Mauritania has a population density of 13 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Mauritania has 2,146,163 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Mauritania ranked 188th out of 197.
Mauritania has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.69% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Mauritania compared to the World's average
Mauritania
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 13 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 188/197 | N/A |
| Population |
5432542
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 397,955 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,146,163 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.5% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 58.5% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 20.8% | 28.6% |
Mauritania population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Mauritania has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 80.2%. The population density rank was 189th 21 years ago and is 188th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 13 | 188 |
| 2023 | 12.6 | 188 |
| 2022 | 12.3 | 188 |
| 2021 | 11.9 | 188 |
| 2020 | 11.6 | 188 |
| 2019 | 11.2 | 188 |
| 2018 | 10.9 | 188 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 188 |
| 2016 | 10.3 | 189 |
| 2015 | 9.97 | 191 |
| 2014 | 9.67 | 191 |
| 2013 | 9.38 | 191 |
| 2012 | 9.09 | 192 |
| 2011 | 8.8 | 191 |
| 2010 | 8.52 | 190 |
| 2009 | 8.25 | 190 |
| 2008 | 8 | 191 |
| 2007 | 7.77 | 191 |
| 2006 | 7.57 | 191 |
| 2005 | 7.39 | 189 |
| 2004 | 7.21 | 189 |
| 2003 | 7.04 | 189 |
| 2002 | 6.88 | 189 |
| 2001 | 6.73 | 189 |
| 2000 | 6.57 | 189 |
| 1999 | 6.39 | 186 |
| 1998 | 6.22 | 187 |
| 1997 | 6.06 | 187 |
| 1996 | 5.93 | 187 |
| 1995 | 5.81 | 187 |
| 1994 | 5.65 | 187 |
| 1993 | 5.46 | 187 |
| 1992 | 5.25 | 183 |
| 1991 | 5.05 | 164 |
| 1990 | 4.9 | 162 |
| 1989 | 4.78 | 161 |
| 1988 | 4.66 | 161 |
| 1987 | 4.53 | 161 |
| 1986 | 4.4 | 161 |
| 1985 | 4.28 | 161 |
| 1984 | 4.16 | 161 |
| 1983 | 4.04 | 161 |
| 1982 | 3.92 | 161 |
| 1981 | 3.81 | 161 |
| 1980 | 3.7 | 161 |
| 1979 | 3.6 | 161 |
| 1978 | 3.5 | 161 |
| 1977 | 3.4 | 161 |
| 1976 | 3.31 | 161 |
| 1975 | 3.21 | 161 |
| 1974 | 3.12 | 161 |
| 1973 | 3.03 | 160 |
| 1972 | 2.94 | 160 |
| 1971 | 2.85 | 160 |
| 1970 | 2.76 | 160 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 161 |
| 1968 | 2.6 | 161 |
| 1967 | 2.52 | 161 |
| 1966 | 2.45 | 161 |
| 1965 | 2.38 | 161 |
| 1964 | 2.31 | 161 |
| 1963 | 2.25 | 161 |
| 1962 | 2.18 | 161 |
| 1961 | 2.13 | 161 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Mauritania from 1960 to 2024: 6.88% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 38.1% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 58.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 58.5% | 112 |
| 2023 | 57.7% | 114 |
| 2022 | 56.9% | 116 |
| 2021 | 56.1% | 117 |
| 2020 | 55.3% | 118 |
| 2019 | 54.5% | 119 |
| 2018 | 53.7% | 121 |
| 2017 | 52.8% | 122 |
| 2016 | 52% | 122 |
| 2015 | 51.1% | 122 |
| 2014 | 50.2% | 124 |
| 2013 | 49.3% | 126 |
| 2012 | 48.4% | 127 |
| 2011 | 47.5% | 128 |
| 2010 | 46.6% | 128 |
| 2009 | 45.7% | 128 |
| 2008 | 44.8% | 131 |
| 2007 | 43.9% | 131 |
| 2006 | 43% | 132 |
| 2005 | 42.1% | 134 |
| 2004 | 41.2% | 134 |
| 2003 | 40.4% | 134 |
| 2002 | 39.5% | 133 |
| 2001 | 38.6% | 134 |
| 2000 | 38.1% | 134 |
| 1999 | 38.2% | 133 |
| 1998 | 38.3% | 133 |
| 1997 | 38.5% | 132 |
| 1996 | 38.6% | 131 |
| 1995 | 38.7% | 131 |
| 1994 | 38.8% | 130 |
| 1993 | 39% | 128 |
| 1992 | 39.1% | 128 |
| 1991 | 39.2% | 126 |
| 1990 | 39.3% | 125 |
| 1989 | 39.4% | 120 |
| 1988 | 39.6% | 117 |
| 1987 | 38.3% | 120 |
| 1986 | 36.6% | 125 |
| 1985 | 35% | 129 |
| 1984 | 33.4% | 130 |
| 1983 | 31.8% | 134 |
| 1982 | 30.3% | 136 |
| 1981 | 28.8% | 137 |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 139 |
| 1979 | 26% | 144 |
| 1978 | 24.6% | 144 |
| 1977 | 23.3% | 147 |
| 1976 | 22% | 147 |
| 1975 | 20.6% | 151 |
| 1974 | 19.2% | 156 |
| 1973 | 18% | 161 |
| 1972 | 16.8% | 163 |
| 1971 | 15.6% | 163 |
| 1970 | 14.6% | 165 |
| 1969 | 13.6% | 167 |
| 1968 | 12.6% | 167 |
| 1967 | 11.7% | 171 |
| 1966 | 10.9% | 172 |
| 1965 | 10.1% | 172 |
| 1964 | 9.36% | 173 |
| 1963 | 8.67% | 174 |
| 1962 | 8.03% | 175 |
| 1961 | 7.44% | 176 |
| 1960 | 6.88% | 176 |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Mauritania topic pages:
Population density comparisons
