Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 1,497 people in Rwanda. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Rwanda are ranked 43rd and 13th, 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 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, hence the population density in Nigeria is 55.8% lower than in Rwanda.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 1,497 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 13/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
14826674
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 9,525 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 18,626 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 81.9% |
| Urban population | 55% | 18.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 8.11% |
Nigeria vs Rwanda:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 61.7% growth in Rwanda.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Rwanda was 18th in 2004 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 1,497 |
| 2023 | 648 | 1,465 |
| 2022 | 635 | 1,433 |
| 2021 | 621 | 1,402 |
| 2020 | 609 | 1,372 |
| 2019 | 596 | 1,341 |
| 2018 | 583 | 1,311 |
| 2017 | 569 | 1,281 |
| 2016 | 556 | 1,251 |
| 2015 | 542 | 1,222 |
| 2014 | 529 | 1,193 |
| 2013 | 515 | 1,165 |
| 2012 | 501 | 1,137 |
| 2011 | 487 | 1,110 |
| 2010 | 474 | 1,083 |
| 2009 | 461 | 1,056 |
| 2008 | 448 | 1,029 |
| 2007 | 436 | 1,003 |
| 2006 | 424 | 976 |
| 2005 | 412 | 951 |
| 2004 | 401 | 926 |
| 2003 | 390 | 901 |
| 2002 | 380 | 882 |
| 2001 | 369 | 870 |
| 2000 | 359 | 862 |
| 1999 | 350 | 855 |
| 1998 | 341 | 848 |
| 1997 | 332 | 814 |
| 1996 | 323 | 704 |
| 1995 | 315 | 596 |
| 1994 | 307 | 713 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 838 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 807 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 790 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 774 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 754 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 732 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 709 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 686 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 663 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 641 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 620 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 600 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 580 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 562 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 545 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 529 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 513 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 498 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 484 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 470 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 456 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 443 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 430 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 418 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 405 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 393 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 381 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 370 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 359 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 350 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 342 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 334 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 326 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 18.1% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 17.7% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 17.6% |
| 2020 | 52% | 17.4% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 17.3% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 17.2% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 17.1% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 17.1% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 17% |
| 2014 | 47% | 17% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 16.9% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 16.9% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 16.9% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 16.9% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 16.9% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 16.9% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 16.9% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 16.9% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 16.9% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 16.9% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 16.8% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 15.8% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 14.9% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 14.1% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 13.2% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 12.5% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 11.4% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 9.84% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 8.49% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 7.31% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 6.29% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 5.49% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 5.42% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 5.34% |
| 1988 | 28% | 5.27% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 5.2% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 5.13% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 5.06% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 4.99% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 4.92% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 4.85% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 4.79% |
| 1980 | 22% | 4.72% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 4.66% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 4.57% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 4.37% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 4.18% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 4% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 3.82% |
| 1973 | 19% | 3.65% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 3.49% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 3.34% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 3.19% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 3.13% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 3.07% |
| 1967 | 17% | 3% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 2.94% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 2.88% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 2.82% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 2.77% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 2.71% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 2.65% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 2.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 16.9% to 18.1% in Rwanda.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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