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Population density: Germany vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Germany has a population density of 612 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Germany has 46,087 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Germany and Sri Lanka rank 50th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Germany has 1.03% of the world's population and 0.23% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Germany 34% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Germany
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Germany Sri Lanka
2026 612 928
2025 617 923
2024 619 918
2023 617 923
2022 617 929
2021 617 928
2020 616 918
2019 616 913
2018 615 907
2017 613 898
2016 610 888
2015 606 878
2014 601 858
2013 599 850
2012 598 874
2011 596 868
2010 608 862
2009 608 857
2008 610 852
2007 611 846
2006 612 841
2005 612 835
2004 613 830
2003 613 824
2002 612 818
2001 611 810
2000 610 797
1999 609 782
1998 609 768
1997 609 754
1996 608 739
1995 606 725
1994 604 714
1993 602 703
1992 598 691
1991 594 680
1990 589 675
1989 584 671
1988 580 664
1987 577 657
1986 577 650
1985 576 642
1984 578 638
1983 580 636
1982 581 631
1981 582 624
1980 581 613
1979 580 602
1978 579 591
1977 580 580
1976 581 570
1975 584 560
1974 586 550
1973 586 539
1972 584 529
1971 581 518
1970 580 507
1969 578 496
1968 573 485
1967 571 473
1966 568 462
1965 564 451
1964 559 440
1963 554 429
1962 549 419
1961 544 409

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/germany/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Germany increased by 0.04%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Germany ranked 37th by population density and is 50th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Germany
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Germany Sri Lanka
2024 82% 20.3%
2023 81.9% 20.1%
2022 81.8% 20%
2021 81.6% 19.8%
2020 81.5% 19.7%
2019 81.3% 19.5%
2018 81.1% 19.3%
2017 81% 19.2%
2016 80.8% 19%
2015 80.7% 18.8%
2014 80.6% 18.6%
2013 80.5% 18.4%
2012 80.4% 18.3%
2011 80.3% 17.8%
2010 80.3% 17.2%
2009 80.3% 16.7%
2008 80.2% 16.3%
2007 80.2% 15.9%
2006 80.2% 15.5%
2005 80.2% 15.2%
2004 80.2% 14.9%
2003 80.1% 14.7%
2002 80.1% 14.6%
2001 80.1% 14.6%
2000 80.1% 14.6%
1999 80.1% 14.7%
1998 80.1% 14.9%
1997 80.1% 15.2%
1996 80.1% 15.5%
1995 80% 15.9%
1994 80% 16.3%
1993 80% 16.7%
1992 80% 17.1%
1991 80% 17.6%
1990 80% 18.1%
1989 80% 18.6%
1988 80% 19%
1987 80% 19.5%
1986 80% 19.9%
1985 80% 20.3%
1984 80% 20.7%
1983 80% 21%
1982 79.9% 21.3%
1981 79.9% 21.5%
1980 79.9% 21.6%
1979 79.9% 21.8%
1978 79.9% 21.9%
1977 79.9% 22%
1976 79.8% 22.1%
1975 79.8% 22.2%
1974 79.8% 22.3%
1973 79.8% 22.4%
1972 79.7% 22.4%
1971 79.7% 22.4%
1970 79.7% 22.3%
1969 79.6% 22%
1968 79.4% 21.5%
1967 79.1% 21%
1966 78.7% 20.4%
1965 78.3% 19.8%
1964 77.7% 19.3%
1963 77.2% 18.9%
1962 76.7% 18.5%
1961 76.2% 18%
1960 75.7% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/germany/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 80.2% to 82% in Germany and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Germany
City Population
Berlin 3.78M
Hamburg 1.91M
Munich 1.51M
Cologne 1.09M
Frankfurt 776K
Stuttgart 633K
Dusseldorf 631K
Leipzig 620K
Dortmund 595K
Essen 587K
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
Gampaha 191K
Beruwala 165K
Negombo 142K
Kandy 120K
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 116K
Trincomalee 99.1K
Galle 93.1K
Matara 68.2K
Anuradhapura 63.2K

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/germany/sri-lanka | 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. Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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