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Population density: Moldova vs Sao Tome and Principe compared

Updated on by Georank team

Moldova has a population density of 184.1 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. Moldova has 151,641 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. Moldova and Sao Tome and Principe rank 120th and 46th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Moldova has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.003% of the population and 0.0006% of the land area for Sao Tome and Principe, making the population density in Moldova 72.1% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.

Population density by year

Moldova
Sao Tome and Principe

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Moldova Sao Tome
2026 184.1 661
2025 186.7 648
2024 188.9 635
2023 193.3 623
2022 199.2 611
2021 204.4 599
2020 207.5 587
2019 209.8 576
2018 213.2 567
2017 217 558
2016 220.8 550
2015 223.4 540
2014 225.1 531
2013 225.3 521
2012 225.4 511
2011 225.5 501
2010 225.7 490
2009 225.6 480
2008 225.9 469
2007 226.3 458
2006 226.9 447
2005 227.5 436
2004 228.1 425
2003 228.8 415
2002 229.3 404
2001 229.9 395
2000 230.4 389
1999 230.7 384
1998 231 380
1997 231 375
1996 231.8 370
1995 232.3 364
1994 233.3 358
1993 233.9 352
1992 234.9 346
1991 - 339
1990 - 332
1989 - 324
1988 - 315
1987 - 307
1986 - 299.9
1985 - 293.1
1984 - 287
1983 - 281.6
1982 - 276.6
1981 - 271.4
1980 - 265.9
1979 - 259.7
1978 - 253
1977 - 246.3
1976 - 239.9
1975 - 233.9
1974 - 228.4
1973 - 223.4
1972 - 218.6
1971 - 214
1970 - 209.4
1969 - 205.3
1968 - 201.7
1967 - 198.6
1966 - 195.8
1965 - 193.4
1964 - 191.2
1963 - 189.2
1962 - 187.2
1961 - 185.4

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/moldova/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Moldova decreased by 18.8%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.

In 2006, Moldova ranked 85th by population density and is 120th now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Moldova
Sao Tome and Principe
1x
Year Urban population
Moldova Sao Tome
2024 43.5% 68.9%
2023 43% 68.6%
2022 42.4% 68.4%
2021 41.8% 68.2%
2020 41.3% 68%
2019 40.8% 67.9%
2018 40.3% 67.8%
2017 40% 67.7%
2016 39.7% 67.5%
2015 39.7% 67.4%
2014 39.6% 67.3%
2013 39.4% 67.1%
2012 39.4% 67%
2011 39.3% 66.7%
2010 39.3% 66.1%
2009 39.3% 65.1%
2008 39.4% 63.9%
2007 39.4% 62.5%
2006 39.2% 61%
2005 39.4% 59.4%
2004 39.4% 57.9%
2003 39.6% 56.4%
2002 39.6% 55.1%
2001 39.7% 54%
2000 40.4% 53%
1999 40.5% 52%
1998 40.7% 51.1%
1997 44.9% 50.2%
1996 45.1% 49.4%
1995 45.7% 48.5%
1994 45.9% 47.6%
1993 46.1% 46.7%
1992 46.4% 45.8%
1991 46.9% 44.8%
1990 47% 43.7%
1989 47.2% 42.5%
1988 46.4% 41.3%
1987 45.3% 40%
1986 44.3% 38.7%
1985 43.5% 37.5%
1984 42.8% 36.3%
1983 41.9% 35.3%
1982 41.2% 34.5%
1981 40.6% 33.8%
1980 40% 33.3%
1979 39.5% 32.9%
1978 38.8% 32.6%
1977 37.9% 32.3%
1976 37.2% 32.1%
1975 36.4% 31.8%
1974 35.5% 31.5%
1973 34.8% 31.2%
1972 33.8% 30.8%
1971 32.8% 30.4%
1970 32% 29.8%
1969 31.1% 28.8%
1968 30.1% 27.4%
1967 29.2% 25.7%
1966 28.5% 23.8%
1965 27.2% 21.9%
1964 25.8% 20%
1963 25.1% 18.3%
1962 24.5% 16.9%
1961 24% 15.9%
1960 23.2% 15.4%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/moldova/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 39.4% to 43.5% in Moldova and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.

Densely populated cities

Moldova
City Population
Chisinau 567K
Tiraspol 134K
Balti 91K
Bender 76.2K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/moldova/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2014–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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