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Population density: Guatemala vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Guatemala has a population density of 459 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Guatemala has 63,678 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Guatemala and Sri Lanka rank 60th and 25th 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Guatemala 50.6% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Guatemala
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Guatemala Sri Lanka
2026 459 928
2025 452 923
2024 445 918
2023 438 923
2022 431 929
2021 425 928
2020 420 918
2019 413 913
2018 407 907
2017 400 898
2016 393 888
2015 386 878
2014 379 858
2013 372 850
2012 365 874
2011 358 868
2010 350 862
2009 344 857
2008 337 852
2007 330 846
2006 323 841
2005 316 835
2004 310 830
2003 303 824
2002 296 818
2001 289.3 810
2000 282.7 797
1999 276.1 782
1998 269.2 768
1997 262.4 754
1996 255.8 739
1995 249.3 725
1994 242.8 714
1993 236.4 703
1992 230.1 691
1991 224.1 680
1990 218.1 675
1989 212.1 671
1988 206.2 664
1987 200.5 657
1986 195.1 650
1985 189.7 642
1984 184.4 638
1983 179.3 636
1982 175 631
1981 171 624
1980 166.8 613
1979 162.6 602
1978 158.6 591
1977 154.7 580
1976 151.4 570
1975 148.1 560
1974 144.6 550
1973 140.9 539
1972 137.4 529
1971 133.9 518
1970 130.4 507
1969 127.1 496
1968 123.7 485
1967 120.3 473
1966 117 462
1965 113.7 451
1964 110.5 440
1963 107.3 429
1962 104.2 419
1961 101.2 409

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/guatemala/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Guatemala increased by 41.9%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Guatemala ranked 62nd by population density and is 60th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Guatemala
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Guatemala Sri Lanka
2024 56% 20.3%
2023 55.6% 20.1%
2022 55.3% 20%
2021 54.9% 19.8%
2020 54.5% 19.7%
2019 54.2% 19.5%
2018 53.8% 19.3%
2017 53.8% 19.2%
2016 53.7% 19%
2015 53.4% 18.8%
2014 53.1% 18.6%
2013 52.8% 18.4%
2012 52.4% 18.3%
2011 51.9% 17.8%
2010 51.3% 17.2%
2009 50.7% 16.7%
2008 50.1% 16.3%
2007 49.5% 15.9%
2006 48.8% 15.5%
2005 48.1% 15.2%
2004 47.3% 14.9%
2003 46.6% 14.7%
2002 45.8% 14.6%
2001 44.7% 14.6%
2000 43.2% 14.6%
1999 41.6% 14.7%
1998 39.9% 14.9%
1997 38.3% 15.2%
1996 36.9% 15.5%
1995 35.8% 15.9%
1994 35.1% 16.3%
1993 34.7% 16.7%
1992 34.4% 17.1%
1991 34.2% 17.6%
1990 33.9% 18.1%
1989 33.7% 18.6%
1988 33.5% 19%
1987 33.3% 19.5%
1986 33.1% 19.9%
1985 33% 20.3%
1984 32.9% 20.7%
1983 32.8% 21%
1982 32.7% 21.3%
1981 32.7% 21.5%
1980 32.8% 21.6%
1979 33.2% 21.8%
1978 33.7% 21.9%
1977 34.4% 22%
1976 35.1% 22.1%
1975 35.7% 22.2%
1974 36.2% 22.3%
1973 36.4% 22.4%
1972 36.4% 22.4%
1971 36.2% 22.4%
1970 36% 22.3%
1969 35.7% 22%
1968 35.4% 21.5%
1967 35% 21%
1966 34.5% 20.4%
1965 34.1% 19.8%
1964 33.7% 19.3%
1963 33.3% 18.9%
1962 32.8% 18.5%
1961 32.4% 18%
1960 31.8% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 47.3% to 56% in Guatemala and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

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
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/guatemala/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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