Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 60.5 people in Papua New Guinea. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 471,041 sq ft in Papua New Guinea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Papua New Guinea are ranked 43rd and 165th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Nigeria has 2.86% of the world's population and 0.61% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.3% of the land area for Papua New Guinea, hence the population density in Nigeria is 994% higher than in Papua New Guinea.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 60.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 165/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
10911445
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 174,850 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 460,884 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 86.1% |
| Urban population | 55% | 13.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 0% |
Nigeria vs Papua New Guinea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 67.1% growth in Papua New Guinea.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Papua New Guinea was 166th in 2004 and ranks 165th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 60.5 |
| 2023 | 648 | 59.4 |
| 2022 | 635 | 58.4 |
| 2021 | 621 | 57.3 |
| 2020 | 609 | 56.1 |
| 2019 | 596 | 55 |
| 2018 | 583 | 53.7 |
| 2017 | 569 | 52.5 |
| 2016 | 556 | 51.3 |
| 2015 | 542 | 50 |
| 2014 | 529 | 48.7 |
| 2013 | 515 | 47.5 |
| 2012 | 501 | 46.2 |
| 2011 | 487 | 44.9 |
| 2010 | 474 | 43.7 |
| 2009 | 461 | 42.4 |
| 2008 | 448 | 41.1 |
| 2007 | 436 | 39.8 |
| 2006 | 424 | 38.6 |
| 2005 | 412 | 37.4 |
| 2004 | 401 | 36.2 |
| 2003 | 390 | 35 |
| 2002 | 380 | 33.9 |
| 2001 | 369 | 32.8 |
| 2000 | 359 | 31.7 |
| 1999 | 350 | 30.6 |
| 1998 | 341 | 29.5 |
| 1997 | 332 | 28.5 |
| 1996 | 323 | 27.5 |
| 1995 | 315 | 26.6 |
| 1994 | 307 | 25.6 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 24.7 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 23.8 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 23 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 22.3 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 21.7 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 21.2 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 20.8 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 20.3 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 19.9 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 19.5 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 19.1 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 18.7 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 18.3 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 17.9 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 17.5 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 17.2 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 16.8 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 16.5 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 16.1 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 15.7 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 15.4 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 15 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 14.7 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 14.3 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 14 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 13.7 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 13.4 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 13.1 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 12.8 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 12.2 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 12 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 11.7 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 13.9% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 13.7% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 13.6% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 13.5% |
| 2020 | 52% | 13.3% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 13.3% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 13.2% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 13.1% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 13% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 13% |
| 2014 | 47% | 13% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 13% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 13% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 13% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 13% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 13% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 13.1% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 13.1% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 13.1% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 13.1% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 13.1% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 13.1% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 13.2% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 13.2% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 13.2% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 13.4% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 13.5% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 13.7% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 13.9% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 14.1% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 14.3% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 14.4% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 14.6% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 14.8% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 15% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 14.8% |
| 1988 | 28% | 14.6% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 14.4% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 14.2% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 14% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 13.8% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 13.6% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 13.4% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 13.2% |
| 1980 | 22% | 13% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 12.8% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 12.6% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 12.4% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 12.1% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 11.9% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 11.7% |
| 1973 | 19% | 11.5% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 11.3% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 11.1% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 9.8% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 8.65% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 7.63% |
| 1967 | 17% | 6.71% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 5.9% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 5.47% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 5.07% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 4.69% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 4.35% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 4.02% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 3.73% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 13.1% to 13.9% in Papua New Guinea.
Densely populated cities
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lagos | 15.1M |
| Kano | 4.35M |
| Port Harcourt | 3.32M |
| Ibadan | 2.55M |
| Benin | 1.78M |
| Abuja | 1.69M |
| Onitsha | 1.48M |
| Maiduguri | 1.2M |
| Aba | 1.16M |
| Enugu | 1.03M |
|
Papua New Guinea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Port Moresby | 317K |
| Lae | 101K |
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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