India has a population density of 1,286 people per square mile compared to 45.3 people in Saudi Arabia. India has 24,171 sq ft of land per person vs 655,030 sq ft in Saudi Arabia. India and Saudi Arabia rank 19th and 178th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. India has 17.9% of the world's population and 2% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.45% of the population and 1.44% of the land area for Saudi Arabia, making the population density in India 2,738% higher than in Saudi Arabia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
India
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2026 | 1,286 | 45.3 |
| 2025 | 1,275 | 44.5 |
| 2024 | 1,264 | 42.5 |
| 2023 | 1,253 | 40.6 |
| 2022 | 1,242 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 1,232 | 37.1 |
| 2020 | 1,222 | 38 |
| 2019 | 1,210 | 36.2 |
| 2018 | 1,197 | 36.4 |
| 2017 | 1,184 | 37.3 |
| 2016 | 1,171 | 37.3 |
| 2015 | 1,157 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 1,143 | 34.1 |
| 2013 | 1,129 | 33.3 |
| 2012 | 1,114 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 1,099 | 30.2 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 28.9 |
| 2009 | 1,068 | 29.2 |
| 2008 | 1,052 | 28.1 |
| 2007 | 1,037 | 26.9 |
| 2006 | 1,022 | 25.9 |
| 2005 | 1,006 | 24.8 |
| 2004 | 990 | 23.7 |
| 2003 | 973 | 22.6 |
| 2002 | 956 | 21.6 |
| 2001 | 939 | 20.5 |
| 2000 | 922 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 904 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 887 | 18 |
| 1997 | 870 | 17.3 |
| 1996 | 853 | 16.7 |
| 1995 | 837 | 16 |
| 1994 | 820 | 15.4 |
| 1993 | 803 | 14.7 |
| 1992 | 787 | 14.1 |
| 1991 | 770 | 13.4 |
| 1990 | 753 | 12.8 |
| 1989 | 737 | 12.2 |
| 1988 | 721 | 11.6 |
| 1987 | 705 | 11 |
| 1986 | 689 | 10.4 |
| 1985 | 673 | 9.82 |
| 1984 | 658 | 9.27 |
| 1983 | 642 | 8.74 |
| 1982 | 627 | 8.22 |
| 1981 | 613 | 7.74 |
| 1980 | 599 | 7.29 |
| 1979 | 585 | 6.87 |
| 1978 | 571 | 6.48 |
| 1977 | 558 | 6.12 |
| 1976 | 545 | 5.79 |
| 1975 | 533 | 5.49 |
| 1974 | 520 | 5.21 |
| 1973 | 508 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | 497 | 4.71 |
| 1971 | 486 | 4.49 |
| 1970 | 476 | 4.29 |
| 1969 | 465 | 4.12 |
| 1968 | 455 | 3.96 |
| 1967 | 446 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 436 | 3.66 |
| 1965 | 427 | 3.53 |
| 1964 | 417 | 3.4 |
| 1963 | 408 | 3.28 |
| 1962 | 398 | 3.16 |
| 1961 | 389 | 3.04 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/india/saudi-arabia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in India increased by 25.9%, compared to a 75.3% growth in Saudi Arabia.
In 2006, India ranked 17th by population density and is 19th now. Saudi Arabia was 177th in 2006 and ranks 178th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
India
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,286 ppl/mi² | 45.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 19/197 | 178/197 |
| Population |
1483314140
|
37955120
|
| Land area | 1,147,955 sq mi | 830,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 21,862 sq ft | 625,828 sq ft |
| Rural population | 64.3% | 15.4% |
| Urban population | 35.7% | 84.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.6% | 41% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
India
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2025 | 35.7% | 84.6% |
| 2024 | 35.4% | 84.5% |
| 2023 | 35.1% | 84.3% |
| 2022 | 34.8% | 84.1% |
| 2021 | 34.4% | 84% |
| 2020 | 34.1% | 83.8% |
| 2019 | 33.8% | 83.6% |
| 2018 | 33.5% | 83.5% |
| 2017 | 33.2% | 83.3% |
| 2016 | 32.9% | 83.1% |
| 2015 | 32.5% | 83% |
| 2014 | 32.2% | 82.8% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | 82.6% |
| 2012 | 31.6% | 82.4% |
| 2011 | 31.3% | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 30.9% | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 30.5% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 30.1% | 81.6% |
| 2007 | 29.8% | 81.4% |
| 2006 | 29.4% | 81.2% |
| 2005 | 29.1% | 81% |
| 2004 | 28.8% | 80.8% |
| 2003 | 28.5% | 80.5% |
| 2002 | 28.2% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 27.9% | 80.2% |
| 2000 | 27.6% | 80% |
| 1999 | 27.4% | 79.8% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | 79.6% |
| 1997 | 27% | 79.4% |
| 1996 | 26.8% | 79.2% |
| 1995 | 26.6% | 78.9% |
| 1994 | 26.4% | 78.6% |
| 1993 | 26.2% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 26% | 78% |
| 1991 | 25.8% | 77.6% |
| 1990 | 25.6% | 77% |
| 1989 | 25.4% | 76.3% |
| 1988 | 25.2% | 75.6% |
| 1987 | 25% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 24.8% | 73.9% |
| 1985 | 24.7% | 72.9% |
| 1984 | 24.5% | 71.8% |
| 1983 | 24.3% | 70.6% |
| 1982 | 24% | 69.3% |
| 1981 | 23.8% | 67.9% |
| 1980 | 23.5% | 66.4% |
| 1979 | 23.2% | 64.9% |
| 1978 | 22.8% | 63.3% |
| 1977 | 22.4% | 61.7% |
| 1976 | 21.9% | 60.1% |
| 1975 | 21.5% | 58.4% |
| 1974 | 21% | 56.8% |
| 1973 | 20.6% | 55.1% |
| 1972 | 20.3% | 53.2% |
| 1971 | 20% | 51.2% |
| 1970 | 19.7% | 49.2% |
| 1969 | 19.5% | 47.1% |
| 1968 | 19.2% | 45% |
| 1967 | 19% | 42.9% |
| 1966 | 18.8% | 40.9% |
| 1965 | 18.6% | 39% |
| 1964 | 18.4% | 37.2% |
| 1963 | 18.3% | 35.6% |
| 1962 | 18.1% | 34.1% |
| 1961 | 18% | 32.8% |
| 1960 | 17.9% | 31.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/india/saudi-arabia | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 29.1% to 35.7% in India and from 81% to 84.6% in Saudi Arabia.
Densely populated cities
|
India
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Delhi | 26.5M |
| Mumbai | 15.4M |
| Bangalore | 12.3M |
| Hyderabad | 9.19M |
| Ahmedabad | 7.64M |
| Chennai | 6.6M |
| Pune | 6.2M |
| Surat | 5.94M |
| Kanpur | 4.58M |
| Kolkata | 4.5M |
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Riyadh | 7.01M |
| Jeddah | 4.7M |
| Mecca | 2.43M |
| Medina | 1.41M |
| Dammam | 903K |
| Tabuk | 886K |
| Qatif | 625K |
| Jubail | 379K |
| Ha'il | 311K |
| Yanbu | 299K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/india/saudi-arabia | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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