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Population density: Russia vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Russia has a population density of 22.4 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Russia has 1,280,521 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Russia and Rwanda rank 186th and 13th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Russia has 1.77% of the world's population and 11% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Russia 98.6% lower than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

Russia
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Russia Rwanda
2026 22.4 1,563
2025 22.6 1,529
2024 22.7 1,497
2023 22.7 1,465
2022 22.8 1,433
2021 22.9 1,402
2020 23 1,372
2019 23 1,341
2018 23 1,311
2017 23 1,281
2016 22.9 1,251
2015 22.9 1,222
2014 22.8 1,193
2013 22.7 1,165
2012 22.7 1,137
2011 22.6 1,110
2010 22.6 1,083
2009 22.6 1,056
2008 22.6 1,029
2007 22.6 1,003
2006 22.6 976
2005 22.7 951
2004 22.8 926
2003 22.9 901
2002 23 882
2001 23.1 870
2000 23.2 862
1999 23.3 855
1998 23.3 848
1997 23.4 814
1996 23.4 704
1995 23.5 596
1994 23.5 713
1993 23.5 838
1992 23.5 807
1991 - 790
1990 - 774
1989 - 754
1988 - 732
1987 - 709
1986 - 686
1985 - 663
1984 - 641
1983 - 620
1982 - 600
1981 - 580
1980 - 562
1979 - 545
1978 - 529
1977 - 513
1976 - 498
1975 - 484
1974 - 470
1973 - 456
1972 - 443
1971 - 430
1970 - 418
1969 - 405
1968 - 393
1967 - 381
1966 - 370
1965 - 359
1964 - 350
1963 - 342
1962 - 334
1961 - 326

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/russia/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Russia decreased by 0.79%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, Russia ranked 179th by population density and is 186th now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Russia
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
Russia Rwanda
2024 75.1% 29.9%
2023 75% 28.9%
2022 74.9% 27.8%
2021 74.8% 26.1%
2020 74.7% 24.5%
2019 74.6% 23%
2018 74.5% 21.5%
2017 74.5% 20.2%
2016 74.4% 19.1%
2015 74.3% 18.2%
2014 74.2% 17.5%
2013 74.1% 17.1%
2012 74% 16.9%
2011 73.9% 16.9%
2010 73.7% 16.9%
2009 73.5% 16.9%
2008 73.5% 16.9%
2007 73.4% 16.9%
2006 73.2% 16.9%
2005 73.2% 16.9%
2004 73.3% 16.9%
2003 73.4% 16.9%
2002 73.3% 16.9%
2001 73.2% 16.5%
2000 73.2% 15.8%
1999 73% 14.7%
1998 73.2% 13.3%
1997 73.1% 11.8%
1996 73.1% 10.3%
1995 72.9% 8.82%
1994 73% 7.48%
1993 73.1% 6.4%
1992 73.4% 5.66%
1991 73.7% 5.36%
1990 73.7% 5.27%
1989 73.6% 5.2%
1988 73.2% 5.14%
1987 72.9% 5.09%
1986 72.5% 5.05%
1985 72% 5.01%
1984 71.6% 4.98%
1983 71.3% 4.95%
1982 70.9% 4.91%
1981 70.3% 4.87%
1980 69.9% 4.82%
1979 69.3% 4.75%
1978 68.8% 4.67%
1977 68.2% 4.55%
1976 67.7% 4.39%
1975 66.9% 4.19%
1974 66.1% 3.97%
1973 65.1% 3.75%
1972 64.2% 3.55%
1971 63.2% 3.37%
1970 62.6% 3.24%
1969 61.8% 3.14%
1968 60.9% 3.06%
1967 60% 3%
1966 59.2% 2.94%
1965 58.3% 2.88%
1964 57.6% 2.83%
1963 56.8% 2.78%
1962 55.9% 2.72%
1961 55.1% 2.67%
1960 54.1% 2.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/russia/rwanda | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

Densely populated cities

Russia
City Population
Moscow 13.3M
Saint Petersburg 5.65M
Novosibirsk 1.64M
Yekaterinburg 1.47M
Kazan 1.33M
Nizhny Novgorod 1.2M
Chelyabinsk 1.18M
Krasnodar 1.15M
Samara 1.15M
Ufa 1.14M
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

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/russia/rwanda | 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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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