Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 323 people in Sierra Leone. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 89,354 sq ft in Sierra Leone. Rwanda and Sierra Leone rank 13th and 77th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Rwanda has 0.18% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Sierra Leone, making the population density in Rwanda 384% higher than in Sierra Leone.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Rwanda
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2026 | 1,563 | 323 |
| 2025 | 1,529 | 317 |
| 2024 | 1,497 | 310 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 304 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 297 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 290.5 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 283.9 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 277.4 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 271.1 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 264.8 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 258.5 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 252.5 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 246.7 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 240.9 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 235.1 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 229.2 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 223.3 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 217.3 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 211.5 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 206.3 |
| 2006 | 976 | 201.8 |
| 2005 | 951 | 197.4 |
| 2004 | 926 | 192.2 |
| 2003 | 901 | 185.8 |
| 2002 | 882 | 178.4 |
| 2001 | 870 | 168.4 |
| 2000 | 862 | 158.7 |
| 1999 | 855 | 154.9 |
| 1998 | 848 | 154.1 |
| 1997 | 814 | 152.6 |
| 1996 | 704 | 150.7 |
| 1995 | 596 | 150 |
| 1994 | 713 | 149.7 |
| 1993 | 838 | 149.2 |
| 1992 | 807 | 149.5 |
| 1991 | 790 | 152.4 |
| 1990 | 774 | 150.6 |
| 1989 | 754 | 144.8 |
| 1988 | 732 | 141.2 |
| 1987 | 709 | 137.4 |
| 1986 | 686 | 133.8 |
| 1985 | 663 | 130.6 |
| 1984 | 641 | 127.7 |
| 1983 | 620 | 124.9 |
| 1982 | 600 | 122.3 |
| 1981 | 580 | 119.8 |
| 1980 | 562 | 117.4 |
| 1979 | 545 | 115.1 |
| 1978 | 529 | 112.9 |
| 1977 | 513 | 110.7 |
| 1976 | 498 | 108.7 |
| 1975 | 484 | 106.7 |
| 1974 | 470 | 104.8 |
| 1973 | 456 | 102.9 |
| 1972 | 443 | 101 |
| 1971 | 430 | 99.2 |
| 1970 | 418 | 97.3 |
| 1969 | 405 | 95.5 |
| 1968 | 393 | 93.7 |
| 1967 | 381 | 91.9 |
| 1966 | 370 | 90.2 |
| 1965 | 359 | 88.6 |
| 1964 | 350 | 87 |
| 1963 | 342 | 85.5 |
| 1962 | 334 | 84 |
| 1961 | 326 | 82.7 |
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/rwanda/sierra-leone | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 60.1%, compared to a 60% growth in Sierra Leone.
In 2006, Rwanda ranked 18th by population density and is 13th now. Sierra Leone was 95th in 2006 and ranks 77th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Rwanda
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,563 ppl/mi² | 323 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 77/197 |
| Population |
14975051
|
9049533
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 27,869 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 89,902 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70.1% | 54.6% |
| Urban population | 29.9% | 45.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2024 | 29.9% | 45.4% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | 44.8% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | 44.3% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | 43.7% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | 43.2% |
| 2019 | 23% | 42.7% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | 42.2% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | 41.7% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | 41.2% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | 40.3% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | 39.9% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 39.5% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 39% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 38.6% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 38.2% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 37.9% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 37.5% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 37.2% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 36.8% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 36.5% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 36.3% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | 36% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | 35.8% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | 35.5% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 35.3% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | 35.1% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | 34.9% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | 34.7% |
| 1995 | 8.82% | 34.5% |
| 1994 | 7.48% | 34.3% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | 34.1% |
| 1992 | 5.66% | 33.9% |
| 1991 | 5.36% | 33.7% |
| 1990 | 5.27% | 33.5% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | 33.2% |
| 1988 | 5.14% | 33% |
| 1987 | 5.09% | 32.7% |
| 1986 | 5.05% | 32.4% |
| 1985 | 5.01% | 32.1% |
| 1984 | 4.98% | 31.8% |
| 1983 | 4.95% | 31.4% |
| 1982 | 4.91% | 31% |
| 1981 | 4.87% | 30.6% |
| 1980 | 4.82% | 30.2% |
| 1979 | 4.75% | 29.8% |
| 1978 | 4.67% | 29.3% |
| 1977 | 4.55% | 28.8% |
| 1976 | 4.39% | 28.3% |
| 1975 | 4.19% | 27.8% |
| 1974 | 3.97% | 27.2% |
| 1973 | 3.75% | 26.6% |
| 1972 | 3.55% | 25.9% |
| 1971 | 3.37% | 25.2% |
| 1970 | 3.24% | 24.4% |
| 1969 | 3.14% | 23.5% |
| 1968 | 3.06% | 22.7% |
| 1967 | 3% | 21.9% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 21.1% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 20.3% |
| 1964 | 2.83% | 19.7% |
| 1963 | 2.78% | 19% |
| 1962 | 2.72% | 18.5% |
| 1961 | 2.67% | 18% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 17.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/sierra-leone | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 36.5% to 45.4% in Sierra Leone.
Densely populated cities
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kigali | 1.75M |
| Ruhengeri | 153K |
| Gisenyi | 53.6K |
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
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/rwanda/sierra-leone | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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