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Population density: Nauru vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nauru has a population density of 1,568 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Nauru has 18,920 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Nauru and the United States rank 12th and 149th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nauru has 0.0001% of the world's population and 0.00001% of all countries' land area, compared to 4.21% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, making the population density in Nauru 1,512% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Nauru
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nauru United States
2026 1,568 97.3
2025 1,558 96.8
2024 1,547 96.3
2023 1,538 94.8
2022 1,528 94.4
2021 1,516 94
2020 1,508 93.9
2019 1,501 93
2018 1,486 92.5
2017 1,466 92.1
2016 1,444 91.5
2015 1,419 90.8
2014 1,391 90.1
2013 1,362 89.5
2012 1,330 88.9
2011 1,308 88.2
2010 1,301 87.6
2009 1,297 86.9
2008 1,296 86.1
2007 1,298 85.2
2006 1,299 84.3
2005 1,301 83.5
2004 1,303 82.8
2003 1,303 82
2002 1,306 81.3
2001 1,312 80.6
2000 1,317 79.8
1999 1,319 79
1998 1,321 78.1
1997 1,321 77.2
1996 1,319 76.3
1995 1,316 75.4
1994 1,313 74.5
1993 1,308 73.6
1992 1,298 72.6
1991 1,276 71.7
1990 1,246 70.7
1989 1,216 69.8
1988 1,187 69.1
1987 1,159 68.5
1986 1,132 67.9
1985 1,107 67.3
1984 1,085 66.7
1983 1,064 66.1
1982 1,041 65.5
1981 1,015 64.9
1980 991 64.1
1979 967 63.6
1978 945 62.9
1977 928 62.3
1976 915 61.7
1975 905 61.1
1974 897 60.5
1973 889 59.9
1972 882 59.4
1971 876 58.7
1970 869 58
1969 852 57.3
1968 819 56.8
1967 794 56.2
1966 783 55.6
1965 755 54.9
1964 714 54.3
1963 677 53.5
1962 645 52.7
1961 618 51.9

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nauru increased by 20.6%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Nauru ranked 13th by population density and is 12th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nauru
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Nauru United States
2024 100% 80.1%
2023 100% 80.1%
2022 100% 80%
2021 100% 80%
2020 100% 80%
2019 100% 80.1%
2018 100% 80.3%
2017 100% 80.4%
2016 100% 80.5%
2015 100% 80.6%
2014 100% 80.6%
2013 100% 80.7%
2012 100% 80.7%
2011 100% 80.7%
2010 100% 80.7%
2009 100% 80.7%
2008 100% 80.6%
2007 100% 80.5%
2006 100% 80.4%
2005 100% 80.2%
2004 100% 80%
2003 100% 79.8%
2002 100% 79.5%
2001 100% 79.3%
2000 100% 79.1%
1999 100% 78.8%
1998 100% 78.5%
1997 100% 78.1%
1996 100% 77.7%
1995 100% 77.2%
1994 100% 76.7%
1993 100% 76.3%
1992 100% 75.9%
1991 100% 75.5%
1990 100% 75.3%
1989 100% 75.1%
1988 100% 74.8%
1987 100% 74.7%
1986 100% 74.5%
1985 100% 74.3%
1984 100% 74.2%
1983 100% 74%
1982 100% 73.9%
1981 100% 73.8%
1980 100% 73.8%
1979 100% 73.7%
1978 100% 73.7%
1977 100% 73.7%
1976 100% 73.6%
1975 100% 73.6%
1974 100% 73.6%
1973 100% 73.6%
1972 100% 73.6%
1971 100% 73.5%
1970 100% 73.5%
1969 100% 73.4%
1968 100% 73.2%
1967 100% 73%
1966 100% 72.7%
1965 100% 72.3%
1964 100% 71.9%
1963 100% 71.4%
1962 100% 70.9%
1961 100% 70.4%
1960 100% 70%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/united-states | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Nauru and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

United States
City Population
New York 8.8M
Los Angeles 3.9M
Chicago 2.75M
Houston 2.3M
Phoenix 1.61M
Philadelphia 1.6M
San Antonio 1.43M
San Diego 1.39M
Dallas 1.3M
San Jose 1.01M

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/nauru/united-states | 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 (2020–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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