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Population density: Guatemala vs Nigeria compared

Updated on by Georank team

Guatemala has a population density of 459 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Guatemala has 63,678 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Guatemala and Nigeria rank 60th and 41st by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Guatemala has 0.23% of the world's population and 0.07% of all countries' land area, compared to 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in Guatemala 33.5% lower than in Nigeria.

Population density by year

Guatemala
Nigeria

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Guatemala Nigeria
2026 459 690
2025 452 676
2024 445 662
2023 438 648
2022 431 635
2021 425 621
2020 420 609
2019 413 596
2018 407 583
2017 400 569
2016 393 556
2015 386 542
2014 379 529
2013 372 515
2012 365 501
2011 358 487
2010 350 474
2009 344 461
2008 337 448
2007 330 436
2006 323 424
2005 316 412
2004 310 401
2003 303 390
2002 296 380
2001 289.3 369
2000 282.7 359
1999 276.1 350
1998 269.2 341
1997 262.4 332
1996 255.8 323
1995 249.3 315
1994 242.8 307
1993 236.4 298.9
1992 230.1 291.1
1991 224.1 283.6
1990 218.1 276.2
1989 212.1 268.8
1988 206.2 261.7
1987 200.5 254.8
1986 195.1 248.1
1985 189.7 241.4
1984 184.4 234.7
1983 179.3 228.7
1982 175 222.9
1981 171 216.3
1980 166.8 209.8
1979 162.6 203.3
1978 158.6 197.1
1977 154.7 191.2
1976 151.4 185.6
1975 148.1 180.3
1974 144.6 175.4
1973 140.9 170.9
1972 137.4 166.6
1971 133.9 162.7
1970 130.4 158.9
1969 127.1 155.4
1968 123.7 151.9
1967 120.3 148.7
1966 117 145.6
1965 113.7 142.4
1964 110.5 139.4
1963 107.3 136.4
1962 104.2 133.6
1961 101.2 130.8

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/guatemala/nigeria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Guatemala increased by 41.9%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.

In 2006, Guatemala ranked 62nd by population density and is 60th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Guatemala
Nigeria
1x
Year Urban population
Guatemala Nigeria
2024 56% 63%
2023 55.6% 62.2%
2022 55.3% 61.4%
2021 54.9% 60.6%
2020 54.5% 59.8%
2019 54.2% 59%
2018 53.8% 58.2%
2017 53.8% 57.3%
2016 53.7% 56.5%
2015 53.4% 55.7%
2014 53.1% 54.9%
2013 52.8% 54.1%
2012 52.4% 53.3%
2011 51.9% 52.5%
2010 51.3% 51.7%
2009 50.7% 50.9%
2008 50.1% 50.1%
2007 49.5% 49.2%
2006 48.8% 48.4%
2005 48.1% 47.6%
2004 47.3% 46.7%
2003 46.6% 45.8%
2002 45.8% 45%
2001 44.7% 44.1%
2000 43.2% 43.3%
1999 41.6% 42.4%
1998 39.9% 41.6%
1997 38.3% 40.8%
1996 36.9% 40%
1995 35.8% 39.1%
1994 35.1% 38.3%
1993 34.7% 37.5%
1992 34.4% 36.7%
1991 34.2% 36%
1990 33.9% 35.2%
1989 33.7% 34.4%
1988 33.5% 33.6%
1987 33.3% 32.8%
1986 33.1% 32.1%
1985 33% 31.3%
1984 32.9% 30.5%
1983 32.8% 29.7%
1982 32.7% 28.9%
1981 32.7% 28.2%
1980 32.8% 27.4%
1979 33.2% 26.7%
1978 33.7% 25.9%
1977 34.4% 25.2%
1976 35.1% 24.4%
1975 35.7% 23.7%
1974 36.2% 23%
1973 36.4% 22.3%
1972 36.4% 21.6%
1971 36.2% 20.9%
1970 36% 20.2%
1969 35.7% 19.6%
1968 35.4% 18.9%
1967 35% 18.3%
1966 34.5% 17.7%
1965 34.1% 17.1%
1964 33.7% 16.5%
1963 33.3% 15.9%
1962 32.8% 15.4%
1961 32.4% 14.8%
1960 31.8% 14.2%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/guatemala/nigeria | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 47.3% to 56% in Guatemala and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.

Densely populated cities

Guatemala
City Population
Guatemala 995K
Mixco 528K
Coban 229K
Quetzaltenango 208K
Jalapa 193K
San Miguel Petapa 151K
Momostenango 140K
Mazatenango 83.8K
Nigeria
City Population
Lagos 15.1M
Kano 4.35M
Port Harcourt 3.32M
Ibadan 2.55M
Benin 1.78M
Abuja 1.69M
Onitsha 1.48M
Maiduguri 1.2M
Aba 1.16M
Enugu 1.03M

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/guatemala/nigeria | 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 (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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