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Population density: Nepal vs Somalia compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nepal has a population density of 535 people per square mile compared to 83.9 people in Somalia. Nepal has 53,430 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. Nepal and Somalia rank 54th and 152nd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nepal has 0.36% of the world's population and 0.1% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, making the population density in Nepal 537% higher than in Somalia.

Population density by year

Nepal
Somalia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nepal Somalia
2026 535 83.9
2025 535 81.2
2024 536 78.5
2023 537 75.8
2022 537 73.5
2021 533 71.3
2020 523 68.7
2019 513 66.2
2018 507 63.8
2017 506 61.6
2016 505 59.2
2015 503 57
2014 500 55.1
2013 498 53.1
2012 497 51.4
2011 496 51
2010 494 50.6
2009 491 49.4
2008 488 48.2
2007 484 46.7
2006 480 45.3
2005 475 43.9
2004 470 42.4
2003 464 40.9
2002 458 39.4
2001 451 38
2000 443 36.5
1999 437 35.1
1998 429 33.7
1997 421 32.3
1996 412 31.2
1995 403 30.1
1994 393 29
1993 384 27.6
1992 373 26.8
1991 363 28.1
1990 354 29.2
1989 345 29.4
1988 338 29.9
1987 331 29.8
1986 324 28.8
1985 317 27.6
1984 309 26.5
1983 302 25.6
1982 295.2 24.8
1981 288.4 24.7
1980 281.7 24.5
1979 275.1 22.5
1978 268.8 19.9
1977 262.6 18.5
1976 256.8 18
1975 251.2 17.6
1974 245.7 17.1
1973 240.4 16.7
1972 235.3 16.3
1971 230.2 15.8
1970 225.2 15.4
1969 220.4 15
1968 215.6 14.6
1967 211.1 14.3
1966 206.6 13.9
1965 202.4 13.5
1964 198.3 13.2
1963 194.3 12.8
1962 190.6 12.5
1961 186.9 12.2

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/nepal/somalia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nepal increased by 11.4%, compared to a 85.2% growth in Somalia.

In 2006, Nepal ranked 45th by population density and is 54th now. Somalia was 162nd in 2006 and ranks 152nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nepal
Somalia
1x
Year Urban population
Nepal Somalia
2024 66.8% 54.6%
2023 66.5% 54.1%
2022 66.3% 53.5%
2021 66.1% 52.9%
2020 66.1% 52.3%
2019 66% 51.6%
2018 65.8% 51%
2017 65.6% 48.4%
2016 65.3% 45.9%
2015 65% 43.9%
2014 64.6% 42.4%
2013 64.1% 41.3%
2012 63.7% 40.3%
2011 63.1% 39.4%
2010 62% 38.6%
2009 59.9% 37.8%
2008 56.9% 37.2%
2007 53.4% 36.6%
2006 49.5% 36%
2005 45.5% 35.5%
2004 41.6% 35%
2003 38% 34.5%
2002 35% 34%
2001 32.8% 33.5%
2000 31.1% 33.1%
1999 29.5% 32.6%
1998 28% 32.2%
1997 26.6% 31.8%
1996 25.3% 31.4%
1995 24.1% 31.1%
1994 23% 30.7%
1993 22% 30.4%
1992 21.2% 30%
1991 20.4% 29.7%
1990 19.8% 29.4%
1989 19.2% 29.1%
1988 18.7% 28.8%
1987 18.3% 28.5%
1986 17.9% 28.2%
1985 17.5% 28%
1984 17.1% 27.7%
1983 16.6% 27.5%
1982 16.1% 27.3%
1981 15.5% 27.1%
1980 14.6% 26.8%
1979 13.4% 26.6%
1978 12% 26.4%
1977 10.5% 26.1%
1976 8.99% 25.8%
1975 7.51% 25.5%
1974 6.18% 25.2%
1973 5.09% 24.8%
1972 4.33% 24.3%
1971 4% 23.8%
1970 3.93% 23.2%
1969 3.87% 22.7%
1968 3.82% 22.1%
1967 3.78% 21.5%
1966 3.75% 20.9%
1965 3.72% 20.3%
1964 3.69% 19.7%
1963 3.66% 19.2%
1962 3.62% 18.7%
1961 3.57% 18.2%
1960 3.51% 17.7%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/nepal/somalia | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.6% to 66.8% in Nepal and from 35% to 54.6% in Somalia.

Densely populated cities

Nepal
City Population
Kathmandu 846K
Lalitpur 513K
Pokhara 354K
Birgunj 268K
Biratnagar 243K
Bheemdatta 105K
Dhangadhi 102K
Janakpur 97.8K
Hetauda 84.7K
Damak 75.1K
Somalia
City Population
Mogadishu 2.12M
Hargeisa 1.23M
Baidoa 1.2M
Borama 68.1K

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/nepal/somalia | 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 (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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