Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 49 people in South Sudan. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 580,697 sq ft in South Sudan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and South Sudan are ranked 43rd and 172nd, 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 0.15% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for South Sudan, hence the population density in Nigeria is 1,252% higher than in South Sudan.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 49 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 172/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
12387398
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 243,990 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 569,522 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 78.4% |
| Urban population | 55% | 21.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 0% |
Nigeria vs South Sudan:
Population density chart by year
From 2012 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 32.1%, compared to a 11% growth in South Sudan.
In 2012, Nigeria ranked 50th for population density and is in 43rd place now. South Sudan was 169th in 2012 and ranks 172nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 49 |
| 2023 | 648 | 47.1 |
| 2022 | 635 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 621 | 44.5 |
| 2020 | 609 | 43.8 |
| 2019 | 596 | 42.7 |
| 2018 | 583 | 41.5 |
| 2017 | 569 | 42 |
| 2016 | 556 | 44.4 |
| 2015 | 542 | 45.5 |
| 2014 | 529 | 46 |
| 2013 | 515 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 501 | 44.1 |
| 2011 | 487 | - |
| 2010 | 474 | - |
| 2009 | 461 | - |
| 2008 | 448 | - |
| 2007 | 436 | - |
| 2006 | 424 | - |
| 2005 | 412 | - |
| 2004 | 401 | - |
| 2003 | 390 | - |
| 2002 | 380 | - |
| 2001 | 369 | - |
| 2000 | 359 | - |
| 1999 | 350 | - |
| 1998 | 341 | - |
| 1997 | 332 | - |
| 1996 | 323 | - |
| 1995 | 315 | - |
| 1994 | 307 | - |
| 1993 | 298.9 | - |
| 1992 | 291.1 | - |
| 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 | - |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 21.6% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 21.2% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 20.8% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 20.5% |
| 2020 | 52% | 20.2% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 19.9% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 19.6% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 19.3% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 18.9% |
| 2014 | 47% | 18.6% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 18.4% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 18% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 17.9% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 17.7% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 17.6% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 17.4% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 17.3% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 17.2% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 17% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 16.8% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 16.6% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 16.5% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 16.4% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 16.2% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 16.1% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 16% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 15.9% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 15.7% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 15.6% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 14.9% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 14.1% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 13.3% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 12.5% |
| 1988 | 28% | 11.8% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 11.1% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 10.5% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 9.84% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 9.26% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 8.71% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 8.5% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 8.51% |
| 1980 | 22% | 8.52% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 8.53% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 8.54% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 8.55% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 8.57% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 8.58% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 8.59% |
| 1973 | 19% | 8.6% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 8.61% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 8.62% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 8.63% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 8.64% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 8.66% |
| 1967 | 17% | 8.67% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 8.68% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 8.69% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 8.7% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 8.71% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 8.73% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 8.74% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 8.75% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 17% to 21.6% in South Sudan.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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