Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 51 people in South Sudan. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 580,697 sq ft in South Sudan. Rwanda and South Sudan rank 13th and 171st 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 0.15% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for South Sudan, making the population density in Rwanda 2,966% higher than in South Sudan.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Rwanda
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2026 | 1,563 | 51 |
| 2025 | 1,529 | 50 |
| 2024 | 1,497 | 49 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 47.1 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 44.5 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 43.8 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 42.7 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 41.5 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 42 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 44.4 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 45.5 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 46 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 44.1 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | - |
| 2010 | 1,083 | - |
| 2009 | 1,056 | - |
| 2008 | 1,029 | - |
| 2007 | 1,003 | - |
| 2006 | 976 | - |
| 2005 | 951 | - |
| 2004 | 926 | - |
| 2003 | 901 | - |
| 2002 | 882 | - |
| 2001 | 870 | - |
| 2000 | 862 | - |
| 1999 | 855 | - |
| 1998 | 848 | - |
| 1997 | 814 | - |
| 1996 | 704 | - |
| 1995 | 596 | - |
| 1994 | 713 | - |
| 1993 | 838 | - |
| 1992 | 807 | - |
| 1991 | 790 | - |
| 1990 | 774 | - |
| 1989 | 754 | - |
| 1988 | 732 | - |
| 1987 | 709 | - |
| 1986 | 686 | - |
| 1985 | 663 | - |
| 1984 | 641 | - |
| 1983 | 620 | - |
| 1982 | 600 | - |
| 1981 | 580 | - |
| 1980 | 562 | - |
| 1979 | 545 | - |
| 1978 | 529 | - |
| 1977 | 513 | - |
| 1976 | 498 | - |
| 1975 | 484 | - |
| 1974 | 470 | - |
| 1973 | 456 | - |
| 1972 | 443 | - |
| 1971 | 430 | - |
| 1970 | 418 | - |
| 1969 | 405 | - |
| 1968 | 393 | - |
| 1967 | 381 | - |
| 1966 | 370 | - |
| 1965 | 359 | - |
| 1964 | 350 | - |
| 1963 | 342 | - |
| 1962 | 334 | - |
| 1961 | 326 | - |
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/south-sudan | CC BY 
From 2012 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 37.5%, compared to a 15.6% growth in South Sudan.
In 2012, Rwanda ranked 17th by population density and is 13th now. South Sudan was 169th in 2012 and ranks 171st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Rwanda
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,563 ppl/mi² | 51 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 171/197 |
| Population |
14975051
|
12507858
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 243,990 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 569,522 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70.1% | 78.6% |
| Urban population | 29.9% | 21.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 29.9% | 21.4% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | 20.8% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | 20.5% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | 20.2% |
| 2019 | 23% | 19.9% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | 19.6% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | 19.3% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | 18.8% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | 18.5% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | 18.3% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 18% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 17.8% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 17.5% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 17.3% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 17% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 17% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 17% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 16.9% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 16.8% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 16.6% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | 16.4% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | 16.3% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | 16% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 15.8% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | 15.6% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | 15.3% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | 15% |
| 1995 | 8.82% | 14.7% |
| 1994 | 7.48% | 14.5% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | 14.2% |
| 1992 | 5.66% | 13.8% |
| 1991 | 5.36% | 13.3% |
| 1990 | 5.27% | 12.6% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | 11.9% |
| 1988 | 5.14% | 11.2% |
| 1987 | 5.09% | 10.4% |
| 1986 | 5.05% | 9.73% |
| 1985 | 5.01% | 9.15% |
| 1984 | 4.98% | 8.73% |
| 1983 | 4.95% | 8.52% |
| 1982 | 4.91% | 8.49% |
| 1981 | 4.87% | 8.49% |
| 1980 | 4.82% | 8.49% |
| 1979 | 4.75% | 8.49% |
| 1978 | 4.67% | 8.49% |
| 1977 | 4.55% | 8.49% |
| 1976 | 4.39% | 8.49% |
| 1975 | 4.19% | 8.5% |
| 1974 | 3.97% | 8.5% |
| 1973 | 3.75% | 8.5% |
| 1972 | 3.55% | 8.51% |
| 1971 | 3.37% | 8.51% |
| 1970 | 3.24% | 8.52% |
| 1969 | 3.14% | 8.53% |
| 1968 | 3.06% | 8.54% |
| 1967 | 3% | 8.55% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 8.56% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 8.57% |
| 1964 | 2.83% | 8.58% |
| 1963 | 2.78% | 8.6% |
| 1962 | 2.72% | 8.62% |
| 1961 | 2.67% | 8.64% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 8.66% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/south-sudan | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 16.8% to 21.4% in South Sudan.
Densely populated cities
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kigali | 1.75M |
| Ruhengeri | 153K |
| Gisenyi | 53.6K |
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Juba | 500K |
| Wau | 321K |
| Bor | 315K |
| Malakal | 147K |
| Yambio | 130K |
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/south-sudan | 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 (2008–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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