Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria ranked 43rd out of 197.
Nigeria has 2.86% of the world's population and 0.61% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Nigeria compared to the World's average
Nigeria
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | N/A |
| Population |
242485845
|
8280917972
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 196,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 37% | 42.4% |
| Urban population | 63% | 57.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 28.6% |
Nigeria population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Nigeria has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 65%. The population density rank was 53rd 22 years ago and is 43rd today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 662 | 43 |
| 2023 | 648 | 43 |
| 2022 | 635 | 44 |
| 2021 | 621 | 43 |
| 2020 | 609 | 46 |
| 2019 | 596 | 45 |
| 2018 | 583 | 45 |
| 2017 | 569 | 47 |
| 2016 | 556 | 47 |
| 2015 | 542 | 48 |
| 2014 | 529 | 49 |
| 2013 | 515 | 50 |
| 2012 | 501 | 50 |
| 2011 | 487 | 52 |
| 2010 | 474 | 51 |
| 2009 | 461 | 53 |
| 2008 | 448 | 53 |
| 2007 | 436 | 53 |
| 2006 | 424 | 53 |
| 2005 | 412 | 53 |
| 2004 | 401 | 53 |
| 2003 | 390 | 52 |
| 2002 | 380 | 52 |
| 2001 | 369 | 53 |
| 2000 | 359 | 54 |
| 1999 | 350 | 51 |
| 1998 | 341 | 54 |
| 1997 | 332 | 54 |
| 1996 | 323 | 55 |
| 1995 | 315 | 55 |
| 1994 | 307 | 55 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 57 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 57 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 55 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 57 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 56 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 56 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 57 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 57 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 59 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 59 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 59 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 60 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 60 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 60 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 62 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 61 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 62 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 63 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 65 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 65 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 65 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 65 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 65 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 65 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 65 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 65 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 65 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 65 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 65 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 65 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 65 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 64 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 64 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Nigeria from 1960 to 2024: 14.2% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 43.3% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 63%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 63% | 99 |
| 2023 | 62.2% | 101 |
| 2022 | 61.4% | 103 |
| 2021 | 60.6% | 104 |
| 2020 | 59.8% | 105 |
| 2019 | 59% | 106 |
| 2018 | 58.2% | 108 |
| 2017 | 57.3% | 108 |
| 2016 | 56.5% | 108 |
| 2015 | 55.7% | 108 |
| 2014 | 54.9% | 109 |
| 2013 | 54.1% | 113 |
| 2012 | 53.3% | 114 |
| 2011 | 52.5% | 115 |
| 2010 | 51.7% | 115 |
| 2009 | 50.9% | 114 |
| 2008 | 50.1% | 117 |
| 2007 | 49.2% | 118 |
| 2006 | 48.4% | 118 |
| 2005 | 47.6% | 117 |
| 2004 | 46.7% | 120 |
| 2003 | 45.8% | 120 |
| 2002 | 45% | 121 |
| 2001 | 44.1% | 122 |
| 2000 | 43.3% | 123 |
| 1999 | 42.4% | 124 |
| 1998 | 41.6% | 126 |
| 1997 | 40.8% | 127 |
| 1996 | 40% | 128 |
| 1995 | 39.1% | 128 |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 131 |
| 1993 | 37.5% | 130 |
| 1992 | 36.7% | 132 |
| 1991 | 36% | 134 |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 134 |
| 1989 | 34.4% | 136 |
| 1988 | 33.6% | 136 |
| 1987 | 32.8% | 140 |
| 1986 | 32.1% | 140 |
| 1985 | 31.3% | 139 |
| 1984 | 30.5% | 138 |
| 1983 | 29.7% | 138 |
| 1982 | 28.9% | 138 |
| 1981 | 28.2% | 139 |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 138 |
| 1979 | 26.7% | 138 |
| 1978 | 25.9% | 140 |
| 1977 | 25.2% | 140 |
| 1976 | 24.4% | 141 |
| 1975 | 23.7% | 142 |
| 1974 | 23% | 142 |
| 1973 | 22.3% | 145 |
| 1972 | 21.6% | 145 |
| 1971 | 20.9% | 145 |
| 1970 | 20.2% | 146 |
| 1969 | 19.6% | 146 |
| 1968 | 18.9% | 148 |
| 1967 | 18.3% | 149 |
| 1966 | 17.7% | 150 |
| 1965 | 17.1% | 150 |
| 1964 | 16.5% | 150 |
| 1963 | 15.9% | 148 |
| 1962 | 15.4% | 148 |
| 1961 | 14.8% | 149 |
| 1960 | 14.2% | 149 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Nigeria topic pages:
Population density comparisons
