72.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 4.05% | 17.4% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ethiopia
|
Syria
|
|
| 2025 | 24.1% | 72.1% |
| 2024 | 23.6% | 72.1% |
| 2023 | 23.1% | 72.2% |
| 2022 | 22.7% | 72.6% |
| 2021 | 22.1% | 73% |
| 2020 | 21.6% | 73.4% |
| 2019 | 21.2% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 20.8% | 74.1% |
| 2017 | 20.3% | 74.5% |
| 2016 | 19.9% | 75.2% |
| 2015 | 19.5% | 75.8% |
| 2014 | 19% | 76% |
| 2013 | 18.6% | 73.1% |
| 2012 | 18.2% | 65.1% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | 58.5% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | 55.7% |
| 2009 | 17.2% | 55% |
| 2008 | 16.8% | 54.6% |
| 2007 | 16.1% | 54.3% |
| 2006 | 16.2% | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 16% | 53.8% |
| 2004 | 15.8% | 53.5% |
| 2003 | 15.5% | 53.1% |
| 2002 | 15.3% | 52.7% |
| 2001 | 15.1% | 52.3% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | 51.9% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 51.5% |
| 1998 | 14.5% | 51.1% |
| 1997 | 14.3% | 50.7% |
| 1996 | 14.1% | 50.4% |
| 1995 | 13.9% | 50% |
| 1994 | 13.7% | 49.8% |
| 1993 | 13.5% | 49.5% |
| 1992 | 13.3% | 49.3% |
| 1991 | 13% | 49% |
| 1990 | 12.8% | 48.8% |
| 1989 | 12.5% | 48.6% |
| 1988 | 12.2% | 48.5% |
| 1987 | 11.9% | 48.3% |
| 1986 | 11.7% | 48.1% |
| 1985 | 11.4% | 47.9% |
| 1984 | 11.2% | 47.7% |
| 1983 | 11% | 47.5% |
| 1982 | 10.8% | 47.3% |
| 1981 | 10.6% | 47% |
| 1980 | 10.4% | 46.7% |
| 1979 | 10.2% | 46.4% |
| 1978 | 9.98% | 46.1% |
| 1977 | 9.79% | 45.8% |
| 1976 | 9.61% | 45.5% |
| 1975 | 9.42% | 45.2% |
| 1974 | 9.24% | 44.8% |
| 1973 | 9.07% | 44.5% |
| 1972 | 8.9% | 44.1% |
| 1971 | 8.73% | 43.8% |
| 1970 | 8.57% | 43.4% |
| 1969 | 8.41% | 43% |
| 1968 | 8.25% | 42.7% |
| 1967 | 8.1% | 42.4% |
| 1966 | 7.95% | 42% |
| 1965 | 7.8% | 41.7% |
| 1964 | 7.66% | 41.4% |
| 1963 | 7.52% | 41% |
| 1962 | 7.38% | 40.7% |
| 1961 | 7.24% | 40.4% |
| 1960 | 7.11% | 40% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ethiopia/syria | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 16% to 24.1% in Ethiopia and from 53.8% to 72.1% in Syria.
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 |
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Damascus | 2.69M |
| Aleppo | 2M |
| Homs | 775K |
| Latakia | 709K |
| Hama | 697K |
| Raqqa | 300K |
| Deir ez-Zor | 272K |
| Al-Hasakah | 188K |
| Qamishli | 184K |
| Idlib | 165K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ethiopia/syria | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2004–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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