Skip to content

Population density: Nepal vs Vietnam compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nepal has a population density of 535 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. Nepal has 53,430 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. Nepal and Vietnam rank 54th and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in Nepal 36.7% lower than in Vietnam.

Population density by year

Nepal
Vietnam

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nepal Vietnam
2026 535 845
2025 535 840
2024 536 835
2023 537 829
2022 537 824
2021 533 818
2020 523 810
2019 513 803
2018 507 795
2017 506 787
2016 505 777
2015 503 767
2014 500 758
2013 498 749
2012 497 740
2011 496 731
2010 494 723
2009 491 716
2008 488 705
2007 484 693
2006 480 680
2005 475 671
2004 470 671
2003 464 665
2002 458 657
2001 451 649
2000 443 642
1999 437 607
1998 429 599
1997 421 591
1996 412 582
1995 403 573
1994 393 564
1993 384 554
1992 373 543
1991 363 532
1990 354 521
1989 345 510
1988 338 500
1987 331 490
1986 324 480
1985 317 470
1984 309 459
1983 302 448
1982 295.2 438
1981 288.4 428
1980 281.7 418
1979 275.1 409
1978 268.8 400
1977 262.6 390
1976 256.8 379
1975 251.2 370
1974 245.7 361
1973 240.4 353
1972 235.3 346
1971 230.2 338
1970 225.2 330
1969 220.4 323
1968 215.6 316
1967 211.1 309
1966 206.6 303
1965 202.4 295.4
1964 198.3 288.1
1963 194.3 280.5
1962 190.6 272.8
1961 186.9 265.8

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/vietnam | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nepal increased by 11.4%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.

In 2006, Nepal ranked 45th by population density and is 54th now. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nepal
Vietnam
1x
Year Urban population
Nepal Vietnam
2024 66.8% 38.5%
2023 66.5% 38.1%
2022 66.3% 37.5%
2021 66.1% 36.7%
2020 66.1% 35.6%
2019 66% 34.6%
2018 65.8% 33.9%
2017 65.6% 33.4%
2016 65.3% 32.8%
2015 65% 32.4%
2014 64.6% 31.9%
2013 64.1% 31.5%
2012 63.7% 31.1%
2011 63.1% 30.7%
2010 62% 30.3%
2009 59.9% 29.8%
2008 56.9% 29.2%
2007 53.4% 28.6%
2006 49.5% 28%
2005 45.5% 27.4%
2004 41.6% 26.8%
2003 38% 26.2%
2002 35% 25.6%
2001 32.8% 24.9%
2000 31.1% 24.4%
1999 29.5% 23.8%
1998 28% 23.3%
1997 26.6% 22.7%
1996 25.3% 22.1%
1995 24.1% 21.5%
1994 23% 20.9%
1993 22% 20.3%
1992 21.2% 19.8%
1991 20.4% 19.4%
1990 19.8% 19.2%
1989 19.2% 19.1%
1988 18.7% 19%
1987 18.3% 19.1%
1986 17.9% 19.1%
1985 17.5% 19.1%
1984 17.1% 19.1%
1983 16.6% 19.1%
1982 16.1% 19.1%
1981 15.5% 19.1%
1980 14.6% 19.2%
1979 13.4% 19.2%
1978 12% 19.2%
1977 10.5% 19.6%
1976 8.99% 20.4%
1975 7.51% 20.6%
1974 6.18% 20.5%
1973 5.09% 20.5%
1972 4.33% 20.6%
1971 4% 20.7%
1970 3.93% 20.7%
1969 3.87% 20.6%
1968 3.82% 20.1%
1967 3.78% 19.3%
1966 3.75% 18.4%
1965 3.72% 17.5%
1964 3.69% 16.9%
1963 3.66% 16.5%
1962 3.62% 16.1%
1961 3.57% 15.7%
1960 3.51% 15.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 41.6% to 66.8% in Nepal and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.

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
Vietnam
City Population
Ho Chi Minh 14M
Hanoi 8.72M
Can Tho 3.21M
Da Nang 2.82M
Haiphong 2.12M
Bien Hoa 1.1M
Hue 653K
Bac Ninh 520K
Hai Duong 507K
Vinh 490K

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/vietnam | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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. Wikidata (2011–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.