Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 83.9 people in Somalia. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. Rwanda and Somalia rank 13th and 152nd 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 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, making the population density in Rwanda 1,763% higher than in Somalia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Rwanda
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2026 | 1,563 | 83.9 |
| 2025 | 1,529 | 81.2 |
| 2024 | 1,497 | 78.5 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 75.8 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 71.3 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 68.7 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 66.2 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 59.2 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 57 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 55.1 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 53.1 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 51.4 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 51 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 46.7 |
| 2006 | 976 | 45.3 |
| 2005 | 951 | 43.9 |
| 2004 | 926 | 42.4 |
| 2003 | 901 | 40.9 |
| 2002 | 882 | 39.4 |
| 2001 | 870 | 38 |
| 2000 | 862 | 36.5 |
| 1999 | 855 | 35.1 |
| 1998 | 848 | 33.7 |
| 1997 | 814 | 32.3 |
| 1996 | 704 | 31.2 |
| 1995 | 596 | 30.1 |
| 1994 | 713 | 29 |
| 1993 | 838 | 27.6 |
| 1992 | 807 | 26.8 |
| 1991 | 790 | 28.1 |
| 1990 | 774 | 29.2 |
| 1989 | 754 | 29.4 |
| 1988 | 732 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 709 | 29.8 |
| 1986 | 686 | 28.8 |
| 1985 | 663 | 27.6 |
| 1984 | 641 | 26.5 |
| 1983 | 620 | 25.6 |
| 1982 | 600 | 24.8 |
| 1981 | 580 | 24.7 |
| 1980 | 562 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 545 | 22.5 |
| 1978 | 529 | 19.9 |
| 1977 | 513 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 498 | 18 |
| 1975 | 484 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 470 | 17.1 |
| 1973 | 456 | 16.7 |
| 1972 | 443 | 16.3 |
| 1971 | 430 | 15.8 |
| 1970 | 418 | 15.4 |
| 1969 | 405 | 15 |
| 1968 | 393 | 14.6 |
| 1967 | 381 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | 370 | 13.9 |
| 1965 | 359 | 13.5 |
| 1964 | 350 | 13.2 |
| 1963 | 342 | 12.8 |
| 1962 | 334 | 12.5 |
| 1961 | 326 | 12.2 |
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/somalia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 60.1%, compared to a 85.2% growth in Somalia.
In 2006, Rwanda ranked 18th by population density and is 13th now. Somalia was 162nd in 2006 and ranks 152nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Rwanda
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,563 ppl/mi² | 83.9 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 152/197 |
| Population |
14975051
|
20503678
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 242,217 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 355,231 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70.1% | 45.4% |
| Urban population | 29.9% | 54.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 22.2% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 29.9% | 54.6% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | 54.1% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | 53.5% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | 52.9% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | 52.3% |
| 2019 | 23% | 51.6% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | 51% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | 48.4% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | 45.9% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | 43.9% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | 42.4% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | 41.3% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 40.3% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 39.4% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 38.6% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 37.8% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 37.2% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 36.6% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 36% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 35.5% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 35% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 34.5% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | 34% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | 33.5% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | 33.1% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 32.6% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | 32.2% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | 31.8% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | 31.4% |
| 1995 | 8.82% | 31.1% |
| 1994 | 7.48% | 30.7% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | 30.4% |
| 1992 | 5.66% | 30% |
| 1991 | 5.36% | 29.7% |
| 1990 | 5.27% | 29.4% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | 29.1% |
| 1988 | 5.14% | 28.8% |
| 1987 | 5.09% | 28.5% |
| 1986 | 5.05% | 28.2% |
| 1985 | 5.01% | 28% |
| 1984 | 4.98% | 27.7% |
| 1983 | 4.95% | 27.5% |
| 1982 | 4.91% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 4.87% | 27.1% |
| 1980 | 4.82% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 4.75% | 26.6% |
| 1978 | 4.67% | 26.4% |
| 1977 | 4.55% | 26.1% |
| 1976 | 4.39% | 25.8% |
| 1975 | 4.19% | 25.5% |
| 1974 | 3.97% | 25.2% |
| 1973 | 3.75% | 24.8% |
| 1972 | 3.55% | 24.3% |
| 1971 | 3.37% | 23.8% |
| 1970 | 3.24% | 23.2% |
| 1969 | 3.14% | 22.7% |
| 1968 | 3.06% | 22.1% |
| 1967 | 3% | 21.5% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 20.9% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 20.3% |
| 1964 | 2.83% | 19.7% |
| 1963 | 2.78% | 19.2% |
| 1962 | 2.72% | 18.7% |
| 1961 | 2.67% | 18.2% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 17.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/somalia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 35% to 54.6% in Somalia.
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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/somalia | 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 (2012–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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