Latvia has a population density of 77.5 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Latvia has 373,317 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Latvia and South Africa are ranked 155th and 136th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Latvia has 0.02% of the world's population and 0.04% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Latvia is 43.3% lower than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Latvia
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 77.5 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 155/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
1844219
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 24,027 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 359,656 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 31.2% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 68.8% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.8% |
Latvia vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Latvia decreased by 17.7%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Latvia ranked 135th for population density and is in 155th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Latvia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 77.5 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 78.1 | 135 |
| 2022 | 78.2 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 78.4 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 79.1 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 79.7 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 80.2 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 80.8 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 81.6 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 82.3 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 83 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 83.8 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 84.7 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 85.7 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 87.3 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 89.1 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 90.6 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 91.6 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 92.3 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 93.2 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 94.2 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 95.2 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 96.2 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 97.3 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 98.5 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 99.5 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 100.3 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 101.3 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 102.3 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 103.4 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 104.9 | 94 |
| 1993 | 106.7 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 108.8 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | - | 89 |
| 1990 | - | 87 |
| 1989 | - | 84.6 |
| 1988 | - | 82.2 |
| 1987 | - | 79.7 |
| 1986 | - | 77.2 |
| 1985 | - | 74.8 |
| 1984 | - | 72.4 |
| 1983 | - | 69.9 |
| 1982 | - | 67.5 |
| 1981 | - | 65.2 |
| 1980 | - | 63 |
| 1979 | - | 61.1 |
| 1978 | - | 59.5 |
| 1977 | - | 57.9 |
| 1976 | - | 56.4 |
| 1975 | - | 54.9 |
| 1974 | - | 53.4 |
| 1973 | - | 51.9 |
| 1972 | - | 50.4 |
| 1971 | - | 49 |
| 1970 | - | 47.6 |
| 1969 | - | 46.1 |
| 1968 | - | 44.7 |
| 1967 | - | 43.4 |
| 1966 | - | 42 |
| 1965 | - | 40.8 |
| 1964 | - | 39.5 |
| 1963 | - | 38.3 |
| 1962 | - | 37.2 |
| 1961 | - | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Latvia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 68.8% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 68.7% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 68.5% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 68.4% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 68.3% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 68.2% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 68.1% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 68.1% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 68% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 68% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 68% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 67.9% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 67.9% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 67.9% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 67.8% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 67.8% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 67.8% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 67.9% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 68% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 68% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 67.9% | 59% |
| 2003 | 67.8% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 67.8% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 67.9% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 68.1% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 68.2% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 68.5% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 68.6% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 68.7% | 55% |
| 1995 | 68.8% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 68.9% | 54% |
| 1993 | 68.8% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 68.9% | 53% |
| 1991 | 69.2% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 69.2% | 52% |
| 1989 | 69.2% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 69.1% | 51% |
| 1987 | 68.9% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 68.8% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 68.6% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 68.3% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 68% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 67.7% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 67.4% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 67.1% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 66.7% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 66.1% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 65.5% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 64.8% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 64.2% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 63.5% | 48% |
| 1973 | 62.8% | 48% |
| 1972 | 62.1% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 61.4% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 60.7% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 59.9% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 59.2% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 58.4% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 57.6% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 56.8% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 56% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 55.3% | 47% |
| 1962 | 54.5% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 53.7% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 52.9% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 67.9% to 68.8% in Latvia and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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