Skip to content

Population density: Russia vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Russia has a population density of 22.4 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Russia has 1,280,521 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Russia and Sri Lanka rank 186th and 25th 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Russia 97.6% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Russia
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Russia Sri Lanka
2026 22.4 928
2025 22.6 923
2024 22.7 918
2023 22.7 923
2022 22.8 929
2021 22.9 928
2020 23 918
2019 23 913
2018 23 907
2017 23 898
2016 22.9 888
2015 22.9 878
2014 22.8 858
2013 22.7 850
2012 22.7 874
2011 22.6 868
2010 22.6 862
2009 22.6 857
2008 22.6 852
2007 22.6 846
2006 22.6 841
2005 22.7 835
2004 22.8 830
2003 22.9 824
2002 23 818
2001 23.1 810
2000 23.2 797
1999 23.3 782
1998 23.3 768
1997 23.4 754
1996 23.4 739
1995 23.5 725
1994 23.5 714
1993 23.5 703
1992 23.5 691
1991 - 680
1990 - 675
1989 - 671
1988 - 664
1987 - 657
1986 - 650
1985 - 642
1984 - 638
1983 - 636
1982 - 631
1981 - 624
1980 - 613
1979 - 602
1978 - 591
1977 - 580
1976 - 570
1975 - 560
1974 - 550
1973 - 539
1972 - 529
1971 - 518
1970 - 507
1969 - 496
1968 - 485
1967 - 473
1966 - 462
1965 - 451
1964 - 440
1963 - 429
1962 - 419
1961 - 409

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/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Russia decreased by 0.79%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Russia ranked 179th by population density and is 186th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Russia
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Russia Sri Lanka
2024 75.1% 20.3%
2023 75% 20.1%
2022 74.9% 20%
2021 74.8% 19.8%
2020 74.7% 19.7%
2019 74.6% 19.5%
2018 74.5% 19.3%
2017 74.5% 19.2%
2016 74.4% 19%
2015 74.3% 18.8%
2014 74.2% 18.6%
2013 74.1% 18.4%
2012 74% 18.3%
2011 73.9% 17.8%
2010 73.7% 17.2%
2009 73.5% 16.7%
2008 73.5% 16.3%
2007 73.4% 15.9%
2006 73.2% 15.5%
2005 73.2% 15.2%
2004 73.3% 14.9%
2003 73.4% 14.7%
2002 73.3% 14.6%
2001 73.2% 14.6%
2000 73.2% 14.6%
1999 73% 14.7%
1998 73.2% 14.9%
1997 73.1% 15.2%
1996 73.1% 15.5%
1995 72.9% 15.9%
1994 73% 16.3%
1993 73.1% 16.7%
1992 73.4% 17.1%
1991 73.7% 17.6%
1990 73.7% 18.1%
1989 73.6% 18.6%
1988 73.2% 19%
1987 72.9% 19.5%
1986 72.5% 19.9%
1985 72% 20.3%
1984 71.6% 20.7%
1983 71.3% 21%
1982 70.9% 21.3%
1981 70.3% 21.5%
1980 69.9% 21.6%
1979 69.3% 21.8%
1978 68.8% 21.9%
1977 68.2% 22%
1976 67.7% 22.1%
1975 66.9% 22.2%
1974 66.1% 22.3%
1973 65.1% 22.4%
1972 64.2% 22.4%
1971 63.2% 22.4%
1970 62.6% 22.3%
1969 61.8% 22%
1968 60.9% 21.5%
1967 60% 21%
1966 59.2% 20.4%
1965 58.3% 19.8%
1964 57.6% 19.3%
1963 56.8% 18.9%
1962 55.9% 18.5%
1961 55.1% 18%
1960 54.1% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/russia/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

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
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
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

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/sri-lanka | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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 (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.