The Gambia has a population density of 739 people per square mile compared to 139.8 people in South Africa. The Gambia has 44,070 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. The Gambia and South Africa rank 36th and 135th 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 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, making the population density in the Gambia 428% higher than in South Africa.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Gambia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2026 | 739 | 139.8 |
| 2025 | 722 | 138.3 |
| 2024 | 706 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 690 | 135 |
| 2022 | 675 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 659 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 644 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 629 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 614 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 599 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 584 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 569 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 554 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 538 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 523 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 508 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 493 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 479 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 465 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 452 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 439 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 427 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 415 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 404 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 393 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 383 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 372 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 362 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 352 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 343 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 333 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 324 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 314 | 94 |
| 1993 | 304 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 293.2 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 281.5 | 89 |
| 1990 | 269.9 | 87 |
| 1989 | 258.8 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 248.3 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 238.3 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 228.8 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 219.8 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 211.3 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 203.3 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 196 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 189.2 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 182.7 | 63 |
| 1979 | 176.5 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 170.7 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 165.3 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 160.1 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 155.3 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 150.8 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 146.4 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 142.1 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 138 | 49 |
| 1970 | 134.1 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 130.4 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 126.8 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 123.3 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 119.9 | 42 |
| 1965 | 116.7 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 113.6 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 110.5 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 107.5 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 104.7 | 36.1 |
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/south-africa | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Gambia increased by 68.2%, compared to a 31% growth in South Africa.
In 2006, the Gambia ranked 51st by population density and is 36th now. South Africa was 134th in 2006 and ranks 135th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Gambia
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 739 ppl/mi² | 139.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 36/197 | 135/197 |
| Population |
2902554
|
65683993
|
| Land area | 3,907 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 39,468 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 35.7% | 36.3% |
| Urban population | 64.3% | 63.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 15% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Gambia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 64.3% | 63.7% |
| 2023 | 63.8% | 63.6% |
| 2022 | 63.3% | 63.5% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | 63.5% |
| 2020 | 62.2% | 63.4% |
| 2019 | 61.6% | 63.4% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 63.4% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | 63.3% |
| 2016 | 59.9% | 63.3% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | 63.2% |
| 2014 | 58.6% | 63.1% |
| 2013 | 58% | 63.1% |
| 2012 | 57.3% | 63% |
| 2011 | 56.7% | 62.9% |
| 2010 | 56% | 62.6% |
| 2009 | 55.3% | 62.3% |
| 2008 | 54.6% | 61.8% |
| 2007 | 53.9% | 61.2% |
| 2006 | 53.2% | 60.5% |
| 2005 | 52.4% | 59.8% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | 59.1% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | 57.7% |
| 2001 | 48.3% | 57% |
| 2000 | 47% | 56.3% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | 55.4% |
| 1998 | 44% | 54.7% |
| 1997 | 42.4% | 54% |
| 1996 | 40.9% | 53.6% |
| 1995 | 39.6% | 53.3% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 53.1% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | 52.9% |
| 1992 | 36.5% | 52.7% |
| 1991 | 35.8% | 52.4% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 52% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | 51.4% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | 50.7% |
| 1987 | 33.6% | 50.1% |
| 1986 | 33.1% | 49.6% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | 49.2% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 49% |
| 1983 | 31% | 48.8% |
| 1982 | 30% | 48.6% |
| 1981 | 28.7% | 48.5% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | 48.2% |
| 1977 | 22% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | 48.1% |
| 1975 | 18.7% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 48% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | 48% |
| 1972 | 15.1% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 14.1% | 47.8% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 12.2% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 11.3% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 10.5% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 9.86% | 47.5% |
| 1965 | 9.33% | 47.4% |
| 1964 | 8.98% | 47.3% |
| 1963 | 8.82% | 47.1% |
| 1962 | 8.84% | 47% |
| 1961 | 8.93% | 46.9% |
| 1960 | 9.07% | 46.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/south-africa | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 51.5% to 64.3% in the Gambia and from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| 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
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/south-africa | 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 (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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