Nigeria has a population density of 690 people per square mile compared to 22.4 people in Russia. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 1,280,521 sq ft in Russia. Nigeria and Russia rank 41st and 186th 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 1.77% of the population and 11% of the land area for Russia, making the population density in Nigeria 2,972% higher than in Russia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Nigeria
|
Russia
|
|
| 2026 | 690 | 22.4 |
| 2025 | 676 | 22.6 |
| 2024 | 662 | 22.7 |
| 2023 | 648 | 22.7 |
| 2022 | 635 | 22.8 |
| 2021 | 621 | 22.9 |
| 2020 | 609 | 23 |
| 2019 | 596 | 23 |
| 2018 | 583 | 23 |
| 2017 | 569 | 23 |
| 2016 | 556 | 22.9 |
| 2015 | 542 | 22.9 |
| 2014 | 529 | 22.8 |
| 2013 | 515 | 22.7 |
| 2012 | 501 | 22.7 |
| 2011 | 487 | 22.6 |
| 2010 | 474 | 22.6 |
| 2009 | 461 | 22.6 |
| 2008 | 448 | 22.6 |
| 2007 | 436 | 22.6 |
| 2006 | 424 | 22.6 |
| 2005 | 412 | 22.7 |
| 2004 | 401 | 22.8 |
| 2003 | 390 | 22.9 |
| 2002 | 380 | 23 |
| 2001 | 369 | 23.1 |
| 2000 | 359 | 23.2 |
| 1999 | 350 | 23.3 |
| 1998 | 341 | 23.3 |
| 1997 | 332 | 23.4 |
| 1996 | 323 | 23.4 |
| 1995 | 315 | 23.5 |
| 1994 | 307 | 23.5 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 23.5 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 23.5 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | - |
| 1990 | 276.2 | - |
| 1989 | 268.8 | - |
| 1988 | 261.7 | - |
| 1987 | 254.8 | - |
| 1986 | 248.1 | - |
| 1985 | 241.4 | - |
| 1984 | 234.7 | - |
| 1983 | 228.7 | - |
| 1982 | 222.9 | - |
| 1981 | 216.3 | - |
| 1980 | 209.8 | - |
| 1979 | 203.3 | - |
| 1978 | 197.1 | - |
| 1977 | 191.2 | - |
| 1976 | 185.6 | - |
| 1975 | 180.3 | - |
| 1974 | 175.4 | - |
| 1973 | 170.9 | - |
| 1972 | 166.6 | - |
| 1971 | 162.7 | - |
| 1970 | 158.9 | - |
| 1969 | 155.4 | - |
| 1968 | 151.9 | - |
| 1967 | 148.7 | - |
| 1966 | 145.6 | - |
| 1965 | 142.4 | - |
| 1964 | 139.4 | - |
| 1963 | 136.4 | - |
| 1962 | 133.6 | - |
| 1961 | 130.8 | - |
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/nigeria/russia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Nigeria increased by 62.7%, compared to a 0.79% decline in Russia.
In 2006, Nigeria ranked 53rd by population density and is 41st now. Russia was 179th in 2006 and ranks 186th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Nigeria
|
Russia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 690 ppl/mi² | 22.4 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 41/197 | 186/197 |
| Population |
243824469
|
141906741
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 6,323,145 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 1,228,137 sq ft |
| Rural population | 37% | 24.9% |
| Urban population | 63% | 75.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 13.8% | 25.1% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Russia
|
|
| 2024 | 63% | 75.1% |
| 2023 | 62.2% | 75% |
| 2022 | 61.4% | 74.9% |
| 2021 | 60.6% | 74.8% |
| 2020 | 59.8% | 74.7% |
| 2019 | 59% | 74.6% |
| 2018 | 58.2% | 74.5% |
| 2017 | 57.3% | 74.5% |
| 2016 | 56.5% | 74.4% |
| 2015 | 55.7% | 74.3% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | 74.2% |
| 2013 | 54.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 53.3% | 74% |
| 2011 | 52.5% | 73.9% |
| 2010 | 51.7% | 73.7% |
| 2009 | 50.9% | 73.5% |
| 2008 | 50.1% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 49.2% | 73.4% |
| 2006 | 48.4% | 73.2% |
| 2005 | 47.6% | 73.2% |
| 2004 | 46.7% | 73.3% |
| 2003 | 45.8% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 45% | 73.3% |
| 2001 | 44.1% | 73.2% |
| 2000 | 43.3% | 73.2% |
| 1999 | 42.4% | 73% |
| 1998 | 41.6% | 73.2% |
| 1997 | 40.8% | 73.1% |
| 1996 | 40% | 73.1% |
| 1995 | 39.1% | 72.9% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 73% |
| 1993 | 37.5% | 73.1% |
| 1992 | 36.7% | 73.4% |
| 1991 | 36% | 73.7% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 73.7% |
| 1989 | 34.4% | 73.6% |
| 1988 | 33.6% | 73.2% |
| 1987 | 32.8% | 72.9% |
| 1986 | 32.1% | 72.5% |
| 1985 | 31.3% | 72% |
| 1984 | 30.5% | 71.6% |
| 1983 | 29.7% | 71.3% |
| 1982 | 28.9% | 70.9% |
| 1981 | 28.2% | 70.3% |
| 1980 | 27.4% | 69.9% |
| 1979 | 26.7% | 69.3% |
| 1978 | 25.9% | 68.8% |
| 1977 | 25.2% | 68.2% |
| 1976 | 24.4% | 67.7% |
| 1975 | 23.7% | 66.9% |
| 1974 | 23% | 66.1% |
| 1973 | 22.3% | 65.1% |
| 1972 | 21.6% | 64.2% |
| 1971 | 20.9% | 63.2% |
| 1970 | 20.2% | 62.6% |
| 1969 | 19.6% | 61.8% |
| 1968 | 18.9% | 60.9% |
| 1967 | 18.3% | 60% |
| 1966 | 17.7% | 59.2% |
| 1965 | 17.1% | 58.3% |
| 1964 | 16.5% | 57.6% |
| 1963 | 15.9% | 56.8% |
| 1962 | 15.4% | 55.9% |
| 1961 | 14.8% | 55.1% |
| 1960 | 14.2% | 54.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/nigeria/russia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 46.7% to 63% in Nigeria and from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia.
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 |
|
Russia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Moscow | 13.3M |
| Saint Petersburg | 5.65M |
| Novosibirsk | 1.64M |
| Yekaterinburg | 1.47M |
| Kazan | 1.33M |
| Nizhny Novgorod | 1.2M |
| Chelyabinsk | 1.18M |
| Krasnodar | 1.15M |
| Samara | 1.15M |
| Ufa | 1.14M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/russia | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2006–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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