Rwanda has a population density of 1,497 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Rwanda and South Africa are ranked 13th and 136th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Rwanda is 995% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Rwanda
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,497 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
14826674
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.9% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 18.1% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 8.11% | 14.8% |
Rwanda vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Rwanda increased by 61.7%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Rwanda ranked 18th for population density and is in 13th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 1,497 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 135 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 976 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 951 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 926 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 901 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 882 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 870 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 862 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 855 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 848 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 814 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 704 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 596 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 713 | 94 |
| 1993 | 838 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 807 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 790 | 89 |
| 1990 | 774 | 87 |
| 1989 | 754 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 732 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 709 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 686 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 663 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 641 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 620 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 600 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 580 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 562 | 63 |
| 1979 | 545 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 529 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 513 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 498 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 484 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 470 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 456 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 443 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 430 | 49 |
| 1970 | 418 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 405 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 393 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 381 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 370 | 42 |
| 1965 | 359 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 350 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 342 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 334 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 326 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 18.1% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 17.9% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 17.7% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 17% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 17% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 59% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 15.8% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 13.2% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 12.5% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | 55% |
| 1995 | 9.84% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 8.49% | 54% |
| 1993 | 7.31% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 6.29% | 53% |
| 1991 | 5.49% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 5.42% | 52% |
| 1989 | 5.34% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 5.27% | 51% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 5.13% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 5.06% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 4.99% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 4.92% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 4.85% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 4.79% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 4.72% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 4.66% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 4.57% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 4.37% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 4.18% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 4% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 3.82% | 48% |
| 1973 | 3.65% | 48% |
| 1972 | 3.49% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 3.34% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 3.19% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 3.13% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 3.07% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 3% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 2.82% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 2.77% | 47% |
| 1962 | 2.71% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 2.65% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 16.9% to 18.1% in Rwanda and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
