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Population density: Gambia vs Netherlands compared

Updated on by Georank team

The Gambia has a population density of 739 people per square mile compared to 1,402 people in the Netherlands. The Gambia has 44,070 sq ft of land per person vs 22,360 sq ft in the Netherlands. The Gambia and the Netherlands rank 36th and 17th 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 0.22% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for the Netherlands, making the population density in the Gambia 47.3% lower than in the Netherlands.

Population density by year

Gambia
Netherlands

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Gambia Netherlands
2026 739 1,402
2025 722 1,394
2024 706 1,384
2023 690 1,375
2022 675 1,362
2021 659 1,349
2020 644 1,342
2019 629 1,334
2018 614 1,326
2017 599 1,318
2016 584 1,310
2015 569 1,303
2014 554 1,297
2013 538 1,292
2012 523 1,287
2011 508 1,282
2010 493 1,276
2009 479 1,269
2008 465 1,262
2007 452 1,257
2006 439 1,254
2005 427 1,252
2004 415 1,249
2003 404 1,245
2002 393 1,239
2001 383 1,231
2000 372 1,222
1999 362 1,213
1998 352 1,205
1997 343 1,198
1996 333 1,191
1995 324 1,186
1994 314 1,180
1993 304 1,173
1992 293.2 1,165
1991 281.5 1,156
1990 269.9 1,147
1989 258.8 1,139
1988 248.3 1,132
1987 238.3 1,125
1986 228.8 1,118
1985 219.8 1,112
1984 211.3 1,107
1983 203.3 1,102
1982 196 1,098
1981 189.2 1,093
1980 182.7 1,086
1979 176.5 1,077
1978 170.7 1,070
1977 165.3 1,063
1976 160.1 1,057
1975 155.3 1,048
1974 150.8 1,039
1973 146.4 1,031
1972 142.1 1,023
1971 138 1,012
1970 134.1 1,000
1969 130.4 988
1968 126.8 977
1967 123.3 967
1966 119.9 956
1965 116.7 943
1964 113.6 930
1963 110.5 918
1962 107.5 906
1961 104.7 893

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/gambia/netherlands | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Gambia increased by 68.2%, compared to a 11.8% growth in the Netherlands.

In 2006, the Gambia ranked 51st by population density and is 36th now. The Netherlands was 15th in 2006 and ranks 17th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Gambia
Netherlands
1x
Year Urban population
Gambia Netherlands
2024 64.3% 95.6%
2023 63.8% 95.3%
2022 63.3% 95%
2021 62.8% 94.6%
2020 62.2% 94.3%
2019 61.6% 93.9%
2018 61.1% 92.6%
2017 60.5% 91.1%
2016 59.9% 90.6%
2015 59.2% 90.3%
2014 58.6% 89.8%
2013 58% 89.2%
2012 57.3% 88.5%
2011 56.7% 88%
2010 56% 87.4%
2009 55.3% 86.2%
2008 54.6% 85.6%
2007 53.9% 85.4%
2006 53.2% 84.7%
2005 52.4% 83.5%
2004 51.5% 82.3%
2003 50.6% 81.3%
2002 49.6% 80.8%
2001 48.3% 80.2%
2000 47% 78.5%
1999 45.5% 77.1%
1998 44% 76.8%
1997 42.4% 75.6%
1996 40.9% 72.4%
1995 39.6% 70.7%
1994 38.3% 70.4%
1993 37.3% 69.8%
1992 36.5% 69.3%
1991 35.8% 69.2%
1990 35.2% 69%
1989 34.6% 68.8%
1988 34.1% 68.4%
1987 33.6% 68.2%
1986 33.1% 68%
1985 32.5% 67.6%
1984 31.8% 67.4%
1983 31% 66.9%
1982 30% 66.5%
1981 28.7% 65.7%
1980 27.2% 65%
1979 25.6% 64.8%
1978 23.8% 64.6%
1977 22% 64.6%
1976 20.3% 64.5%
1975 18.7% 64.4%
1974 17.3% 64.2%
1973 16.1% 63.5%
1972 15.1% 63.1%
1971 14.1% 62.8%
1970 13.2% 62.1%
1969 12.2% 61.8%
1968 11.3% 61.8%
1967 10.5% 61.6%
1966 9.86% 61.3%
1965 9.33% 61.2%
1964 8.98% 60.9%
1963 8.82% 60.3%
1962 8.84% 60.3%
1961 8.93% 60.1%
1960 9.07% 59.9%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 51.5% to 64.3% in the Gambia and from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands.

Densely populated cities

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/gambia/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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2021–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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