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Population density: Norway vs Poland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Norway has a population density of 40.3 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Poland. Norway has 744,100 sq ft of land per person vs 92,061 sq ft in Poland. Norway and Poland rank 182nd and 80th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Norway has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.24% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.45% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Poland, making the population density in Norway 86.7% lower than in Poland.

Population density by year

Norway
Poland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Norway Poland
2026 40.3 303
2025 40 306
2024 39.6 309
2023 39.2 310
2022 38.8 312
2021 38.5 313
2020 38.2 317
2019 37.9 321
2018 37.7 321
2017 37.4 321
2016 37.1 321
2015 36.8 321
2014 36.4 322
2013 36 322
2012 35.6 322
2011 35.1 322
2010 34.7 322
2009 34.2 323
2008 33.8 322
2007 33.4 322
2006 33 322
2005 32.8 323
2004 32.6 323
2003 32.4 323
2002 32.2 323
2001 32 323
2000 31.8 324
1999 31.6 327
1998 31.4 327
1997 31.2 327
1996 31.1 327
1995 30.9 326
1994 30.8 326
1993 30.6 325
1992 30.4 324
1991 30.2 323
1990 30.1 322
1989 30 321
1988 29.8 320
1987 29.7 319
1986 29.6 317
1985 29.4 315
1984 29.4 312
1983 29.3 309
1982 29.2 306
1981 29.1 304
1980 29 301
1979 28.9 298.1
1978 28.8 295.7
1977 28.7 293.3
1976 28.5 290.5
1975 28.4 287.6
1974 28.3 284.8
1973 28.1 282.1
1972 27.9 279.5
1971 27.7 277.2
1970 27.5 276.2
1969 27.3 275.2
1968 27.1 273.1
1967 26.8 270.5
1966 26.6 267.9
1965 26.4 265.9
1964 26.2 263.3
1963 26 259.7
1962 25.8 256.3
1961 25.6 253.4

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/norway/poland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Norway increased by 21.9%, compared to a 6.1% decline in Poland.

In 2006, Norway ranked 171st by population density and is 182nd now. Poland was 64th in 2006 and ranks 80th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Norway
Poland
1x
Year Urban population
Norway Poland
2024 83.3% 60%
2023 83.1% 59.9%
2022 83% 59.8%
2021 82.9% 59.8%
2020 82.7% 59.9%
2019 82.5% 60%
2018 82.2% 60.1%
2017 82% 60.1%
2016 81.7% 60.2%
2015 81.2% 60.3%
2014 80.6% 60.4%
2013 80% 60.5%
2012 79.5% 60.6%
2011 79.3% 60.7%
2010 79.2% 60.8%
2009 79.1% 61%
2008 78.8% 61.1%
2007 78.4% 61.3%
2006 78.1% 61.4%
2005 77.8% 61.5%
2004 77.6% 61.7%
2003 77.3% 61.7%
2002 76.8% 61.8%
2001 76.4% 61.8%
2000 76.1% 61.7%
1999 75.8% 61.7%
1998 75.3% 61.7%
1997 74.7% 61.7%
1996 74.2% 61.6%
1995 73.9% 61.6%
1994 73.7% 61.5%
1993 73.2% 61.5%
1992 72.6% 61.4%
1991 72.2% 61.4%
1990 71.9% 61.3%
1989 71.7% 61.2%
1988 71.6% 61.1%
1987 71.5% 61%
1986 71.4% 60.7%
1985 71.3% 60.4%
1984 71.2% 60.1%
1983 71.1% 59.6%
1982 71% 59.2%
1981 70.8% 58.7%
1980 70.6% 58.2%
1979 70.4% 57.7%
1978 70.1% 57.2%
1977 69.7% 56.7%
1976 69.3% 56%
1975 68.9% 55.3%
1974 68.3% 54.6%
1973 67.7% 53.9%
1972 67.1% 53.2%
1971 66.4% 52.6%
1970 65.6% 52.1%
1969 64.4% 51.6%
1968 62.6% 51.2%
1967 60.5% 50.9%
1966 58.2% 50.6%
1965 55.9% 50.2%
1964 53.6% 49.9%
1963 51.6% 49.5%
1962 50.1% 49.1%
1961 49% 48.6%
1960 48.7% 48.1%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/norway/poland | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.6% to 83.3% in Norway and from 61.7% to 60% in Poland.

Densely populated cities

Norway
City Population
Oslo 718K
Bergen 291K
Trondheim 199K
Stavanger 150K
Baerum 132K
Drammen 105K
Asker 100K
Lillestrom 95.8K
Fredrikstad 85.9K
Sandnes 84.9K
Poland
City Population
Warsaw 1.86M
Krakow 804K
Wroclaw 674K
Lodz 649K
Poznan 547K
Gdansk 488K
Szczecin 388K
Lublin 335K
Bydgoszcz 325K
Bialystok 290K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/norway/poland | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2021–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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