The Gambia has a population density of 739 people per square mile compared to 203.8 people in Lesotho. The Gambia has 44,070 sq ft of land per person vs 139,786 sq ft in Lesotho. The Gambia and Lesotho rank 36th and 115th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Gambia has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.03% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Lesotho, making the population density in the Gambia 262.3% higher than in Lesotho.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Gambia
|
Lesotho
|
|
| 2026 | 739 | 203.8 |
| 2025 | 722 | 201.6 |
| 2024 | 706 | 199.4 |
| 2023 | 690 | 197.2 |
| 2022 | 675 | 195 |
| 2021 | 659 | 192.9 |
| 2020 | 644 | 190.7 |
| 2019 | 629 | 188.5 |
| 2018 | 614 | 186.3 |
| 2017 | 599 | 184 |
| 2016 | 584 | 181.7 |
| 2015 | 569 | 179.5 |
| 2014 | 554 | 177.5 |
| 2013 | 538 | 175.4 |
| 2012 | 523 | 173.5 |
| 2011 | 508 | 171.8 |
| 2010 | 493 | 170.3 |
| 2009 | 479 | 169 |
| 2008 | 465 | 167.8 |
| 2007 | 452 | 166.6 |
| 2006 | 439 | 165.9 |
| 2005 | 427 | 166.6 |
| 2004 | 415 | 168.2 |
| 2003 | 404 | 169.3 |
| 2002 | 393 | 170.2 |
| 2001 | 383 | 170.7 |
| 2000 | 372 | 171 |
| 1999 | 362 | 170.9 |
| 1998 | 352 | 170.5 |
| 1997 | 343 | 169.6 |
| 1996 | 333 | 168.3 |
| 1995 | 324 | 166.5 |
| 1994 | 314 | 164.5 |
| 1993 | 304 | 162.2 |
| 1992 | 293.2 | 159.8 |
| 1991 | 281.5 | 157.2 |
| 1990 | 269.9 | 154.4 |
| 1989 | 258.8 | 151.5 |
| 1988 | 248.3 | 148.4 |
| 1987 | 238.3 | 145.3 |
| 1986 | 228.8 | 142.1 |
| 1985 | 219.8 | 138.6 |
| 1984 | 211.3 | 134.7 |
| 1983 | 203.3 | 130.9 |
| 1982 | 196 | 127.2 |
| 1981 | 189.2 | 123.5 |
| 1980 | 182.7 | 120 |
| 1979 | 176.5 | 116.5 |
| 1978 | 170.7 | 113.2 |
| 1977 | 165.3 | 110 |
| 1976 | 160.1 | 106.9 |
| 1975 | 155.3 | 103.5 |
| 1974 | 150.8 | 100 |
| 1973 | 146.4 | 96.6 |
| 1972 | 142.1 | 93.3 |
| 1971 | 138 | 90.1 |
| 1970 | 134.1 | 87 |
| 1969 | 130.4 | 83.9 |
| 1968 | 126.8 | 80.9 |
| 1967 | 123.3 | 78 |
| 1966 | 119.9 | 75.2 |
| 1965 | 116.7 | 72.9 |
| 1964 | 113.6 | 70.8 |
| 1963 | 110.5 | 68.7 |
| 1962 | 107.5 | 66.7 |
| 1961 | 104.7 | 64.7 |
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/gambia/lesotho | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Gambia increased by 68.2%, compared to a 22.9% growth in Lesotho.
In 2006, the Gambia ranked 51st by population density and is 36th now. Lesotho was 113th in 2006 and ranks 115th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Gambia
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 739 ppl/mi² | 203.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 36/197 | 115/197 |
| Population |
2902554
|
2396633
|
| Land area | 3,907 sq mi | 11,722 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 39,468 sq ft | 139,809 sq ft |
| Rural population | 35.7% | 56.3% |
| Urban population | 64.3% | 43.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Gambia
|
Lesotho
|
|
| 2024 | 64.3% | 43.7% |
| 2023 | 63.8% | 42.7% |
| 2022 | 63.3% | 41.7% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | 40.7% |
| 2020 | 62.2% | 39.6% |
| 2019 | 61.6% | 38.6% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 37.6% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | 36.5% |
| 2016 | 59.9% | 35.5% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | 34.1% |
| 2014 | 58.6% | 32.6% |
| 2013 | 58% | 31.2% |
| 2012 | 57.3% | 29.9% |
| 2011 | 56.7% | 28.6% |
| 2010 | 56% | 27.4% |
| 2009 | 55.3% | 26.3% |
| 2008 | 54.6% | 25.2% |
| 2007 | 53.9% | 24.2% |
| 2006 | 53.2% | 23.3% |
| 2005 | 52.4% | 22.5% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | 21.8% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | 21.1% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | 20.5% |
| 2001 | 48.3% | 19.9% |
| 2000 | 47% | 19.3% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | 18.8% |
| 1998 | 44% | 18.2% |
| 1997 | 42.4% | 17.7% |
| 1996 | 40.9% | 17.1% |
| 1995 | 39.6% | 16.5% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 15.8% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | 15% |
| 1992 | 36.5% | 14.3% |
| 1991 | 35.8% | 13.6% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 12.9% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | 12.3% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | 11.8% |
| 1987 | 33.6% | 11.5% |
| 1986 | 33.1% | 11.3% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | 11.3% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 11.3% |
| 1983 | 31% | 11.3% |
| 1982 | 30% | 11.2% |
| 1981 | 28.7% | 11.2% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | 11.2% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | 11.2% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | 11.2% |
| 1977 | 22% | 11.2% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | 11.2% |
| 1975 | 18.7% | 11.1% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 10.9% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | 10.6% |
| 1972 | 15.1% | 10.2% |
| 1971 | 14.1% | 9.75% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | 9.22% |
| 1969 | 12.2% | 8.68% |
| 1968 | 11.3% | 8.12% |
| 1967 | 10.5% | 7.59% |
| 1966 | 9.86% | 7.1% |
| 1965 | 9.33% | 6.62% |
| 1964 | 8.98% | 6.07% |
| 1963 | 8.82% | 5.47% |
| 1962 | 8.84% | 4.86% |
| 1961 | 8.93% | 4.24% |
| 1960 | 9.07% | 3.66% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/lesotho | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 51.5% to 64.3% in the Gambia and from 21.8% to 43.7% in Lesotho.
Densely populated cities
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Maseru | 344K |
| Teyateyaneng | 75.1K |
| Mafeteng | 57.1K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/gambia/lesotho | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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