Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 253 people in Spain. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 111,591 sq ft in Spain. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Spain are ranked 43rd and 95th, 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 0.6% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Spain, hence the population density in Nigeria is 161.6% higher than in Spain.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 253 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
48786181
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 192,934 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 110,203 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 18.2% |
| Urban population | 55% | 81.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 10.5% |
Nigeria vs Spain:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 13.6% growth in Spain.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Spain was 85th in 2004 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 253 |
| 2023 | 648 | 250.6 |
| 2022 | 635 | 247.7 |
| 2021 | 621 | 245.9 |
| 2020 | 609 | 245.5 |
| 2019 | 596 | 244.3 |
| 2018 | 583 | 242.5 |
| 2017 | 569 | 241.5 |
| 2016 | 556 | 240.9 |
| 2015 | 542 | 240.6 |
| 2014 | 529 | 240.6 |
| 2013 | 515 | 241.3 |
| 2012 | 501 | 242.2 |
| 2011 | 487 | 242.2 |
| 2010 | 474 | 241.3 |
| 2009 | 461 | 240.8 |
| 2008 | 448 | 238.6 |
| 2007 | 436 | 234.7 |
| 2006 | 424 | 230.4 |
| 2005 | 412 | 226.5 |
| 2004 | 401 | 222.7 |
| 2003 | 390 | 218.9 |
| 2002 | 380 | 215 |
| 2001 | 369 | 212.2 |
| 2000 | 359 | 210.6 |
| 1999 | 350 | 209.4 |
| 1998 | 341 | 208.6 |
| 1997 | 332 | 207.7 |
| 1996 | 323 | 206.9 |
| 1995 | 315 | 206 |
| 1994 | 307 | 205.1 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 204.1 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 203.1 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 202.1 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 201.6 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 201.4 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 201 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 200.6 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 200.1 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 199.5 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 198.8 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 198 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 197 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 195.8 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 194.4 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 192.8 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 191.1 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 189.3 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 187.4 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 185.4 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 183.3 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 181.3 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 179.3 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 177.4 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 175.2 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 173.3 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 171.6 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 169.4 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 167.3 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 165.6 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 163.8 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 162.2 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 160.8 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 159.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 81.8% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 81.1% |
| 2020 | 52% | 80.8% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 80.6% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 80.1% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 79.8% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 79.6% |
| 2014 | 47% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 78.7% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 78.2% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 78% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 77.7% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 77.5% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 77.3% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 77% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 76.8% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 76.5% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 76.3% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 76.3% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 76.2% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 76.1% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 76% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 75.9% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 75.9% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 75.8% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 75.7% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 75.6% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 75.4% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 28% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 74.4% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 74% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 73.7% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 73.5% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 73.3% |
| 1980 | 22% | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 72.2% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 71.5% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 70.9% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 70.2% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 69.6% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 68.9% |
| 1973 | 19% | 68.2% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 67.5% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 66.8% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 66% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 65.1% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 64.2% |
| 1967 | 17% | 63.2% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 61.3% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 60.3% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 59.3% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 58.3% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 57.3% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 56.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 77% to 81.8% in Spain.
Densely populated cities
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people per square mile
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