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Population density: Nigeria vs Romania compared

Updated on by Georank team

Nigeria has a population density of 690 people per square mile compared to 212.1 people in Romania. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 134,690 sq ft in Romania. Nigeria and Romania rank 41st and 107th by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.23% of the population and 0.15% of the land area for Romania, making the population density in Nigeria 225.1% higher than in Romania.

Population density by year

Nigeria
Romania

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Nigeria Romania
2026 690 212.1
2025 676 213.3
2024 662 214.5
2023 648 214.6
2022 635 214.4
2021 621 215.3
2020 609 216.9
2019 596 218.1
2018 583 219.2
2017 569 220.5
2016 556 221.8
2015 542 223.1
2014 529 224.1
2013 515 225
2012 501 225.9
2011 487 226.7
2010 474 227.9
2009 461 229.3
2008 448 231.4
2007 436 235.3
2006 424 238.7
2005 412 240.1
2004 401 241.6
2003 390 243
2002 380 244.8
2001 369 249.5
2000 359 253
1999 350 253.5
1998 341 253.9
1997 332 254.5
1996 323 255.2
1995 315 256
1994 307 256.5
1993 298.9 256.9
1992 291.1 257.3
1991 283.6 259.6
1990 276.2 262
1989 268.8 261.6
1988 261.7 259.3
1987 254.8 258
1986 248.1 256.8
1985 241.4 255.6
1984 234.7 254.6
1983 228.7 253.7
1982 222.9 252.7
1981 216.3 251.3
1980 209.8 249.7
1979 203.3 248.4
1978 197.1 246.8
1977 191.2 244.6
1976 185.6 242.3
1975 180.3 239.4
1974 175.4 236.5
1973 170.9 234.3
1972 166.6 232.3
1971 162.7 230.1
1970 158.9 227.7
1969 155.4 225
1968 151.9 222.6
1967 148.7 219.6
1966 145.6 216.1
1965 142.4 214
1964 139.4 212.7
1963 136.4 211.4
1962 133.6 210
1961 130.8 208.6

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/nigeria/romania | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nigeria increased by 62.7%, compared to a 11.1% decline in Romania.

In 2006, Nigeria ranked 53rd by population density and is 41st now. Romania was 81st in 2006 and ranks 107th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Nigeria
Romania
1x
Year Urban population
Nigeria Romania
2024 63% 52.2%
2023 62.2% 52.2%
2022 61.4% 52.2%
2021 60.6% 52.2%
2020 59.8% 52.6%
2019 59% 52.9%
2018 58.2% 53.1%
2017 57.3% 53.4%
2016 56.5% 53.6%
2015 55.7% 53.7%
2014 54.9% 53.8%
2013 54.1% 53.9%
2012 53.3% 54%
2011 52.5% 54%
2010 51.7% 53.9%
2009 50.9% 53.8%
2008 50.1% 53.6%
2007 49.2% 53.4%
2006 48.4% 53.3%
2005 47.6% 53.1%
2004 46.7% 52.9%
2003 45.8% 52.8%
2002 45% 52.7%
2001 44.1% 52.8%
2000 43.3% 52.9%
1999 42.4% 53%
1998 41.6% 53.2%
1997 40.8% 53.4%
1996 40% 53.7%
1995 39.1% 53.9%
1994 38.3% 54.1%
1993 37.5% 54.2%
1992 36.7% 54.3%
1991 36% 54.3%
1990 35.2% 54.2%
1989 34.4% 54%
1988 33.6% 53.8%
1987 32.8% 53.4%
1986 32.1% 53%
1985 31.3% 52.5%
1984 30.5% 52%
1983 29.7% 51.5%
1982 28.9% 50.9%
1981 28.2% 50.3%
1980 27.4% 49.7%
1979 26.7% 49%
1978 25.9% 48.4%
1977 25.2% 47.8%
1976 24.4% 47.2%
1975 23.7% 46.5%
1974 23% 45.7%
1973 22.3% 44.8%
1972 21.6% 43.9%
1971 20.9% 43%
1970 20.2% 42%
1969 19.6% 41.1%
1968 18.9% 40.2%
1967 18.3% 39.3%
1966 17.7% 38.5%
1965 17.1% 37.7%
1964 16.5% 37%
1963 15.9% 36.3%
1962 15.4% 35.7%
1961 14.8% 35%
1960 14.2% 34.4%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/nigeria/romania | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria and from 52.9% to 52.2% in Romania.

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
Romania
City Population
Bucharest 1.72M
Cluj-Napoca 287K
Iasi 272K
Constanta 264K
Timisoara 251K
Brasov 238K
Craiova 234K
Galati 218K
Oradea 183K
Ploiesti 181K

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/nigeria/romania | 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. Wikidata (2006–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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