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Population density: Russia vs Sao Tome and Principe compared

Updated on by Georank team

Russia has a population density of 22.4 people per square mile compared to 661 people in Sao Tome and Principe. Russia has 1,280,521 sq ft of land per person vs 45,745 sq ft in Sao Tome and Principe. Russia and Sao Tome and Principe rank 186th and 46th 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 0.003% of the population and 0.0006% of the land area for Sao Tome and Principe, making the population density in Russia 96.6% lower than in Sao Tome and Principe.

Population density by year

Russia
Sao Tome and Principe

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Russia Sao Tome
2026 22.4 661
2025 22.6 648
2024 22.7 635
2023 22.7 623
2022 22.8 611
2021 22.9 599
2020 23 587
2019 23 576
2018 23 567
2017 23 558
2016 22.9 550
2015 22.9 540
2014 22.8 531
2013 22.7 521
2012 22.7 511
2011 22.6 501
2010 22.6 490
2009 22.6 480
2008 22.6 469
2007 22.6 458
2006 22.6 447
2005 22.7 436
2004 22.8 425
2003 22.9 415
2002 23 404
2001 23.1 395
2000 23.2 389
1999 23.3 384
1998 23.3 380
1997 23.4 375
1996 23.4 370
1995 23.5 364
1994 23.5 358
1993 23.5 352
1992 23.5 346
1991 - 339
1990 - 332
1989 - 324
1988 - 315
1987 - 307
1986 - 299.9
1985 - 293.1
1984 - 287
1983 - 281.6
1982 - 276.6
1981 - 271.4
1980 - 265.9
1979 - 259.7
1978 - 253
1977 - 246.3
1976 - 239.9
1975 - 233.9
1974 - 228.4
1973 - 223.4
1972 - 218.6
1971 - 214
1970 - 209.4
1969 - 205.3
1968 - 201.7
1967 - 198.6
1966 - 195.8
1965 - 193.4
1964 - 191.2
1963 - 189.2
1962 - 187.2
1961 - 185.4

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/russia/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Russia decreased by 0.79%, compared to a 48% growth in Sao Tome and Principe.

In 2006, Russia ranked 179th by population density and is 186th now. Sao Tome and Principe was 50th in 2006 and ranks 46th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Russia
Sao Tome and Principe
1x
Year Urban population
Russia Sao Tome
2024 75.1% 68.9%
2023 75% 68.6%
2022 74.9% 68.4%
2021 74.8% 68.2%
2020 74.7% 68%
2019 74.6% 67.9%
2018 74.5% 67.8%
2017 74.5% 67.7%
2016 74.4% 67.5%
2015 74.3% 67.4%
2014 74.2% 67.3%
2013 74.1% 67.1%
2012 74% 67%
2011 73.9% 66.7%
2010 73.7% 66.1%
2009 73.5% 65.1%
2008 73.5% 63.9%
2007 73.4% 62.5%
2006 73.2% 61%
2005 73.2% 59.4%
2004 73.3% 57.9%
2003 73.4% 56.4%
2002 73.3% 55.1%
2001 73.2% 54%
2000 73.2% 53%
1999 73% 52%
1998 73.2% 51.1%
1997 73.1% 50.2%
1996 73.1% 49.4%
1995 72.9% 48.5%
1994 73% 47.6%
1993 73.1% 46.7%
1992 73.4% 45.8%
1991 73.7% 44.8%
1990 73.7% 43.7%
1989 73.6% 42.5%
1988 73.2% 41.3%
1987 72.9% 40%
1986 72.5% 38.7%
1985 72% 37.5%
1984 71.6% 36.3%
1983 71.3% 35.3%
1982 70.9% 34.5%
1981 70.3% 33.8%
1980 69.9% 33.3%
1979 69.3% 32.9%
1978 68.8% 32.6%
1977 68.2% 32.3%
1976 67.7% 32.1%
1975 66.9% 31.8%
1974 66.1% 31.5%
1973 65.1% 31.2%
1972 64.2% 30.8%
1971 63.2% 30.4%
1970 62.6% 29.8%
1969 61.8% 28.8%
1968 60.9% 27.4%
1967 60% 25.7%
1966 59.2% 23.8%
1965 58.3% 21.9%
1964 57.6% 20%
1963 56.8% 18.3%
1962 55.9% 16.9%
1961 55.1% 15.9%
1960 54.1% 15.4%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/russia/sao-tome-and-principe | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia and from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe.

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

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/sao-tome-and-principe | 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 (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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