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Population density: Jamaica vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Jamaica has a population density of 678 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Jamaica has 41,673 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Jamaica and Sri Lanka rank 43rd and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Jamaica has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% 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 Jamaica 26.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Jamaica
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Jamaica Sri Lanka
2026 678 928
2025 679 923
2024 679 918
2023 679 923
2022 679 929
2021 679 928
2020 677 918
2019 675 913
2018 674 907
2017 673 898
2016 672 888
2015 670 878
2014 668 858
2013 666 850
2012 663 874
2011 660 868
2010 657 862
2009 655 857
2008 652 852
2007 649 846
2006 646 841
2005 643 835
2004 639 830
2003 635 824
2002 631 818
2001 628 810
2000 624 797
1999 619 782
1998 615 768
1997 609 754
1996 604 739
1995 598 725
1994 592 714
1993 586 703
1992 580 691
1991 574 680
1990 569 675
1989 565 671
1988 561 664
1987 557 657
1986 553 650
1985 548 642
1984 542 638
1983 534 636
1982 527 631
1981 520 624
1980 513 613
1979 507 602
1978 501 591
1977 495 580
1976 489 570
1975 483 560
1974 476 550
1973 469 539
1972 462 529
1971 455 518
1970 449 507
1969 444 496
1968 439 485
1967 434 473
1966 428 462
1965 423 451
1964 417 440
1963 412 429
1962 406 419
1961 400 409

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/jamaica/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Jamaica increased by 4.96%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Jamaica ranked 36th by population density and is 43rd now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Jamaica
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Jamaica Sri Lanka
2024 58.9% 20.3%
2023 58.5% 20.1%
2022 58% 20%
2021 57.5% 19.8%
2020 57.1% 19.7%
2019 56.7% 19.5%
2018 56.3% 19.3%
2017 55.9% 19.2%
2016 55.5% 19%
2015 55.2% 18.8%
2014 54.9% 18.6%
2013 54.5% 18.4%
2012 54.2% 18.3%
2011 54% 17.8%
2010 53.8% 17.2%
2009 53.6% 16.7%
2008 53.4% 16.3%
2007 53.2% 15.9%
2006 53% 15.5%
2005 52.8% 15.2%
2004 52.6% 14.9%
2003 52.4% 14.7%
2002 52.1% 14.6%
2001 51.9% 14.6%
2000 51.7% 14.6%
1999 51.5% 14.7%
1998 51.3% 14.9%
1997 51% 15.2%
1996 50.8% 15.5%
1995 50.6% 15.9%
1994 50.3% 16.3%
1993 50.1% 16.7%
1992 49.9% 17.1%
1991 49.7% 17.6%
1990 49.4% 18.1%
1989 49.3% 18.6%
1988 49.1% 19%
1987 48.9% 19.5%
1986 48.7% 19.9%
1985 48.5% 20.3%
1984 48.3% 20.7%
1983 48.1% 21%
1982 47.8% 21.3%
1981 47.5% 21.5%
1980 47.2% 21.6%
1979 46.8% 21.8%
1978 46.3% 21.9%
1977 45.8% 22%
1976 45.3% 22.1%
1975 44.8% 22.2%
1974 44.2% 22.3%
1973 43.5% 22.4%
1972 42.9% 22.4%
1971 42.2% 22.4%
1970 41.4% 22.3%
1969 40.6% 22%
1968 39.6% 21.5%
1967 38.4% 21%
1966 37.2% 20.4%
1965 35.8% 19.8%
1964 34.5% 19.3%
1963 33.2% 18.9%
1962 31.9% 18.5%
1961 30.7% 18%
1960 29.7% 17.6%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 52.6% to 58.9% in Jamaica and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Jamaica
City Population
Kingston 938K
Spanish Town 131K
Montego Bay 124K
Half Way Tree 96.5K
May Pen 61.5K
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/jamaica/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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