Italy has a population density of 513 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Italy has 55,153 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Italy and Nigeria rank 55th and 41st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Italy has 0.73% of the world's population and 0.2% 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 Italy 25.6% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Italy
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2026 | 513 | 690 |
| 2025 | 515 | 676 |
| 2024 | 516 | 662 |
| 2023 | 517 | 648 |
| 2022 | 517 | 635 |
| 2021 | 518 | 621 |
| 2020 | 521 | 609 |
| 2019 | 523 | 596 |
| 2018 | 527 | 583 |
| 2017 | 526 | 569 |
| 2016 | 527 | 556 |
| 2015 | 528 | 542 |
| 2014 | 528 | 529 |
| 2013 | 528 | 515 |
| 2012 | 527 | 501 |
| 2011 | 526 | 487 |
| 2010 | 524 | 474 |
| 2009 | 522 | 461 |
| 2008 | 519 | 448 |
| 2007 | 515 | 436 |
| 2006 | 511 | 424 |
| 2005 | 509 | 412 |
| 2004 | 506 | 401 |
| 2003 | 503 | 390 |
| 2002 | 500 | 380 |
| 2001 | 499 | 369 |
| 2000 | 499 | 359 |
| 1999 | 501 | 350 |
| 1998 | 501 | 341 |
| 1997 | 501 | 332 |
| 1996 | 501 | 323 |
| 1995 | 501 | 315 |
| 1994 | 501 | 307 |
| 1993 | 500 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 500 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 500 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 499 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 499 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 499 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 498 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 498 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 498 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 498 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 498 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 498 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 498 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 497 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 496 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 495 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 493 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 491 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 488 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 485 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 482 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 479 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 476 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 474 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 471 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 469 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 466 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 462 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 459 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 455 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 451 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 448 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 445 | 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/italy/nigeria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Italy increased by 0.28%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.
In 2006, Italy ranked 42nd by population density and is 55th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Italy
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 513 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 55/197 | 41/197 |
| Population |
58562681
|
243824469
|
| Land area | 114,178 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 53,994 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.4% | 37% |
| Urban population | 69.6% | 63% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 7% | 13.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Italy
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 69.6% | 63% |
| 2023 | 69.5% | 62.2% |
| 2022 | 69.5% | 61.4% |
| 2021 | 69.5% | 60.6% |
| 2020 | 69.5% | 59.8% |
| 2019 | 69.5% | 59% |
| 2018 | 69.5% | 58.2% |
| 2017 | 69.5% | 57.3% |
| 2016 | 69.6% | 56.5% |
| 2015 | 69.6% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 69.6% | 54.9% |
| 2013 | 69.3% | 54.1% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | 53.3% |
| 2011 | 68.4% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 68.2% | 51.7% |
| 2009 | 68% | 50.9% |
| 2008 | 67.9% | 50.1% |
| 2007 | 67.8% | 49.2% |
| 2006 | 67.7% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 67.6% | 47.6% |
| 2004 | 67.5% | 46.7% |
| 2003 | 67.4% | 45.8% |
| 2002 | 67.4% | 45% |
| 2001 | 67.3% | 44.1% |
| 2000 | 67.2% | 43.3% |
| 1999 | 67.1% | 42.4% |
| 1998 | 67% | 41.6% |
| 1997 | 67% | 40.8% |
| 1996 | 66.9% | 40% |
| 1995 | 66.8% | 39.1% |
| 1994 | 66.8% | 38.3% |
| 1993 | 66.7% | 37.5% |
| 1992 | 66.7% | 36.7% |
| 1991 | 66.7% | 36% |
| 1990 | 66.7% | 35.2% |
| 1989 | 66.7% | 34.4% |
| 1988 | 66.8% | 33.6% |
| 1987 | 66.8% | 32.8% |
| 1986 | 66.8% | 32.1% |
| 1985 | 66.8% | 31.3% |
| 1984 | 66.9% | 30.5% |
| 1983 | 66.9% | 29.7% |
| 1982 | 66.9% | 28.9% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | 28.2% |
| 1980 | 66.8% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 66.7% | 26.7% |
| 1978 | 66.6% | 25.9% |
| 1977 | 66.4% | 25.2% |
| 1976 | 66.2% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 65.9% | 23.7% |
| 1974 | 65.7% | 23% |
| 1973 | 65.4% | 22.3% |
| 1972 | 65.1% | 21.6% |
| 1971 | 64.8% | 20.9% |
| 1970 | 64.5% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 64% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 63.6% | 18.9% |
| 1967 | 63.1% | 18.3% |
| 1966 | 62.5% | 17.7% |
| 1965 | 62% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 61.4% | 16.5% |
| 1963 | 60.9% | 15.9% |
| 1962 | 60.3% | 15.4% |
| 1961 | 59.8% | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 59.3% | 14.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/italy/nigeria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/italy/nigeria | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
- Wikidata (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.