Skip to content

Population density: Italy vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Italy has a population density of 513 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Italy has 55,153 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Italy and Sri Lanka rank 55th and 25th 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Italy 44.7% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Italy
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Italy Sri Lanka
2026 513 928
2025 515 923
2024 516 918
2023 517 923
2022 517 929
2021 518 928
2020 521 918
2019 523 913
2018 527 907
2017 526 898
2016 527 888
2015 528 878
2014 528 858
2013 528 850
2012 527 874
2011 526 868
2010 524 862
2009 522 857
2008 519 852
2007 515 846
2006 511 841
2005 509 835
2004 506 830
2003 503 824
2002 500 818
2001 499 810
2000 499 797
1999 501 782
1998 501 768
1997 501 754
1996 501 739
1995 501 725
1994 501 714
1993 500 703
1992 500 691
1991 500 680
1990 499 675
1989 499 671
1988 499 664
1987 498 657
1986 498 650
1985 498 642
1984 498 638
1983 498 636
1982 498 631
1981 498 624
1980 497 613
1979 496 602
1978 495 591
1977 493 580
1976 491 570
1975 488 560
1974 485 550
1973 482 539
1972 479 529
1971 476 518
1970 474 507
1969 471 496
1968 469 485
1967 466 473
1966 462 462
1965 459 451
1964 455 440
1963 451 429
1962 448 419
1961 445 409

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/italy/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Italy increased by 0.28%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Italy ranked 42nd by population density and is 55th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Italy
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Italy Sri Lanka
2024 69.6% 20.3%
2023 69.5% 20.1%
2022 69.5% 20%
2021 69.5% 19.8%
2020 69.5% 19.7%
2019 69.5% 19.5%
2018 69.5% 19.3%
2017 69.5% 19.2%
2016 69.6% 19%
2015 69.6% 18.8%
2014 69.6% 18.6%
2013 69.3% 18.4%
2012 68.8% 18.3%
2011 68.4% 17.8%
2010 68.2% 17.2%
2009 68% 16.7%
2008 67.9% 16.3%
2007 67.8% 15.9%
2006 67.7% 15.5%
2005 67.6% 15.2%
2004 67.5% 14.9%
2003 67.4% 14.7%
2002 67.4% 14.6%
2001 67.3% 14.6%
2000 67.2% 14.6%
1999 67.1% 14.7%
1998 67% 14.9%
1997 67% 15.2%
1996 66.9% 15.5%
1995 66.8% 15.9%
1994 66.8% 16.3%
1993 66.7% 16.7%
1992 66.7% 17.1%
1991 66.7% 17.6%
1990 66.7% 18.1%
1989 66.7% 18.6%
1988 66.8% 19%
1987 66.8% 19.5%
1986 66.8% 19.9%
1985 66.8% 20.3%
1984 66.9% 20.7%
1983 66.9% 21%
1982 66.9% 21.3%
1981 66.9% 21.5%
1980 66.8% 21.6%
1979 66.7% 21.8%
1978 66.6% 21.9%
1977 66.4% 22%
1976 66.2% 22.1%
1975 65.9% 22.2%
1974 65.7% 22.3%
1973 65.4% 22.4%
1972 65.1% 22.4%
1971 64.8% 22.4%
1970 64.5% 22.3%
1969 64% 22%
1968 63.6% 21.5%
1967 63.1% 21%
1966 62.5% 20.4%
1965 62% 19.8%
1964 61.4% 19.3%
1963 60.9% 18.9%
1962 60.3% 18.5%
1961 59.8% 18%
1960 59.3% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Italy
City Population
Rome 2.75M
Milan 1.35M
Naples 913K
Turin 842K
Palermo 630K
Genoa 559K
Bologna 388K
Florence 361K
Bari 315K
Catania 312K
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/italy/sri-lanka | 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:

  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)

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.