Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 310 people in Sierra Leone. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 89,354 sq ft in Sierra Leone. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Sierra Leone are ranked 43rd and 77th, 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 0.11% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Sierra Leone, hence the population density in Nigeria is 113.4% higher than in Sierra Leone.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 310 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 77/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
8961932
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 27,869 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 89,902 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 55.2% |
| Urban population | 55% | 44.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 0% |
Nigeria vs Sierra Leone:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 61.4% growth in Sierra Leone.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Sierra Leone was 95th in 2004 and ranks 77th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 310 |
| 2023 | 648 | 304 |
| 2022 | 635 | 297 |
| 2021 | 621 | 290.5 |
| 2020 | 609 | 283.9 |
| 2019 | 596 | 277.4 |
| 2018 | 583 | 271.1 |
| 2017 | 569 | 264.8 |
| 2016 | 556 | 258.5 |
| 2015 | 542 | 252.5 |
| 2014 | 529 | 246.7 |
| 2013 | 515 | 240.9 |
| 2012 | 501 | 235.1 |
| 2011 | 487 | 229.2 |
| 2010 | 474 | 223.3 |
| 2009 | 461 | 217.3 |
| 2008 | 448 | 211.5 |
| 2007 | 436 | 206.3 |
| 2006 | 424 | 201.8 |
| 2005 | 412 | 197.4 |
| 2004 | 401 | 192.2 |
| 2003 | 390 | 185.8 |
| 2002 | 380 | 178.4 |
| 2001 | 369 | 168.4 |
| 2000 | 359 | 158.7 |
| 1999 | 350 | 154.9 |
| 1998 | 341 | 154.1 |
| 1997 | 332 | 152.6 |
| 1996 | 323 | 150.7 |
| 1995 | 315 | 150 |
| 1994 | 307 | 149.7 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 149.2 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 149.5 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 152.4 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 150.6 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 144.8 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 141.2 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 137.4 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 133.8 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 130.6 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 127.7 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 124.9 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 122.3 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 119.8 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 117.4 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 115.1 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 112.9 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 110.7 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 108.7 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 106.7 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 104.8 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 102.9 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 101 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 99.2 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 97.3 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 95.5 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 93.7 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 91.9 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 90.2 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 88.6 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 87 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 85.5 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 84 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 82.7 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 44.8% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 44.3% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 43.8% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 43.4% |
| 2020 | 52% | 42.9% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 42.5% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 42.1% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 41.6% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 41.2% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 47% | 40.4% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 40% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 39.6% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 39.2% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 38.9% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 38.5% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 38.1% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 37.7% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 37.3% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 36.6% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 36.4% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 36.1% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 35.9% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 35.6% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 35.4% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 35.1% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 34.9% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 34.7% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 34.4% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 34.2% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 34% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 33.7% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 33.5% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 33.3% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 33% |
| 1988 | 28% | 32.8% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 32.6% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 32.3% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 32% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 31.6% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 31.1% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 30.7% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 30.2% |
| 1980 | 22% | 29.8% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 29.4% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 29% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 28.6% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 28.1% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 27.7% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 27.1% |
| 1973 | 19% | 26.3% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 25.5% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 24.7% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 24% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 23.2% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 22.5% |
| 1967 | 17% | 21.8% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 21.1% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 20.4% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 19.7% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 19.1% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 18.5% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 17.9% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 17.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone.
Densely populated cities
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Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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