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Population density: Rwanda vs United Arab Emirates compared

Updated on by Georank team

Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 424 people in the United Arab Emirates. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 81,907 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Rwanda and the United Arab Emirates rank 13th and 62nd 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 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Rwanda 268.5% higher than in the United Arab Emirates.

Population density by year

Rwanda
United Arab Emirates

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Rwanda UAE
2026 1,563 424
2025 1,529 415
2024 1,497 401
2023 1,465 382
2022 1,433 367
2021 1,402 349
2020 1,372 343
2019 1,341 344
2018 1,311 341
2017 1,281 336
2016 1,251 326
2015 1,222 310
2014 1,193 293.9
2013 1,165 280.6
2012 1,137 269.6
2011 1,110 259.1
2010 1,083 250.5
2009 1,056 244.6
2008 1,029 229.8
2007 1,003 205.1
2006 976 182.7
2005 951 170.1
2004 926 161.5
2003 901 152.9
2002 882 144.3
2001 870 135.8
2000 862 127.4
1999 855 119.1
1998 848 110.9
1997 814 102.7
1996 704 94.7
1995 596 88.8
1994 713 84.9
1993 838 81
1992 807 77.1
1991 790 73.2
1990 774 69.2
1989 754 65.3
1988 732 61.3
1987 709 57.4
1986 686 53.5
1985 663 50.3
1984 641 47.6
1983 620 45
1982 600 42.5
1981 580 40.1
1980 562 37
1979 545 33.3
1978 529 29.5
1977 513 25.9
1976 498 22.5
1975 484 19.8
1974 470 17.8
1973 456 15.9
1972 443 14
1971 430 12.2
1970 418 10.4
1969 405 8.74
1968 393 7.27
1967 381 6.55
1966 370 6.34
1965 359 6.09
1964 350 5.82
1963 342 5.55
1962 334 5.29
1961 326 5.03

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/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 60.1%, compared to a 132.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2006, Rwanda ranked 18th by population density and is 13th now. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Rwanda
United Arab Emirates
1x
Year Urban population
Rwanda UAE
2024 29.9% 85.8%
2023 28.9% 85.7%
2022 27.8% 85.5%
2021 26.1% 85.4%
2020 24.5% 85.2%
2019 23% 85%
2018 21.5% 84.9%
2017 20.2% 84.7%
2016 19.1% 84.5%
2015 18.2% 84.3%
2014 17.5% 84.1%
2013 17.1% 84%
2012 16.9% 83.8%
2011 16.9% 83.6%
2010 16.9% 83.4%
2009 16.9% 83.2%
2008 16.9% 83%
2007 16.9% 82.8%
2006 16.9% 82.6%
2005 16.9% 82.2%
2004 16.9% 81.5%
2003 16.9% 80.8%
2002 16.9% 80.3%
2001 16.5% 79.7%
2000 15.8% 79.3%
1999 14.7% 78.9%
1998 13.3% 78.6%
1997 11.8% 78.4%
1996 10.3% 78.3%
1995 8.82% 78.3%
1994 7.48% 78.3%
1993 6.4% 78.4%
1992 5.66% 78.4%
1991 5.36% 78.6%
1990 5.27% 78.7%
1989 5.2% 78.8%
1988 5.14% 79%
1987 5.09% 79.2%
1986 5.05% 79.3%
1985 5.01% 79.5%
1984 4.98% 79.7%
1983 4.95% 80%
1982 4.91% 80.3%
1981 4.87% 80.7%
1980 4.82% 81.1%
1979 4.75% 81.8%
1978 4.67% 82.6%
1977 4.55% 83.4%
1976 4.39% 83.9%
1975 4.19% 83.9%
1974 3.97% 83.7%
1973 3.75% 83.2%
1972 3.55% 82.6%
1971 3.37% 82%
1970 3.24% 81.2%
1969 3.14% 80.5%
1968 3.06% 79.8%
1967 3% 79.2%
1966 2.94% 78.5%
1965 2.88% 77.8%
1964 2.83% 77.1%
1963 2.78% 76.3%
1962 2.72% 75.5%
1961 2.67% 74.5%
1960 2.6% 73.5%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates.

Densely populated cities

Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K
UAE
City Population
Dubai 3.94M
Abu Dhabi 1.57M
Sharjah 1.25M
Al Ain 767K
Ajman 490K
Ras al-Khaimah 116K
Fujairah 93.7K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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