Mauritania has a population density of 13 people per square mile compared to 662 people in Nigeria. Mauritania has 2,146,163 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, Mauritania and Nigeria are ranked 188th and 43rd, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Mauritania has 0.06% of the world's population and 0.69% 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 Mauritania is 98% lower than in Nigeria.
Population density comparison
Mauritania
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 13 ppl/mi² | 662 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 188/197 | 43/197 |
| Population |
5432542
|
241467099
|
| Land area | 397,955 sq mi | 351,650 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,146,163 sq ft | 42,133 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.5% | 45% |
| Urban population | 58.5% | 55% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 20.8% | 14.5% |
Mauritania vs Nigeria:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Mauritania increased by 80.2%, compared to a 65% growth in Nigeria.
In 2004, Mauritania ranked 189th for population density and is in 188th place now. Nigeria was 53rd in 2004 and ranks 43rd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 13 | 662 |
| 2023 | 12.6 | 648 |
| 2022 | 12.3 | 635 |
| 2021 | 11.9 | 621 |
| 2020 | 11.6 | 609 |
| 2019 | 11.2 | 596 |
| 2018 | 10.9 | 583 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 569 |
| 2016 | 10.3 | 556 |
| 2015 | 9.97 | 542 |
| 2014 | 9.67 | 529 |
| 2013 | 9.38 | 515 |
| 2012 | 9.09 | 501 |
| 2011 | 8.8 | 487 |
| 2010 | 8.52 | 474 |
| 2009 | 8.25 | 461 |
| 2008 | 8 | 448 |
| 2007 | 7.77 | 436 |
| 2006 | 7.57 | 424 |
| 2005 | 7.39 | 412 |
| 2004 | 7.21 | 401 |
| 2003 | 7.04 | 390 |
| 2002 | 6.88 | 380 |
| 2001 | 6.73 | 369 |
| 2000 | 6.57 | 359 |
| 1999 | 6.39 | 350 |
| 1998 | 6.22 | 341 |
| 1997 | 6.06 | 332 |
| 1996 | 5.93 | 323 |
| 1995 | 5.81 | 315 |
| 1994 | 5.65 | 307 |
| 1993 | 5.46 | 298.9 |
| 1992 | 5.25 | 291.1 |
| 1991 | 5.05 | 283.6 |
| 1990 | 4.9 | 276.2 |
| 1989 | 4.78 | 268.8 |
| 1988 | 4.66 | 261.7 |
| 1987 | 4.53 | 254.8 |
| 1986 | 4.4 | 248.1 |
| 1985 | 4.28 | 241.4 |
| 1984 | 4.16 | 234.7 |
| 1983 | 4.04 | 228.7 |
| 1982 | 3.92 | 222.9 |
| 1981 | 3.81 | 216.3 |
| 1980 | 3.7 | 209.8 |
| 1979 | 3.6 | 203.3 |
| 1978 | 3.5 | 197.1 |
| 1977 | 3.4 | 191.2 |
| 1976 | 3.31 | 185.6 |
| 1975 | 3.21 | 180.3 |
| 1974 | 3.12 | 175.4 |
| 1973 | 3.03 | 170.9 |
| 1972 | 2.94 | 166.6 |
| 1971 | 2.85 | 162.7 |
| 1970 | 2.76 | 158.9 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 155.4 |
| 1968 | 2.6 | 151.9 |
| 1967 | 2.52 | 148.7 |
| 1966 | 2.45 | 145.6 |
| 1965 | 2.38 | 142.4 |
| 1964 | 2.31 | 139.4 |
| 1963 | 2.25 | 136.4 |
| 1962 | 2.18 | 133.6 |
| 1961 | 2.13 | 130.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Nigeria
|
|
| 2024 | 58.5% | 55% |
| 2023 | 57.7% | 54.3% |
| 2022 | 56.9% | 53.5% |
| 2021 | 56.1% | 52.7% |
| 2020 | 55.3% | 52% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | 51.2% |
| 2018 | 53.7% | 50.3% |
| 2017 | 52.8% | 49.5% |
| 2016 | 52% | 48.7% |
| 2015 | 51.1% | 47.8% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | 47% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | 46.1% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | 45.2% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | 44.4% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | 43.5% |
| 2009 | 45.7% | 42.6% |
| 2008 | 44.8% | 41.7% |
| 2007 | 43.9% | 40.8% |
| 2006 | 43% | 39.9% |
| 2005 | 42.1% | 39.1% |
| 2004 | 41.2% | 38.2% |
| 2003 | 40.4% | 37.4% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | 36.5% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | 35.7% |
| 2000 | 38.1% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 38.2% | 34.3% |
| 1998 | 38.3% | 33.8% |
| 1997 | 38.5% | 33.2% |
| 1996 | 38.6% | 32.7% |
| 1995 | 38.7% | 32.2% |
| 1994 | 38.8% | 31.7% |
| 1993 | 39% | 31.2% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | 30.7% |
| 1991 | 39.2% | 30.2% |
| 1990 | 39.3% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 39.4% | 28.8% |
| 1988 | 39.6% | 28% |
| 1987 | 38.3% | 27.2% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | 26.4% |
| 1985 | 35% | 25.6% |
| 1984 | 33.4% | 24.9% |
| 1983 | 31.8% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 30.3% | 23.4% |
| 1981 | 28.8% | 22.7% |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 22% |
| 1979 | 26% | 21.5% |
| 1978 | 24.6% | 21.1% |
| 1977 | 23.3% | 20.6% |
| 1976 | 22% | 20.2% |
| 1975 | 20.6% | 19.8% |
| 1974 | 19.2% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 18% | 19% |
| 1972 | 16.8% | 18.5% |
| 1971 | 15.6% | 18.2% |
| 1970 | 14.6% | 17.8% |
| 1969 | 13.6% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 12.6% | 17.3% |
| 1967 | 11.7% | 17% |
| 1966 | 10.9% | 16.8% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | 16.6% |
| 1964 | 9.36% | 16.3% |
| 1963 | 8.67% | 16.1% |
| 1962 | 8.03% | 15.9% |
| 1961 | 7.44% | 15.6% |
| 1960 | 6.88% | 15.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.2% to 58.5% in Mauritania and from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria.
Densely populated cities
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people per square mile
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