Nigeria has a population density of 662 people per square mile compared to 74.3 people in Zambia. Nigeria has 42,734 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Nigeria and Zambia are ranked 43rd and 158th, 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, hence the population density in Nigeria is 791% higher than in Zambia.
Population density comparison
Nigeria
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 662 ppl/mi² | 74.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 158/197 |
| Population |
241467099
|
22402291
|
| Land area | 351,650 sq mi | 287,024 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 42,133 sq ft | 375,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 45% | 53.1% |
| Urban population | 55% | 46.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.5% | 11.6% |
Nigeria vs Zambia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Nigeria increased by 65%, compared to a 88% growth in Zambia.
In 2004, Nigeria ranked 53rd for population density and is in 43rd place now. Zambia was 163rd in 2004 and ranks 158th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 662 | 74.3 |
| 2023 | 648 | 72.2 |
| 2022 | 635 | 70.2 |
| 2021 | 621 | 68.3 |
| 2020 | 609 | 66.4 |
| 2019 | 596 | 64.5 |
| 2018 | 583 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 569 | 60.8 |
| 2016 | 556 | 58.9 |
| 2015 | 542 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 529 | 55.4 |
| 2013 | 515 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 501 | 52 |
| 2011 | 487 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 474 | 48.7 |
| 2009 | 461 | 47 |
| 2008 | 448 | 45.4 |
| 2007 | 436 | 43.8 |
| 2006 | 424 | 42.3 |
| 2005 | 412 | 40.8 |
| 2004 | 401 | 39.5 |
| 2003 | 390 | 38.3 |
| 2002 | 380 | 37.1 |
| 2001 | 369 | 36 |
| 2000 | 359 | 34.9 |
| 1999 | 350 | 33.9 |
| 1998 | 341 | 33 |
| 1997 | 332 | 32.2 |
| 1996 | 323 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 315 | 30.6 |
| 1994 | 307 | 29.9 |
| 1993 | 298.9 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 291.1 | 28.5 |
| 1991 | 283.6 | 27.8 |
| 1990 | 276.2 | 27.1 |
| 1989 | 268.8 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | 261.7 | 25.8 |
| 1987 | 254.8 | 25.1 |
| 1986 | 248.1 | 24.3 |
| 1985 | 241.4 | 23.6 |
| 1984 | 234.7 | 22.9 |
| 1983 | 228.7 | 22.2 |
| 1982 | 222.9 | 21.5 |
| 1981 | 216.3 | 20.8 |
| 1980 | 209.8 | 20.2 |
| 1979 | 203.3 | 19.6 |
| 1978 | 197.1 | 19 |
| 1977 | 191.2 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 185.6 | 17.9 |
| 1975 | 180.3 | 17.4 |
| 1974 | 175.4 | 16.9 |
| 1973 | 170.9 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | 166.6 | 15.9 |
| 1971 | 162.7 | 15.5 |
| 1970 | 158.9 | 15.1 |
| 1969 | 155.4 | 14.6 |
| 1968 | 151.9 | 14.2 |
| 1967 | 148.7 | 13.7 |
| 1966 | 145.6 | 13.3 |
| 1965 | 142.4 | 12.9 |
| 1964 | 139.4 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 136.4 | 12.1 |
| 1962 | 133.6 | 11.7 |
| 1961 | 130.8 | 11.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Nigeria
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 55% | 46.9% |
| 2023 | 54.3% | 46.3% |
| 2022 | 53.5% | 45.8% |
| 2021 | 52.7% | 45.2% |
| 2020 | 52% | 44.6% |
| 2019 | 51.2% | 44.1% |
| 2018 | 50.3% | 43.5% |
| 2017 | 49.5% | 43% |
| 2016 | 48.7% | 42.4% |
| 2015 | 47.8% | 41.9% |
| 2014 | 47% | 41.4% |
| 2013 | 46.1% | 40.9% |
| 2012 | 45.2% | 40.4% |
| 2011 | 44.4% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 43.5% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 42.6% | 38.9% |
| 2008 | 41.7% | 38.4% |
| 2007 | 40.8% | 37.9% |
| 2006 | 39.9% | 37.4% |
| 2005 | 39.1% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 38.2% | 36.4% |
| 2003 | 37.4% | 36% |
| 2002 | 36.5% | 35.5% |
| 2001 | 35.7% | 35% |
| 2000 | 34.8% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 34.3% | 35.3% |
| 1998 | 33.8% | 35.7% |
| 1997 | 33.2% | 36.2% |
| 1996 | 32.7% | 36.6% |
| 1995 | 32.2% | 37.1% |
| 1994 | 31.7% | 37.6% |
| 1993 | 31.2% | 38% |
| 1992 | 30.7% | 38.5% |
| 1991 | 30.2% | 39% |
| 1990 | 29.7% | 39.4% |
| 1989 | 28.8% | 39.5% |
| 1988 | 28% | 39.5% |
| 1987 | 27.2% | 39.6% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | 39.6% |
| 1985 | 25.6% | 39.7% |
| 1984 | 24.9% | 39.7% |
| 1983 | 24.1% | 39.8% |
| 1982 | 23.4% | 39.8% |
| 1981 | 22.7% | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 22% | 39.8% |
| 1979 | 21.5% | 38.8% |
| 1978 | 21.1% | 37.8% |
| 1977 | 20.6% | 36.9% |
| 1976 | 20.2% | 35.9% |
| 1975 | 19.8% | 34.9% |
| 1974 | 19.4% | 34% |
| 1973 | 19% | 33.1% |
| 1972 | 18.5% | 32.1% |
| 1971 | 18.2% | 31.2% |
| 1970 | 17.8% | 30.4% |
| 1969 | 17.5% | 29.4% |
| 1968 | 17.3% | 27.8% |
| 1967 | 17% | 26.3% |
| 1966 | 16.8% | 24.8% |
| 1965 | 16.6% | 23.4% |
| 1964 | 16.3% | 22% |
| 1963 | 16.1% | 20.7% |
| 1962 | 15.9% | 19.8% |
| 1961 | 15.6% | 19% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 18.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 38.2% to 55% in Nigeria and from 36.4% to 46.9% in Zambia.
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 |
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lusaka | 2.47M |
| Kitwe | 625K |
| Ndola | 528K |
| Chingola | 255K |
| Mufulira | 182K |
| Livingstone | 177K |
| Kasama | 158K |
| Kapiri Mposhi | 65.2K |
| Choma | 51.8K |
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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