Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 42.5 people in Saudi Arabia. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 686,079 sq ft in Saudi Arabia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia are ranked 43rd and 179th, 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 0.43% of the population and 1.44% of the land area for Saudi Arabia, hence the population density in Nigeria is 1,456% higher than in Saudi Arabia.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 42.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 179/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
36428123
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 830,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 655,493 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 14.8% |
| Urban population | 55% | 85.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 44% |
Nigeria vs Saudi Arabia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 79.5% growth in Saudi Arabia.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Saudi Arabia was 175th in 2004 and ranks 179th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 42.5 |
| 2023 | 648 | 40.6 |
| 2022 | 635 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 621 | 37.1 |
| 2020 | 609 | 38 |
| 2019 | 596 | 36.2 |
| 2018 | 583 | 36.4 |
| 2017 | 569 | 37.3 |
| 2016 | 556 | 37.3 |
| 2015 | 542 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 529 | 34.1 |
| 2013 | 515 | 33.3 |
| 2012 | 501 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 487 | 30.2 |
| 2010 | 474 | 28.9 |
| 2009 | 461 | 29.2 |
| 2008 | 448 | 28.1 |
| 2007 | 436 | 26.9 |
| 2006 | 424 | 25.9 |
| 2005 | 412 | 24.8 |
| 2004 | 401 | 23.7 |
| 2003 | 390 | 22.6 |
| 2002 | 380 | 21.6 |
| 2001 | 369 | 20.5 |
| 2000 | 359 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 350 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 341 | 18 |
| 1997 | 332 | 17.3 |
| 1996 | 323 | 16.7 |
| 1995 | 315 | 16 |
| 1994 | 307 | 15.4 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 14.7 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 14.1 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 13.4 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 12.8 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 12.2 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 11.6 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 11 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 10.4 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 9.82 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 9.27 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 8.74 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 8.22 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 7.74 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 7.29 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 6.87 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 6.48 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 6.12 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 5.79 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 5.49 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 5.21 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 4.71 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 4.49 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 4.29 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 4.12 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 3.96 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 3.66 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 3.53 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 3.4 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 3.28 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 3.16 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 3.04 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 85.2% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 85% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 84.7% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 84.5% |
| 2020 | 52% | 84.3% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 84.1% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 83.8% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 83.6% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 83.4% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 83.2% |
| 2014 | 47% | 83% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 82.7% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 82.5% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 81.6% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 81.4% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 81.2% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 81% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 80.8% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 80.5% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 80.1% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 79.8% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 79.6% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 79.1% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 78.9% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 78.7% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 78.4% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 77.9% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 77.2% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 76.6% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 75.9% |
| 1988 | 28% | 75.3% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 74.6% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 73.9% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 72.6% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 71.4% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 70% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 68.7% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 67.3% |
| 1980 | 22% | 65.9% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 64.4% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 62.9% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 61.4% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 59.9% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 58.3% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 56.7% |
| 1973 | 19% | 54.7% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 52.7% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 50.7% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 48.7% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 46.7% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 44.7% |
| 1967 | 17% | 42.7% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 40.7% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 38.8% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 36.9% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 35% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 33.5% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 32.4% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 31.2% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia.
Densely populated cities
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people per square mile
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