Mauritania has a population density of 13 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Portugal. Mauritania has 2,146,163 sq ft of land per person vs 92,762 sq ft in Portugal. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Mauritania and Portugal are ranked 188th and 81st, 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 0.13% of the population and 0.06% of the land area for Portugal, hence the population density in Mauritania is 95.7% lower than in Portugal.
Population density comparison
Mauritania
|
Portugal
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 13 ppl/mi² | 303 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 188/197 | 81/197 |
| Population |
5432542
|
10687819
|
| Land area | 397,955 sq mi | 35,369 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,146,163 sq ft | 92,139 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.5% | 31.6% |
| Urban population | 58.5% | 68.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 20.8% | 0% |
Mauritania vs Portugal:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Mauritania increased by 80.2%, compared to a 1.96% growth in Portugal.
In 2004, Mauritania ranked 189th for population density and is in 188th place now. Portugal was 68th in 2004 and ranks 81st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2024 | 13 | 303 |
| 2023 | 12.6 | 299.1 |
| 2022 | 12.3 | 295 |
| 2021 | 11.9 | 293 |
| 2020 | 11.6 | 291.1 |
| 2019 | 11.2 | 290.8 |
| 2018 | 10.9 | 290.8 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 291.2 |
| 2016 | 10.3 | 291.9 |
| 2015 | 9.97 | 292.9 |
| 2014 | 9.67 | 294.1 |
| 2013 | 9.38 | 295.7 |
| 2012 | 9.09 | 297.3 |
| 2011 | 8.8 | 298.5 |
| 2010 | 8.52 | 299 |
| 2009 | 8.25 | 298.8 |
| 2008 | 8 | 299 |
| 2007 | 7.77 | 298.5 |
| 2006 | 7.57 | 297.9 |
| 2005 | 7.39 | 297.4 |
| 2004 | 7.21 | 296.8 |
| 2003 | 7.04 | 296 |
| 2002 | 6.88 | 294.9 |
| 2001 | 6.73 | 293.3 |
| 2000 | 6.57 | 291.3 |
| 1999 | 6.39 | 289.2 |
| 1998 | 6.22 | 287.6 |
| 1997 | 6.06 | 286.1 |
| 1996 | 5.93 | 284.9 |
| 1995 | 5.81 | 283.8 |
| 1994 | 5.65 | 282.8 |
| 1993 | 5.46 | 282.1 |
| 1992 | 5.25 | 281.7 |
| 1991 | 5.05 | 281.9 |
| 1990 | 4.9 | 282.6 |
| 1989 | 4.78 | 283.2 |
| 1988 | 4.66 | 283.6 |
| 1987 | 4.53 | 283.9 |
| 1986 | 4.4 | 284 |
| 1985 | 4.28 | 283.7 |
| 1984 | 4.16 | 283 |
| 1983 | 4.04 | 281.9 |
| 1982 | 3.92 | 280.6 |
| 1981 | 3.81 | 278.9 |
| 1980 | 3.7 | 276.4 |
| 1979 | 3.6 | 273.5 |
| 1978 | 3.5 | 270.6 |
| 1977 | 3.4 | 267.7 |
| 1976 | 3.31 | 264.8 |
| 1975 | 3.21 | 257.4 |
| 1974 | 3.12 | 247.8 |
| 1973 | 3.03 | 244.4 |
| 1972 | 2.94 | 244.3 |
| 1971 | 2.85 | 244.7 |
| 1970 | 2.76 | 245.7 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 247.9 |
| 1968 | 2.6 | 250.1 |
| 1967 | 2.52 | 251.2 |
| 1966 | 2.45 | 252.8 |
| 1965 | 2.38 | 254.7 |
| 1964 | 2.31 | 255.8 |
| 1963 | 2.25 | 255.6 |
| 1962 | 2.18 | 254.6 |
| 1961 | 2.13 | 252.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2024 | 58.5% | 68.4% |
| 2023 | 57.7% | 67.9% |
| 2022 | 56.9% | 67.4% |
| 2021 | 56.1% | 66.8% |
| 2020 | 55.3% | 66.3% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | 65.8% |
| 2018 | 53.7% | 65.2% |
| 2017 | 52.8% | 64.7% |
| 2016 | 52% | 64.1% |
| 2015 | 51.1% | 63.5% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | 62.9% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | 62.4% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | 61.8% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | 61.2% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | 60.6% |
| 2009 | 45.7% | 60% |
| 2008 | 44.8% | 59.4% |
| 2007 | 43.9% | 58.7% |
| 2006 | 43% | 58.1% |
| 2005 | 42.1% | 57.5% |
| 2004 | 41.2% | 56.9% |
| 2003 | 40.4% | 56.3% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | 55.7% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | 55% |
| 2000 | 38.1% | 54.4% |
| 1999 | 38.2% | 53.7% |
| 1998 | 38.3% | 53.1% |
| 1997 | 38.5% | 52.4% |
| 1996 | 38.6% | 51.8% |
| 1995 | 38.7% | 51.1% |
| 1994 | 38.8% | 50.4% |
| 1993 | 39% | 49.8% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | 49.1% |
| 1991 | 39.2% | 48.5% |
| 1990 | 39.3% | 47.9% |
| 1989 | 39.4% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 39.6% | 46.9% |
| 1987 | 38.3% | 46.3% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | 45.8% |
| 1985 | 35% | 45.3% |
| 1984 | 33.4% | 44.8% |
| 1983 | 31.8% | 44.3% |
| 1982 | 30.3% | 43.7% |
| 1981 | 28.8% | 43.2% |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 42.8% |
| 1979 | 26% | 42.4% |
| 1978 | 24.6% | 42% |
| 1977 | 23.3% | 41.6% |
| 1976 | 22% | 41.2% |
| 1975 | 20.6% | 40.8% |
| 1974 | 19.2% | 40.4% |
| 1973 | 18% | 40% |
| 1972 | 16.8% | 39.6% |
| 1971 | 15.6% | 39.2% |
| 1970 | 14.6% | 38.8% |
| 1969 | 13.6% | 38.4% |
| 1968 | 12.6% | 38% |
| 1967 | 11.7% | 37.6% |
| 1966 | 10.9% | 37.3% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | 36.9% |
| 1964 | 9.36% | 36.5% |
| 1963 | 8.67% | 36.1% |
| 1962 | 8.03% | 35.7% |
| 1961 | 7.44% | 35.3% |
| 1960 | 6.88% | 35% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.2% to 58.5% in Mauritania and from 56.9% to 68.4% in Portugal.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
