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Population density: Nauru vs Zambia compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nauru has a population density of 1,568 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Zambia. Nauru has 18,920 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. Nauru and Zambia rank 12th and 157th 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, making the population density in Nauru 1,897% higher than in Zambia.

Population density by year

Nauru
Zambia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nauru Zambia
2026 1,568 78.5
2025 1,558 76.4
2024 1,547 74.3
2023 1,538 72.2
2022 1,528 70.2
2021 1,516 68.3
2020 1,508 66.4
2019 1,501 64.5
2018 1,486 62.6
2017 1,466 60.8
2016 1,444 58.9
2015 1,419 57.1
2014 1,391 55.4
2013 1,362 53.7
2012 1,330 52
2011 1,308 50.3
2010 1,301 48.7
2009 1,297 47
2008 1,296 45.4
2007 1,298 43.8
2006 1,299 42.3
2005 1,301 40.8
2004 1,303 39.5
2003 1,303 38.3
2002 1,306 37.1
2001 1,312 36
2000 1,317 34.9
1999 1,319 33.9
1998 1,321 33
1997 1,321 32.2
1996 1,319 31.4
1995 1,316 30.6
1994 1,313 29.9
1993 1,308 29.2
1992 1,298 28.5
1991 1,276 27.8
1990 1,246 27.1
1989 1,216 26.4
1988 1,187 25.8
1987 1,159 25.1
1986 1,132 24.3
1985 1,107 23.6
1984 1,085 22.9
1983 1,064 22.2
1982 1,041 21.5
1981 1,015 20.8
1980 991 20.2
1979 967 19.6
1978 945 19
1977 928 18.5
1976 915 17.9
1975 905 17.4
1974 897 16.9
1973 889 16.4
1972 882 15.9
1971 876 15.5
1970 869 15.1
1969 852 14.6
1968 819 14.2
1967 794 13.7
1966 783 13.3
1965 755 12.9
1964 714 12.5
1963 677 12.1
1962 645 11.7
1961 618 11.3

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/nauru/zambia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nauru increased by 20.6%, compared to a 85.7% growth in Zambia.

In 2006, Nauru ranked 13th by population density and is 12th now. Zambia was 164th in 2006 and ranks 157th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nauru
Zambia
1x
Year Urban population
Nauru Zambia
2024 100% 45.5%
2023 100% 45%
2022 100% 44.6%
2021 100% 44.2%
2020 100% 43.9%
2019 100% 43.5%
2018 100% 43.1%
2017 100% 42.7%
2016 100% 42.3%
2015 100% 42%
2014 100% 41.6%
2013 100% 41.2%
2012 100% 40.8%
2011 100% 40.4%
2010 100% 40%
2009 100% 39.5%
2008 100% 39%
2007 100% 38.4%
2006 100% 37.8%
2005 100% 37.3%
2004 100% 36.8%
2003 100% 36.4%
2002 100% 36.1%
2001 100% 35.9%
2000 100% 35.9%
1999 100% 36.2%
1998 100% 36.7%
1997 100% 37.4%
1996 100% 38%
1995 100% 38.4%
1994 100% 38.7%
1993 100% 38.9%
1992 100% 39.1%
1991 100% 39.3%
1990 100% 39.4%
1989 100% 39.5%
1988 100% 39.5%
1987 100% 39.6%
1986 100% 39.7%
1985 100% 39.7%
1984 100% 39.8%
1983 100% 39.8%
1982 100% 39.9%
1981 100% 39.9%
1980 100% 39.9%
1979 100% 39.7%
1978 100% 39.3%
1977 100% 38.6%
1976 100% 37.8%
1975 100% 36.8%
1974 100% 35.6%
1973 100% 34.4%
1972 100% 33.2%
1971 100% 31.9%
1970 100% 30.7%
1969 100% 29.4%
1968 100% 28%
1967 100% 26.4%
1966 100% 24.6%
1965 100% 22.9%
1964 100% 21.3%
1963 100% 20.1%
1962 100% 19.1%
1961 100% 18.1%
1960 100% 17.2%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/nauru/zambia | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Nauru and from 36.8% to 45.5% in Zambia.

Densely populated cities

Zambia
City Population
Lusaka 2.47M
Kitwe 625K
Ndola 528K
Chingola 255K
Mufulira 182K
Livingstone 177K
Kasama 158K
Kapiri Mposhi 65.2K
Choma 51.8K

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/zambia | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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