Nepal has a population density of 536 people per square mile compared to 918 people in Sri Lanka. Nepal has 53,430 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nepal and Sri Lanka are ranked 55th and 25th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, hence the population density in Nepal is 41.6% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density comparison
Nepal
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 536 ppl/mi² | 918 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 55/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
29627185
|
22125995
|
| Land area | 55,348 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 52,039 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 77.6% | 80.6% |
| Urban population | 22.4% | 19.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Nepal vs Sri Lanka:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nepal increased by 14%, compared to a 10.6% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2004, Nepal ranked 45th for population density and is in 55th place now. Sri Lanka was 24th in 2004 and ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nepal
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 536 | 918 |
| 2023 | 537 | 923 |
| 2022 | 537 | 929 |
| 2021 | 533 | 928 |
| 2020 | 523 | 918 |
| 2019 | 513 | 913 |
| 2018 | 507 | 907 |
| 2017 | 506 | 898 |
| 2016 | 505 | 888 |
| 2015 | 503 | 878 |
| 2014 | 500 | 858 |
| 2013 | 498 | 850 |
| 2012 | 497 | 874 |
| 2011 | 496 | 868 |
| 2010 | 494 | 862 |
| 2009 | 491 | 857 |
| 2008 | 488 | 852 |
| 2007 | 484 | 846 |
| 2006 | 480 | 841 |
| 2005 | 475 | 835 |
| 2004 | 470 | 830 |
| 2003 | 464 | 824 |
| 2002 | 458 | 818 |
| 2001 | 451 | 810 |
| 2000 | 443 | 797 |
| 1999 | 437 | 782 |
| 1998 | 429 | 768 |
| 1997 | 421 | 754 |
| 1996 | 412 | 739 |
| 1995 | 403 | 725 |
| 1994 | 393 | 714 |
| 1993 | 384 | 703 |
| 1992 | 373 | 691 |
| 1991 | 363 | 680 |
| 1990 | 354 | 675 |
| 1989 | 345 | 671 |
| 1988 | 338 | 664 |
| 1987 | 331 | 657 |
| 1986 | 324 | 650 |
| 1985 | 317 | 642 |
| 1984 | 309 | 638 |
| 1983 | 302 | 636 |
| 1982 | 295.2 | 631 |
| 1981 | 288.4 | 624 |
| 1980 | 281.7 | 613 |
| 1979 | 275.1 | 602 |
| 1978 | 268.8 | 591 |
| 1977 | 262.6 | 580 |
| 1976 | 256.8 | 570 |
| 1975 | 251.2 | 560 |
| 1974 | 245.7 | 550 |
| 1973 | 240.4 | 539 |
| 1972 | 235.3 | 529 |
| 1971 | 230.2 | 518 |
| 1970 | 225.2 | 507 |
| 1969 | 220.4 | 496 |
| 1968 | 215.6 | 485 |
| 1967 | 211.1 | 473 |
| 1966 | 206.6 | 462 |
| 1965 | 202.4 | 451 |
| 1964 | 198.3 | 440 |
| 1963 | 194.3 | 429 |
| 1962 | 190.6 | 419 |
| 1961 | 186.9 | 409 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nepal
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 22.4% | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 21.9% | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 21.5% | 19% |
| 2021 | 21% | 18.9% |
| 2020 | 20.6% | 18.7% |
| 2019 | 20.2% | 18.6% |
| 2018 | 19.7% | 18.5% |
| 2017 | 19.3% | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 18.9% | 18.3% |
| 2015 | 18.6% | 18.3% |
| 2014 | 18.2% | 18.2% |
| 2013 | 17.8% | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 17.5% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 17.1% | 18.2% |
| 2010 | 16.8% | 18.2% |
| 2009 | 16.4% | 18.2% |
| 2008 | 16.1% | 18.3% |
| 2007 | 15.8% | 18.3% |
| 2006 | 15.5% | 18.3% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 14.8% | 18.3% |
| 2003 | 14.5% | 18.3% |
| 2002 | 14.2% | 18.3% |
| 2001 | 13.9% | 18.4% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | 18.4% |
| 1999 | 12.9% | 18.4% |
| 1998 | 12.3% | 18.4% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | 18.4% |
| 1996 | 11.3% | 18.4% |
| 1995 | 10.9% | 18.5% |
| 1994 | 10.4% | 18.5% |
| 1993 | 10% | 18.5% |
| 1992 | 9.58% | 18.5% |
| 1991 | 9.18% | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 8.85% | 18.5% |
| 1989 | 8.54% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 8.24% | 18.6% |
| 1987 | 7.94% | 18.6% |
| 1986 | 7.66% | 18.6% |
| 1985 | 7.39% | 18.6% |
| 1984 | 7.12% | 18.6% |
| 1983 | 6.86% | 18.6% |
| 1982 | 6.62% | 18.7% |
| 1981 | 6.38% | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 6.09% | 18.6% |
| 1979 | 5.82% | 18.5% |
| 1978 | 5.55% | 18.4% |
| 1977 | 5.3% | 18.3% |
| 1976 | 5.06% | 18.2% |
| 1975 | 4.83% | 18.1% |
| 1974 | 4.61% | 18% |
| 1973 | 4.4% | 17.9% |
| 1972 | 4.2% | 17.8% |
| 1971 | 4.01% | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 3.96% | 17.6% |
| 1969 | 3.91% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 3.87% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 3.82% | 17.3% |
| 1966 | 3.78% | 17.2% |
| 1965 | 3.74% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 3.69% | 17% |
| 1963 | 3.65% | 16.9% |
| 1962 | 3.61% | 16.8% |
| 1961 | 3.57% | 16.6% |
| 1960 | 3.48% | 16.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 14.8% to 22.4% in Nepal and from 18.3% to 19.4% in Sri Lanka.
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 |
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 753K |
| Gampaha | 191K |
| Beruwala | 165K |
| Negombo | 142K |
| Kandy | 120K |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 116K |
| Trincomalee | 99.1K |
| Galle | 93.1K |
| Matara | 68.2K |
| Anuradhapura | 63.2K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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