Mauritania has a population density of 13 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Somalia. Mauritania has 2,146,163 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Mauritania and Somalia are ranked 188th and 154th, 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 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, hence the population density in Mauritania is 83.4% lower than in Somalia.
Population density comparison
Mauritania
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 13 ppl/mi² | 78.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 188/197 | 154/197 |
| Population |
5432542
|
20177806
|
| Land area | 397,955 sq mi | 242,217 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,146,163 sq ft | 355,231 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.5% | 51.5% |
| Urban population | 58.5% | 48.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 20.8% | 11.2% |
Mauritania vs Somalia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Mauritania increased by 80.2%, compared to a 84.9% growth in Somalia.
In 2004, Mauritania ranked 189th for population density and is in 188th place now. Somalia was 161st in 2004 and ranks 154th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 13 | 78.5 |
| 2023 | 12.6 | 75.8 |
| 2022 | 12.3 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 11.9 | 71.3 |
| 2020 | 11.6 | 68.7 |
| 2019 | 11.2 | 66.2 |
| 2018 | 10.9 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | 10.3 | 59.2 |
| 2015 | 9.97 | 57 |
| 2014 | 9.67 | 55.1 |
| 2013 | 9.38 | 53.1 |
| 2012 | 9.09 | 51.4 |
| 2011 | 8.8 | 51 |
| 2010 | 8.52 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 8.25 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 8 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 7.77 | 46.7 |
| 2006 | 7.57 | 45.3 |
| 2005 | 7.39 | 43.9 |
| 2004 | 7.21 | 42.4 |
| 2003 | 7.04 | 40.9 |
| 2002 | 6.88 | 39.4 |
| 2001 | 6.73 | 38 |
| 2000 | 6.57 | 36.5 |
| 1999 | 6.39 | 35.1 |
| 1998 | 6.22 | 33.7 |
| 1997 | 6.06 | 32.3 |
| 1996 | 5.93 | 31.2 |
| 1995 | 5.81 | 30.1 |
| 1994 | 5.65 | 29 |
| 1993 | 5.46 | 27.6 |
| 1992 | 5.25 | 26.8 |
| 1991 | 5.05 | 28.1 |
| 1990 | 4.9 | 29.2 |
| 1989 | 4.78 | 29.4 |
| 1988 | 4.66 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 4.53 | 29.8 |
| 1986 | 4.4 | 28.8 |
| 1985 | 4.28 | 27.6 |
| 1984 | 4.16 | 26.5 |
| 1983 | 4.04 | 25.6 |
| 1982 | 3.92 | 24.8 |
| 1981 | 3.81 | 24.7 |
| 1980 | 3.7 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 3.6 | 22.5 |
| 1978 | 3.5 | 19.9 |
| 1977 | 3.4 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 3.31 | 18 |
| 1975 | 3.21 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 3.12 | 17.1 |
| 1973 | 3.03 | 16.7 |
| 1972 | 2.94 | 16.3 |
| 1971 | 2.85 | 15.8 |
| 1970 | 2.76 | 15.4 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 15 |
| 1968 | 2.6 | 14.6 |
| 1967 | 2.52 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | 2.45 | 13.9 |
| 1965 | 2.38 | 13.5 |
| 1964 | 2.31 | 13.2 |
| 1963 | 2.25 | 12.8 |
| 1962 | 2.18 | 12.5 |
| 1961 | 2.13 | 12.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Mauritania
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 58.5% | 48.5% |
| 2023 | 57.7% | 47.9% |
| 2022 | 56.9% | 47.3% |
| 2021 | 56.1% | 46.7% |
| 2020 | 55.3% | 46.1% |
| 2019 | 54.5% | 45.6% |
| 2018 | 53.7% | 45% |
| 2017 | 52.8% | 44.4% |
| 2016 | 52% | 43.8% |
| 2015 | 51.1% | 43.2% |
| 2014 | 50.2% | 42.7% |
| 2013 | 49.3% | 42.1% |
| 2012 | 48.4% | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 47.5% | 41% |
| 2010 | 46.6% | 39.3% |
| 2009 | 45.7% | 37.6% |
| 2008 | 44.8% | 36% |
| 2007 | 43.9% | 34.4% |
| 2006 | 43% | 37.1% |
| 2005 | 42.1% | 36.3% |
| 2004 | 41.2% | 35.5% |
| 2003 | 40.4% | 34.8% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | 34% |
| 2001 | 38.6% | 33.6% |
| 2000 | 38.1% | 33.2% |
| 1999 | 38.2% | 32.9% |
| 1998 | 38.3% | 32.5% |
| 1997 | 38.5% | 32.1% |
| 1996 | 38.6% | 31.8% |
| 1995 | 38.7% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 38.8% | 31.1% |
| 1993 | 39% | 30.7% |
| 1992 | 39.1% | 30.4% |
| 1991 | 39.2% | 30% |
| 1990 | 39.3% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 39.4% | 29.3% |
| 1988 | 39.6% | 29% |
| 1987 | 38.3% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 36.6% | 28.3% |
| 1985 | 35% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 33.4% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 31.8% | 27.5% |
| 1982 | 30.3% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 28.8% | 27% |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 26% | 26.5% |
| 1978 | 24.6% | 26.3% |
| 1977 | 23.3% | 26% |
| 1976 | 22% | 25.7% |
| 1975 | 20.6% | 25.5% |
| 1974 | 19.2% | 25% |
| 1973 | 18% | 24.4% |
| 1972 | 16.8% | 23.8% |
| 1971 | 15.6% | 23.3% |
| 1970 | 14.6% | 22.7% |
| 1969 | 13.6% | 22.1% |
| 1968 | 12.6% | 21.6% |
| 1967 | 11.7% | 21% |
| 1966 | 10.9% | 20.5% |
| 1965 | 10.1% | 20% |
| 1964 | 9.36% | 19.5% |
| 1963 | 8.67% | 18.9% |
| 1962 | 8.03% | 18.4% |
| 1961 | 7.44% | 17.8% |
| 1960 | 6.88% | 17.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 41.2% to 58.5% in Mauritania and from 35.5% to 48.5% in Somalia.
Densely populated cities
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