Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 918 people in Sri Lanka. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Sri Lanka are ranked 43rd and 25th, 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, hence the population density in Nigeria is 27.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 918 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
22125995
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 80.6% |
| Urban population | 55% | 19.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 0% |
Nigeria vs Sri Lanka:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 10.6% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Sri Lanka was 24th in 2004 and ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 918 |
| 2023 | 648 | 923 |
| 2022 | 635 | 929 |
| 2021 | 621 | 928 |
| 2020 | 609 | 918 |
| 2019 | 596 | 913 |
| 2018 | 583 | 907 |
| 2017 | 569 | 898 |
| 2016 | 556 | 888 |
| 2015 | 542 | 878 |
| 2014 | 529 | 858 |
| 2013 | 515 | 850 |
| 2012 | 501 | 874 |
| 2011 | 487 | 868 |
| 2010 | 474 | 862 |
| 2009 | 461 | 857 |
| 2008 | 448 | 852 |
| 2007 | 436 | 846 |
| 2006 | 424 | 841 |
| 2005 | 412 | 835 |
| 2004 | 401 | 830 |
| 2003 | 390 | 824 |
| 2002 | 380 | 818 |
| 2001 | 369 | 810 |
| 2000 | 359 | 797 |
| 1999 | 350 | 782 |
| 1998 | 341 | 768 |
| 1997 | 332 | 754 |
| 1996 | 323 | 739 |
| 1995 | 315 | 725 |
| 1994 | 307 | 714 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 703 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 691 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 680 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 675 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 671 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 664 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 657 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 650 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 642 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 638 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 636 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 631 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 624 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 613 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 602 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 591 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 580 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 570 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 560 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 550 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 539 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 529 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 518 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 507 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 496 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 485 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 473 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 462 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 451 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 440 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 429 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 419 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 409 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 19% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 18.9% |
| 2020 | 52% | 18.7% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 18.6% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 18.5% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 18.3% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 18.3% |
| 2014 | 47% | 18.2% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 18.2% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 18.2% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 18.2% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 18.3% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 18.3% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 18.3% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 18.3% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 18.3% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 18.3% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 18.4% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 18.4% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 18.4% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 18.4% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 18.4% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 18.4% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 18.5% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 18.5% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 18.5% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 18.5% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 18.5% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 28% | 18.6% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 18.6% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 18.6% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 18.6% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 18.6% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 18.6% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 18.7% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 22% | 18.6% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 18.5% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 18.4% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 18.3% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 18.2% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 18.1% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 18% |
| 1973 | 19% | 17.9% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 17.8% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 17.6% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 17% | 17.3% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 17.2% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 17% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 16.9% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 16.8% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 16.6% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 16.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 18.3% to 19.4% in Sri Lanka.
Densely populated cities
|
Nigeria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lagos | 15.1M |
| Kano | 4.35M |
| Port Harcourt | 3.32M |
| Ibadan | 2.55M |
| Benin | 1.78M |
| Abuja | 1.69M |
| Onitsha | 1.48M |
| Maiduguri | 1.2M |
| Aba | 1.16M |
| Enugu | 1.03M |
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 753K |
| Gampaha | 191K |
| Beruwala | 165K |
| Negombo | 142K |
| Kandy | 120K |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 116K |
| Trincomalee | 99.1K |
| Galle | 93.1K |
| Matara | 68.2K |
| Anuradhapura | 63.2K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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