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Population density: Namibia vs Sao Tome and Principe compared

Updated on by Georank team

Namibia has a population density of 9.93 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. Namibia has 2,932,826 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. Namibia and Sao Tome and Principe rank 195th and 46th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Namibia has 0.04% of the world's population and 0.55% 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 Namibia 98.5% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.

Population density by year

Namibia
Sao Tome and Principe

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Namibia Sao Tome
2026 9.93 661
2025 9.74 648
2024 9.53 635
2023 9.32 623
2022 9.09 611
2021 8.84 599
2020 8.58 587
2019 8.34 576
2018 8.11 567
2017 7.89 558
2016 7.67 550
2015 7.47 540
2014 7.27 531
2013 7.09 521
2012 6.9 511
2011 6.75 501
2010 6.64 490
2009 6.54 480
2008 6.44 469
2007 6.35 458
2006 6.27 447
2005 6.19 436
2004 6.11 425
2003 6.03 415
2002 5.95 404
2001 5.84 395
2000 5.72 389
1999 5.59 384
1998 5.45 380
1997 5.31 375
1996 5.18 370
1995 5.04 364
1994 4.9 358
1993 4.75 352
1992 4.6 346
1991 4.45 339
1990 4.31 332
1989 4.05 324
1988 3.81 315
1987 3.67 307
1986 3.56 299.9
1985 3.45 293.1
1984 3.35 287
1983 3.26 281.6
1982 3.18 276.6
1981 3.12 271.4
1980 3.09 265.9
1979 3.03 259.7
1978 2.98 253
1977 2.93 246.3
1976 2.85 239.9
1975 2.77 233.9
1974 2.69 228.4
1973 2.61 223.4
1972 2.53 218.6
1971 2.46 214
1970 2.38 209.4
1969 2.32 205.3
1968 2.25 201.7
1967 2.19 198.6
1966 2.13 195.8
1965 2.08 193.4
1964 2.03 191.2
1963 1.98 189.2
1962 1.94 187.2
1961 1.9 185.4

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

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Namibia increased by 58.5%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.

In 2006, Namibia ranked 193rd by population density and is 195th now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Namibia
Sao Tome and Principe
1x
Year Urban population
Namibia Sao Tome
2024 50.4% 68.9%
2023 50% 68.6%
2022 49.5% 68.4%
2021 49.1% 68.2%
2020 48.5% 68%
2019 48% 67.9%
2018 47.4% 67.8%
2017 46.8% 67.7%
2016 46.2% 67.5%
2015 45.5% 67.4%
2014 44.8% 67.3%
2013 44.1% 67.1%
2012 43.4% 67%
2011 42.6% 66.7%
2010 41.8% 66.1%
2009 40.9% 65.1%
2008 39.8% 63.9%
2007 38.8% 62.5%
2006 37.7% 61%
2005 36.6% 59.4%
2004 35.5% 57.9%
2003 34.5% 56.4%
2002 33.6% 55.1%
2001 32.9% 54%
2000 32.1% 53%
1999 31.4% 52%
1998 30.6% 51.1%
1997 29.9% 50.2%
1996 29.3% 49.4%
1995 28.7% 48.5%
1994 28.1% 47.6%
1993 27.7% 46.7%
1992 27.3% 45.8%
1991 27.1% 44.8%
1990 26.9% 43.7%
1989 26.7% 42.5%
1988 26.5% 41.3%
1987 26.4% 40%
1986 26.2% 38.7%
1985 26.1% 37.5%
1984 26% 36.3%
1983 25.9% 35.3%
1982 25.8% 34.5%
1981 25.7% 33.8%
1980 25.6% 33.3%
1979 25.6% 32.9%
1978 25.5% 32.6%
1977 25.4% 32.3%
1976 25.4% 32.1%
1975 25.3% 31.8%
1974 25.2% 31.5%
1973 25.2% 31.2%
1972 25.1% 30.8%
1971 25% 30.4%
1970 24.9% 29.8%
1969 24.9% 28.8%
1968 24.7% 27.4%
1967 24.6% 25.7%
1966 24.5% 23.8%
1965 24.4% 21.9%
1964 24.2% 20%
1963 24% 18.3%
1962 23.8% 16.9%
1961 23.6% 15.9%
1960 23.4% 15.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 35.5% to 50.4% in Namibia and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.

Densely populated cities

Namibia
City Population
Windhoek 431K
Walvis Bay 103K
Swakopmund 75.9K

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/namibia/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 (2020–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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