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Population density: Rwanda vs Vietnam compared

Updated on by Georank team

Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. Rwanda and Vietnam rank 13th and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in Rwanda 85.1% higher than in Vietnam.

Population density by year

Rwanda
Vietnam

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Rwanda Vietnam
2026 1,563 845
2025 1,529 840
2024 1,497 835
2023 1,465 829
2022 1,433 824
2021 1,402 818
2020 1,372 810
2019 1,341 803
2018 1,311 795
2017 1,281 787
2016 1,251 777
2015 1,222 767
2014 1,193 758
2013 1,165 749
2012 1,137 740
2011 1,110 731
2010 1,083 723
2009 1,056 716
2008 1,029 705
2007 1,003 693
2006 976 680
2005 951 671
2004 926 671
2003 901 665
2002 882 657
2001 870 649
2000 862 642
1999 855 607
1998 848 599
1997 814 591
1996 704 582
1995 596 573
1994 713 564
1993 838 554
1992 807 543
1991 790 532
1990 774 521
1989 754 510
1988 732 500
1987 709 490
1986 686 480
1985 663 470
1984 641 459
1983 620 448
1982 600 438
1981 580 428
1980 562 418
1979 545 409
1978 529 400
1977 513 390
1976 498 379
1975 484 370
1974 470 361
1973 456 353
1972 443 346
1971 430 338
1970 418 330
1969 405 323
1968 393 316
1967 381 309
1966 370 303
1965 359 295.4
1964 350 288.1
1963 342 280.5
1962 334 272.8
1961 326 265.8

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/vietnam | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 60.1%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.

In 2006, Rwanda ranked 18th by population density and is 13th now. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Rwanda
Vietnam
1x
Year Urban population
Rwanda Vietnam
2024 29.9% 38.5%
2023 28.9% 38.1%
2022 27.8% 37.5%
2021 26.1% 36.7%
2020 24.5% 35.6%
2019 23% 34.6%
2018 21.5% 33.9%
2017 20.2% 33.4%
2016 19.1% 32.8%
2015 18.2% 32.4%
2014 17.5% 31.9%
2013 17.1% 31.5%
2012 16.9% 31.1%
2011 16.9% 30.7%
2010 16.9% 30.3%
2009 16.9% 29.8%
2008 16.9% 29.2%
2007 16.9% 28.6%
2006 16.9% 28%
2005 16.9% 27.4%
2004 16.9% 26.8%
2003 16.9% 26.2%
2002 16.9% 25.6%
2001 16.5% 24.9%
2000 15.8% 24.4%
1999 14.7% 23.8%
1998 13.3% 23.3%
1997 11.8% 22.7%
1996 10.3% 22.1%
1995 8.82% 21.5%
1994 7.48% 20.9%
1993 6.4% 20.3%
1992 5.66% 19.8%
1991 5.36% 19.4%
1990 5.27% 19.2%
1989 5.2% 19.1%
1988 5.14% 19%
1987 5.09% 19.1%
1986 5.05% 19.1%
1985 5.01% 19.1%
1984 4.98% 19.1%
1983 4.95% 19.1%
1982 4.91% 19.1%
1981 4.87% 19.1%
1980 4.82% 19.2%
1979 4.75% 19.2%
1978 4.67% 19.2%
1977 4.55% 19.6%
1976 4.39% 20.4%
1975 4.19% 20.6%
1974 3.97% 20.5%
1973 3.75% 20.5%
1972 3.55% 20.6%
1971 3.37% 20.7%
1970 3.24% 20.7%
1969 3.14% 20.6%
1968 3.06% 20.1%
1967 3% 19.3%
1966 2.94% 18.4%
1965 2.88% 17.5%
1964 2.83% 16.9%
1963 2.78% 16.5%
1962 2.72% 16.1%
1961 2.67% 15.7%
1960 2.6% 15.3%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/vietnam | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.

Densely populated cities

Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K
Vietnam
City Population
Ho Chi Minh 14M
Hanoi 8.72M
Can Tho 3.21M
Da Nang 2.82M
Haiphong 2.12M
Bien Hoa 1.1M
Hue 653K
Bac Ninh 520K
Hai Duong 507K
Vinh 490K

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/vietnam | 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 (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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