Lesotho has a population density of 203.8 people per square mile compared to 690 people in Nigeria. Lesotho has 139,786 sq ft of land per person vs 42,734 sq ft in Nigeria. Lesotho and Nigeria rank 115th and 41st by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 2.86% of the population and 0.61% of the land area for Nigeria, making the population density in Lesotho 70.4% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Lesotho
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2026 | 203.8 | 690 |
| 2025 | 201.6 | 676 |
| 2024 | 199.4 | 662 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 648 |
| 2022 | 195 | 635 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 621 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 609 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 596 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 583 |
| 2017 | 184 | 569 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 556 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 542 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 529 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 515 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 501 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 487 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 474 |
| 2009 | 169 | 461 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 448 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 436 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 424 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 412 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 401 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 390 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 380 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 369 |
| 2000 | 171 | 359 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 350 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 341 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 332 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 323 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 315 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 307 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 120 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 110 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 100 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 87 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 78 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 130.8 |
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/lesotho/nigeria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Lesotho increased by 22.9%, compared to a 62.7% growth in Nigeria.
In 2006, Lesotho ranked 113th by population density and is 115th now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2006 and ranks 41st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Lesotho
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 203.8 ppl/mi² | 690 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 115/197 | 41/197 |
| Population |
2396633
|
243824469
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 56.3% | 37% |
| Urban population | 43.7% | 63% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 13.8% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 43.7% | 63% |
| 2023 | 42.7% | 62.2% |
| 2022 | 41.7% | 61.4% |
| 2021 | 40.7% | 60.6% |
| 2020 | 39.6% | 59.8% |
| 2019 | 38.6% | 59% |
| 2018 | 37.6% | 58.2% |
| 2017 | 36.5% | 57.3% |
| 2016 | 35.5% | 56.5% |
| 2015 | 34.1% | 55.7% |
| 2014 | 32.6% | 54.9% |
| 2013 | 31.2% | 54.1% |
| 2012 | 29.9% | 53.3% |
| 2011 | 28.6% | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 27.4% | 51.7% |
| 2009 | 26.3% | 50.9% |
| 2008 | 25.2% | 50.1% |
| 2007 | 24.2% | 49.2% |
| 2006 | 23.3% | 48.4% |
| 2005 | 22.5% | 47.6% |
| 2004 | 21.8% | 46.7% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 45.8% |
| 2002 | 20.5% | 45% |
| 2001 | 19.9% | 44.1% |
| 2000 | 19.3% | 43.3% |
| 1999 | 18.8% | 42.4% |
| 1998 | 18.2% | 41.6% |
| 1997 | 17.7% | 40.8% |
| 1996 | 17.1% | 40% |
| 1995 | 16.5% | 39.1% |
| 1994 | 15.8% | 38.3% |
| 1993 | 15% | 37.5% |
| 1992 | 14.3% | 36.7% |
| 1991 | 13.6% | 36% |
| 1990 | 12.9% | 35.2% |
| 1989 | 12.3% | 34.4% |
| 1988 | 11.8% | 33.6% |
| 1987 | 11.5% | 32.8% |
| 1986 | 11.3% | 32.1% |
| 1985 | 11.3% | 31.3% |
| 1984 | 11.3% | 30.5% |
| 1983 | 11.3% | 29.7% |
| 1982 | 11.2% | 28.9% |
| 1981 | 11.2% | 28.2% |
| 1980 | 11.2% | 27.4% |
| 1979 | 11.2% | 26.7% |
| 1978 | 11.2% | 25.9% |
| 1977 | 11.2% | 25.2% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 23.7% |
| 1974 | 10.9% | 23% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 22.3% |
| 1972 | 10.2% | 21.6% |
| 1971 | 9.75% | 20.9% |
| 1970 | 9.22% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 8.68% | 19.6% |
| 1968 | 8.12% | 18.9% |
| 1967 | 7.59% | 18.3% |
| 1966 | 7.1% | 17.7% |
| 1965 | 6.62% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 6.07% | 16.5% |
| 1963 | 5.47% | 15.9% |
| 1962 | 4.86% | 15.4% |
| 1961 | 4.24% | 14.8% |
| 1960 | 3.66% | 14.2% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/lesotho/nigeria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 21.8% to 43.7% in Lesotho and from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria.
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Population density in other countries
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/lesotho/nigeria | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2005–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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