Lesotho has a population density of 199.4 people per square mile compared to 13 people in Mauritania. Lesotho has 139,786 sq ft of land per person vs 2,146,163 sq ft in Mauritania. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Lesotho and Mauritania are ranked 114th and 188th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Lesotho has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.06% of the population and 0.69% of the land area for Mauritania, hence the population density in Lesotho is 1,435% higher than in Mauritania.
Population density comparison
Lesotho
|
Mauritania
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 199.4 ppl/mi² | 13 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 114/197 | 188/197 |
| Population |
2384217
|
5432542
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 397,955 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 2,146,163 sq ft |
| Rural population | 69.1% | 41.5% |
| Urban population | 30.9% | 58.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 20.8% |
Lesotho vs Mauritania:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Lesotho increased by 18.6%, compared to a 80.2% growth in Mauritania.
In 2004, Lesotho ranked 107th for population density and is in 114th place now. Mauritania was 189th in 2004 and ranks 188th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Mauritania
|
|
| 2024 | 199.4 | 13 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 12.6 |
| 2022 | 195 | 12.3 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 11.9 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 11.6 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 11.2 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 10.9 |
| 2017 | 184 | 10.6 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 10.3 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 9.97 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 9.67 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 9.38 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 9.09 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 8.8 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 8.52 |
| 2009 | 169 | 8.25 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 8 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 7.77 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 7.57 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 7.39 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 7.21 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 7.04 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 6.88 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 6.73 |
| 2000 | 171 | 6.57 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 6.39 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 6.22 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 6.06 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 5.93 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 5.81 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 5.65 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 5.46 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 5.25 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 5.05 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 4.9 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 4.78 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 4.66 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 4.53 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 4.4 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 4.28 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 4.16 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 4.04 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 3.92 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 3.81 |
| 1980 | 120 | 3.7 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 3.6 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 3.5 |
| 1977 | 110 | 3.4 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 3.31 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 3.21 |
| 1974 | 100 | 3.12 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 3.03 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 2.94 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 2.85 |
| 1970 | 87 | 2.76 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 2.68 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 2.6 |
| 1967 | 78 | 2.52 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 2.45 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 2.38 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 2.31 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 2.25 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 2.18 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 2.13 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Mauritania
|
|
| 2024 | 30.9% | 58.5% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | 57.7% |
| 2022 | 29.9% | 56.9% |
| 2021 | 29.5% | 56.1% |
| 2020 | 29% | 55.3% |
| 2019 | 28.6% | 54.5% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | 53.7% |
| 2017 | 27.7% | 52.8% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | 52% |
| 2015 | 26.9% | 51.1% |
| 2014 | 26.5% | 50.2% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | 49.3% |
| 2012 | 25.7% | 48.4% |
| 2011 | 25.3% | 47.5% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | 46.6% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | 45.7% |
| 2008 | 23.8% | 44.8% |
| 2007 | 23.3% | 43.9% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | 43% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | 42.1% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | 41.2% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 40.4% |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 39.5% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | 38.6% |
| 2000 | 19.5% | 38.1% |
| 1999 | 19% | 38.2% |
| 1998 | 18.5% | 38.3% |
| 1997 | 18% | 38.5% |
| 1996 | 17.6% | 38.6% |
| 1995 | 17% | 38.7% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | 38.8% |
| 1993 | 15.7% | 39% |
| 1992 | 15.1% | 39.1% |
| 1991 | 14.5% | 39.2% |
| 1990 | 14% | 39.3% |
| 1989 | 13.4% | 39.4% |
| 1988 | 12.9% | 39.6% |
| 1987 | 12.4% | 38.3% |
| 1986 | 11.9% | 36.6% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | 35% |
| 1984 | 11.7% | 33.4% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | 31.8% |
| 1982 | 11.6% | 30.3% |
| 1981 | 11.5% | 28.8% |
| 1980 | 11.5% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | 26% |
| 1978 | 11.3% | 24.6% |
| 1977 | 11.3% | 23.3% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 22% |
| 1975 | 10.8% | 20.6% |
| 1974 | 10.4% | 19.2% |
| 1973 | 9.91% | 18% |
| 1972 | 9.47% | 16.8% |
| 1971 | 9.04% | 15.6% |
| 1970 | 8.61% | 14.6% |
| 1969 | 8.2% | 13.6% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | 12.6% |
| 1967 | 7.42% | 11.7% |
| 1966 | 7.06% | 10.9% |
| 1965 | 6.37% | 10.1% |
| 1964 | 5.66% | 9.36% |
| 1963 | 5.03% | 8.67% |
| 1962 | 4.46% | 8.03% |
| 1961 | 3.96% | 7.44% |
| 1960 | 3.51% | 6.88% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 21.7% to 30.9% in Lesotho and from 41.2% to 58.5% in Mauritania.
Densely populated cities
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Maseru | 344K |
| Teyateyaneng | 75.1K |
| Mafeteng | 57.1K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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