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Population density: Iceland vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Iceland has a population density of 10.2 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Iceland has 2,868,586 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Iceland and Sri Lanka rank 194th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iceland has 0.005% 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 Iceland 98.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Iceland
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Iceland Sri Lanka
2026 10.2 928
2025 10.1 923
2024 9.93 918
2023 9.91 923
2022 9.81 929
2021 9.57 928
2020 9.41 918
2019 9.26 913
2018 9.06 907
2017 8.87 898
2016 8.67 888
2015 8.55 878
2014 8.46 858
2013 8.36 850
2012 8.29 874
2011 8.24 868
2010 8.22 862
2009 8.23 857
2008 8.2 852
2007 8.05 846
2006 7.85 841
2005 7.67 835
2004 7.55 830
2003 7.48 824
2002 7.43 818
2001 7.36 810
2000 7.27 797
1999 7.17 782
1998 7.08 768
1997 7 754
1996 6.95 739
1995 6.91 725
1994 6.87 714
1993 6.81 703
1992 6.74 691
1991 6.66 680
1990 6.58 675
1989 6.53 671
1988 6.45 664
1987 6.35 657
1986 6.28 650
1985 6.24 642
1984 6.19 638
1983 6.12 636
1982 6.04 631
1981 5.96 624
1980 5.89 613
1979 5.83 602
1978 5.78 591
1977 5.73 580
1976 5.69 570
1975 5.63 560
1974 5.56 550
1973 5.49 539
1972 5.4 529
1971 5.32 518
1970 5.28 507
1969 5.25 496
1968 5.21 485
1967 5.13 473
1966 5.05 462
1965 4.97 451
1964 4.88 440
1963 4.8 429
1962 4.71 419
1961 4.63 409

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/iceland/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Iceland increased by 29.7%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Iceland ranked 190th by population density and is 194th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Iceland
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Iceland Sri Lanka
2024 94.2% 20.3%
2023 94.2% 20.1%
2022 94.2% 20%
2021 94.2% 19.8%
2020 94.1% 19.7%
2019 94% 19.5%
2018 93.9% 19.3%
2017 93.8% 19.2%
2016 93.8% 19%
2015 93.7% 18.8%
2014 93.6% 18.6%
2013 93.6% 18.4%
2012 93.5% 18.3%
2011 93.4% 17.8%
2010 93.5% 17.2%
2009 93.4% 16.7%
2008 93.1% 16.3%
2007 92.4% 15.9%
2006 92.2% 15.5%
2005 92.4% 15.2%
2004 92.4% 14.9%
2003 92.3% 14.7%
2002 92.2% 14.6%
2001 92% 14.6%
2000 92% 14.6%
1999 91.8% 14.7%
1998 91.7% 14.9%
1997 92% 15.2%
1996 91.8% 15.5%
1995 91.6% 15.9%
1994 91.4% 16.3%
1993 91.3% 16.7%
1992 91.1% 17.1%
1991 90.9% 17.6%
1990 90.6% 18.1%
1989 90.4% 18.6%
1988 90.1% 19%
1987 89.8% 19.5%
1986 89.6% 19.9%
1985 89.3% 20.3%
1984 89.1% 20.7%
1983 88.9% 21%
1982 88.6% 21.3%
1981 88.3% 21.5%
1980 88.1% 21.6%
1979 87.9% 21.8%
1978 87.7% 21.9%
1977 87.4% 22%
1976 87.2% 22.1%
1975 86.9% 22.2%
1974 86.5% 22.3%
1973 86.2% 22.4%
1972 85.7% 22.4%
1971 85.3% 22.4%
1970 85% 22.3%
1969 84.8% 22%
1968 84.4% 21.5%
1967 83.9% 21%
1966 83.5% 20.4%
1965 83.2% 19.8%
1964 82.7% 19.3%
1963 82% 18.9%
1962 81.5% 18.5%
1961 81% 18%
1960 80.4% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 92.4% to 94.2% in Iceland and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

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

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