Russia has a population density of 22.4 people per square mile compared to 375 people in Syria. Russia has 1,280,521 sq ft of land per person vs 80,788 sq ft in Syria. Russia and Syria rank 186th and 68th 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 0.3% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, making the population density in Russia 94% lower than in Syria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Russia
|
Syria
|
|
| 2026 | 22.4 | 375 |
| 2025 | 22.6 | 362 |
| 2024 | 22.7 | 348 |
| 2023 | 22.7 | 333 |
| 2022 | 22.8 | 317 |
| 2021 | 22.9 | 305 |
| 2020 | 23 | 296.9 |
| 2019 | 23 | 287.1 |
| 2018 | 23 | 276.1 |
| 2017 | 23 | 271.2 |
| 2016 | 22.9 | 270.7 |
| 2015 | 22.9 | 274 |
| 2014 | 22.8 | 285.9 |
| 2013 | 22.7 | 306 |
| 2012 | 22.7 | 321 |
| 2011 | 22.6 | 323 |
| 2010 | 22.6 | 317 |
| 2009 | 22.6 | 310 |
| 2008 | 22.6 | 305 |
| 2007 | 22.6 | 294.5 |
| 2006 | 22.6 | 277 |
| 2005 | 22.7 | 265.4 |
| 2004 | 22.8 | 258.7 |
| 2003 | 22.9 | 252.4 |
| 2002 | 23 | 246.2 |
| 2001 | 23.1 | 240.3 |
| 2000 | 23.2 | 234.5 |
| 1999 | 23.3 | 228.7 |
| 1998 | 23.3 | 223 |
| 1997 | 23.4 | 217.3 |
| 1996 | 23.4 | 211.6 |
| 1995 | 23.5 | 206 |
| 1994 | 23.5 | 200.2 |
| 1993 | 23.5 | 194.4 |
| 1992 | 23.5 | 188.6 |
| 1991 | - | 182.9 |
| 1990 | - | 177.3 |
| 1989 | - | 171.6 |
| 1988 | - | 166 |
| 1987 | - | 160.5 |
| 1986 | - | 155.1 |
| 1985 | - | 149.7 |
| 1984 | - | 144.6 |
| 1983 | - | 139.6 |
| 1982 | - | 134.9 |
| 1981 | - | 130.5 |
| 1980 | - | 126.2 |
| 1979 | - | 122.1 |
| 1978 | - | 118 |
| 1977 | - | 114 |
| 1976 | - | 110.2 |
| 1975 | - | 106.5 |
| 1974 | - | 102.9 |
| 1973 | - | 99.5 |
| 1972 | - | 96.2 |
| 1971 | - | 93 |
| 1970 | - | 89.9 |
| 1969 | - | 87 |
| 1968 | - | 84.3 |
| 1967 | - | 81.6 |
| 1966 | - | 79 |
| 1965 | - | 76.6 |
| 1964 | - | 74.3 |
| 1963 | - | 72 |
| 1962 | - | 69.9 |
| 1961 | - | 67.9 |
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/syria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Russia decreased by 0.79%, compared to a 35.5% growth in Syria.
In 2006, Russia ranked 179th by population density and is 186th now. Syria was 75th in 2006 and ranks 68th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Russia
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 22.4 ppl/mi² | 375 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 186/197 | 68/197 |
| Population |
141906741
|
26829400
|
| Land area | 6,323,145 sq mi | 70,900 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 1,228,137 sq ft | 80,112 sq ft |
| Rural population | 24.9% | 27.9% |
| Urban population | 75.1% | 72.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 25.1% | 17.5% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Russia
|
Syria
|
|
| 2024 | 75.1% | 72.1% |
| 2023 | 75% | 72.2% |
| 2022 | 74.9% | 72.6% |
| 2021 | 74.8% | 73% |
| 2020 | 74.7% | 73.4% |
| 2019 | 74.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 74.5% | 74.1% |
| 2017 | 74.5% | 74.5% |
| 2016 | 74.4% | 75.2% |
| 2015 | 74.3% | 75.8% |
| 2014 | 74.2% | 76% |
| 2013 | 74.1% | 73.1% |
| 2012 | 74% | 65.1% |
| 2011 | 73.9% | 58.5% |
| 2010 | 73.7% | 55.7% |
| 2009 | 73.5% | 55% |
| 2008 | 73.5% | 54.6% |
| 2007 | 73.4% | 54.3% |
| 2006 | 73.2% | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 73.2% | 53.8% |
| 2004 | 73.3% | 53.5% |
| 2003 | 73.4% | 53.1% |
| 2002 | 73.3% | 52.7% |
| 2001 | 73.2% | 52.3% |
| 2000 | 73.2% | 51.9% |
| 1999 | 73% | 51.5% |
| 1998 | 73.2% | 51.1% |
| 1997 | 73.1% | 50.7% |
| 1996 | 73.1% | 50.4% |
| 1995 | 72.9% | 50% |
| 1994 | 73% | 49.8% |
| 1993 | 73.1% | 49.5% |
| 1992 | 73.4% | 49.3% |
| 1991 | 73.7% | 49% |
| 1990 | 73.7% | 48.8% |
| 1989 | 73.6% | 48.6% |
| 1988 | 73.2% | 48.5% |
| 1987 | 72.9% | 48.3% |
| 1986 | 72.5% | 48.1% |
| 1985 | 72% | 47.9% |
| 1984 | 71.6% | 47.7% |
| 1983 | 71.3% | 47.5% |
| 1982 | 70.9% | 47.3% |
| 1981 | 70.3% | 47% |
| 1980 | 69.9% | 46.7% |
| 1979 | 69.3% | 46.4% |
| 1978 | 68.8% | 46.1% |
| 1977 | 68.2% | 45.8% |
| 1976 | 67.7% | 45.5% |
| 1975 | 66.9% | 45.2% |
| 1974 | 66.1% | 44.8% |
| 1973 | 65.1% | 44.5% |
| 1972 | 64.2% | 44.1% |
| 1971 | 63.2% | 43.8% |
| 1970 | 62.6% | 43.4% |
| 1969 | 61.8% | 43% |
| 1968 | 60.9% | 42.7% |
| 1967 | 60% | 42.4% |
| 1966 | 59.2% | 42% |
| 1965 | 58.3% | 41.7% |
| 1964 | 57.6% | 41.4% |
| 1963 | 56.8% | 41% |
| 1962 | 55.9% | 40.7% |
| 1961 | 55.1% | 40.4% |
| 1960 | 54.1% | 40% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/russia/syria | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia and from 53.5% to 72.1% in Syria.
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 |
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Damascus | 2.69M |
| Aleppo | 2M |
| Homs | 775K |
| Latakia | 709K |
| Hama | 697K |
| Raqqa | 300K |
| Deir ez-Zor | 272K |
| Al-Hasakah | 188K |
| Qamishli | 184K |
| Idlib | 165K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
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/syria | 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:
- 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)
- Wikidata (2004–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- 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.