Kenya has a population density of 251.6 people per square mile compared to 662 people in Nigeria. Kenya has 110,878 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Kenya and Nigeria are ranked 96th and 43rd, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Kenya has 0.69% of the world's population and 0.39% of the land area of all countries, compared to 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, hence the population density in Kenya is 62% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density comparison
Kenya
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 251.6 ppl/mi² | 662 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 96/197 | 43/197 |
| Population |
58419239
|
241467099
|
| Land area | 224,278 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 110,795 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70% | 45% |
| Urban population | 30% | 55% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 12% | 14.5% |
Kenya vs Nigeria:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Kenya increased by 59.3%, compared to a 65% growth in Nigeria.
In 2004, Kenya ranked 113th for population density and is in 96th place now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2004 and ranks 43rd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Kenya
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 251.6 | 662 |
| 2023 | 246.7 | 648 |
| 2022 | 241.9 | 635 |
| 2021 | 237.3 | 621 |
| 2020 | 232.8 | 609 |
| 2019 | 229.1 | 596 |
| 2018 | 225.4 | 583 |
| 2017 | 221.6 | 569 |
| 2016 | 217.6 | 556 |
| 2015 | 213.6 | 542 |
| 2014 | 209.6 | 529 |
| 2013 | 204.7 | 515 |
| 2012 | 199.7 | 501 |
| 2011 | 194.6 | 487 |
| 2010 | 189.3 | 474 |
| 2009 | 183.9 | 461 |
| 2008 | 178.4 | 448 |
| 2007 | 173.1 | 436 |
| 2006 | 167.9 | 424 |
| 2005 | 162.9 | 412 |
| 2004 | 158 | 401 |
| 2003 | 153.1 | 390 |
| 2002 | 148.5 | 380 |
| 2001 | 143.9 | 369 |
| 2000 | 139.4 | 359 |
| 1999 | 135.3 | 350 |
| 1998 | 131.5 | 341 |
| 1997 | 127.9 | 332 |
| 1996 | 124.4 | 323 |
| 1995 | 121.1 | 315 |
| 1994 | 117.7 | 307 |
| 1993 | 114.3 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 111 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 107.6 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 104.2 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 100.7 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 97.2 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 93.8 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 90.6 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 87.4 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 84.3 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 81.2 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 78.3 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 75.5 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 72.9 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 70.4 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 68 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 65.7 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 63.5 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 61.5 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 59.5 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 57.5 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 55.5 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 53.6 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 51.7 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 49.8 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 47.9 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 46 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 44.2 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 42.5 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 40.8 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 39.3 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 37.8 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 36.3 | 130.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Kenya
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 30% | 55% |
| 2023 | 29.5% | 54.3% |
| 2022 | 29% | 53.5% |
| 2021 | 28.5% | 52.7% |
| 2020 | 28% | 52% |
| 2019 | 27.5% | 51.2% |
| 2018 | 27% | 50.3% |
| 2017 | 26.6% | 49.5% |
| 2016 | 26.1% | 48.7% |
| 2015 | 25.7% | 47.8% |
| 2014 | 25.2% | 47% |
| 2013 | 24.8% | 46.1% |
| 2012 | 24.4% | 45.2% |
| 2011 | 24% | 44.4% |
| 2010 | 23.6% | 43.5% |
| 2009 | 23.2% | 42.6% |
| 2008 | 22.8% | 41.7% |
| 2007 | 22.4% | 40.8% |
| 2006 | 22% | 39.9% |
| 2005 | 21.7% | 39.1% |
| 2004 | 21.3% | 38.2% |
| 2003 | 20.9% | 37.4% |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 36.5% |
| 2001 | 20.2% | 35.7% |
| 2000 | 19.9% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 19.5% | 34.3% |
| 1998 | 19.2% | 33.8% |
| 1997 | 18.9% | 33.2% |
| 1996 | 18.6% | 32.7% |
| 1995 | 18.3% | 32.2% |
| 1994 | 18% | 31.7% |
| 1993 | 17.6% | 31.2% |
| 1992 | 17.3% | 30.7% |
| 1991 | 17% | 30.2% |
| 1990 | 16.7% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 16.5% | 28.8% |
| 1988 | 16.4% | 28% |
| 1987 | 16.3% | 27.2% |
| 1986 | 16.2% | 26.4% |
| 1985 | 16.1% | 25.6% |
| 1984 | 16% | 24.9% |
| 1983 | 15.9% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | 23.4% |
| 1981 | 15.7% | 22.7% |
| 1980 | 15.6% | 22% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | 21.5% |
| 1978 | 14.7% | 21.1% |
| 1977 | 14.1% | 20.6% |
| 1976 | 13.5% | 20.2% |
| 1975 | 12.9% | 19.8% |
| 1974 | 12.3% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 11.8% | 19% |
| 1972 | 11.3% | 18.5% |
| 1971 | 10.8% | 18.2% |
| 1970 | 10.3% | 17.8% |
| 1969 | 9.85% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 9.53% | 17.3% |
| 1967 | 9.21% | 17% |
| 1966 | 8.9% | 16.8% |
| 1965 | 8.61% | 16.6% |
| 1964 | 8.32% | 16.3% |
| 1963 | 8.04% | 16.1% |
| 1962 | 7.77% | 15.9% |
| 1961 | 7.57% | 15.6% |
| 1960 | 7.36% | 15.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 21.3% to 30% in Kenya and from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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