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Population density: Russia vs Sweden compared

Updated on by Georank team

Russia has a population density of 22.4 people per square mile compared to 67.8 people in Sweden. Russia has 1,280,521 sq ft of land per person vs 455,646 sq ft in Sweden. Russia and Sweden rank 186th and 163rd 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 0.13% of the population and 0.27% of the land area for Sweden, making the population density in Russia 66.9% lower than in Sweden.

Population density by year

Russia
Sweden

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Russia Sweden
2026 22.4 67.8
2025 22.6 67.5
2024 22.7 67.2
2023 22.7 67
2022 22.8 66.7
2021 22.9 66.2
2020 23 65.8
2019 23 65.4
2018 23 64.7
2017 23 64
2016 22.9 63.1
2015 22.9 62.3
2014 22.8 61.7
2013 22.7 61
2012 22.7 60.5
2011 22.6 60.1
2010 22.6 59.6
2009 22.6 59.1
2008 22.6 58.6
2007 22.6 58.2
2006 22.6 57.7
2005 22.7 57.4
2004 22.8 57.2
2003 22.9 57
2002 23 56.7
2001 23.1 56.6
2000 23.2 56.4
1999 23.3 56.3
1998 23.3 56.3
1997 23.4 56.2
1996 23.4 56.2
1995 23.5 56.1
1994 23.5 55.8
1993 23.5 55.4
1992 23.5 55.1
1991 - 54.8
1990 - 54.4
1989 - 54
1988 - 53.6
1987 - 53.4
1986 - 53.2
1985 - 53.1
1984 - 53
1983 - 53
1982 - 52.9
1981 - 52.9
1980 - 52.8
1979 - 52.7
1978 - 52.6
1977 - 52.5
1976 - 52.3
1975 - 52.1
1974 - 51.9
1973 - 51.7
1972 - 51.6
1971 - 51.5
1970 - 51.1
1969 - 50.7
1968 - 50.3
1967 - 50
1966 - 49.6
1965 - 49.2
1964 - 48.7
1963 - 48.4
1962 - 48.1
1961 - 47.8

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/sweden | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Russia decreased by 0.79%, compared to a 17.5% growth in Sweden.

In 2006, Russia ranked 179th by population density and is 186th now. Sweden was 155th in 2006 and ranks 163rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Russia
Sweden
1x
Year Urban population
Russia Sweden
2024 75.1% 88.9%
2023 75% 88.6%
2022 74.9% 88.4%
2021 74.8% 88.2%
2020 74.7% 87.9%
2019 74.6% 87.7%
2018 74.5% 87.5%
2017 74.5% 87.2%
2016 74.4% 87%
2015 74.3% 86.6%
2014 74.2% 86.3%
2013 74.1% 85.9%
2012 74% 85.6%
2011 73.9% 85.4%
2010 73.7% 85.1%
2009 73.5% 84.9%
2008 73.5% 84.8%
2007 73.4% 84.6%
2006 73.2% 84.5%
2005 73.2% 84.4%
2004 73.3% 84.3%
2003 73.4% 84.2%
2002 73.3% 84.1%
2001 73.2% 84.1%
2000 73.2% 84%
1999 73% 84%
1998 73.2% 84%
1997 73.1% 84%
1996 73.1% 83.9%
1995 72.9% 83.9%
1994 73% 83.8%
1993 73.1% 83.7%
1992 73.4% 83.6%
1991 73.7% 83.5%
1990 73.7% 83.4%
1989 73.6% 83.3%
1988 73.2% 83.2%
1987 72.9% 83.2%
1986 72.5% 83.1%
1985 72% 83.1%
1984 71.6% 83.1%
1983 71.3% 83.1%
1982 70.9% 83.1%
1981 70.3% 83.1%
1980 69.9% 83.1%
1979 69.3% 83.1%
1978 68.8% 83%
1977 68.2% 82.9%
1976 67.7% 82.8%
1975 66.9% 82.7%
1974 66.1% 82.5%
1973 65.1% 82.3%
1972 64.2% 82%
1971 63.2% 81.7%
1970 62.6% 81.2%
1969 61.8% 80.6%
1968 60.9% 79.8%
1967 60% 78.9%
1966 59.2% 78%
1965 58.3% 77.1%
1964 57.6% 76.2%
1963 56.8% 75.3%
1962 55.9% 74.3%
1961 55.1% 73.4%
1960 54.1% 72.5%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia and from 84.3% to 88.9% in Sweden.

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
Sweden
City Population
Stockholm 985K
Gothenburg 675K
Malmo 339K
Uppsala 175K
Vasteras 132K
Orebro 129K
Linkoping 117K
Helsingborg 116K
Jonkoping 103K
Lund 98.3K

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/sweden | 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 (2018–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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