Rwanda has a population density of 1,497 people per square mile compared to 74.3 people in Zambia. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Rwanda and Zambia are ranked 13th and 158th, 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, hence the population density in Rwanda is 1,915% higher than in Zambia.
Population density comparison
Rwanda
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,497 ppl/mi² | 74.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 158/197 |
| Population |
14826674
|
22402291
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 287,024 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 375,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.9% | 53.1% |
| Urban population | 18.1% | 46.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 8.11% | 11.6% |
Rwanda vs Zambia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Rwanda increased by 61.7%, compared to a 88% growth in Zambia.
In 2004, Rwanda ranked 18th for population density and is in 13th place now. Zambia was 163rd in 2004 and ranks 158th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 1,497 | 74.3 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 72.2 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 70.2 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 68.3 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 66.4 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 64.5 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 60.8 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 58.9 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 55.4 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 52 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 48.7 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 47 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 45.4 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 43.8 |
| 2006 | 976 | 42.3 |
| 2005 | 951 | 40.8 |
| 2004 | 926 | 39.5 |
| 2003 | 901 | 38.3 |
| 2002 | 882 | 37.1 |
| 2001 | 870 | 36 |
| 2000 | 862 | 34.9 |
| 1999 | 855 | 33.9 |
| 1998 | 848 | 33 |
| 1997 | 814 | 32.2 |
| 1996 | 704 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 596 | 30.6 |
| 1994 | 713 | 29.9 |
| 1993 | 838 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 807 | 28.5 |
| 1991 | 790 | 27.8 |
| 1990 | 774 | 27.1 |
| 1989 | 754 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | 732 | 25.8 |
| 1987 | 709 | 25.1 |
| 1986 | 686 | 24.3 |
| 1985 | 663 | 23.6 |
| 1984 | 641 | 22.9 |
| 1983 | 620 | 22.2 |
| 1982 | 600 | 21.5 |
| 1981 | 580 | 20.8 |
| 1980 | 562 | 20.2 |
| 1979 | 545 | 19.6 |
| 1978 | 529 | 19 |
| 1977 | 513 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 498 | 17.9 |
| 1975 | 484 | 17.4 |
| 1974 | 470 | 16.9 |
| 1973 | 456 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | 443 | 15.9 |
| 1971 | 430 | 15.5 |
| 1970 | 418 | 15.1 |
| 1969 | 405 | 14.6 |
| 1968 | 393 | 14.2 |
| 1967 | 381 | 13.7 |
| 1966 | 370 | 13.3 |
| 1965 | 359 | 12.9 |
| 1964 | 350 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 342 | 12.1 |
| 1962 | 334 | 11.7 |
| 1961 | 326 | 11.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 18.1% | 46.9% |
| 2023 | 17.9% | 46.3% |
| 2022 | 17.7% | 45.8% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | 45.2% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 44.6% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | 44.1% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | 43.5% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | 43% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | 42.4% |
| 2015 | 17% | 41.9% |
| 2014 | 17% | 41.4% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | 40.9% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 40.4% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 38.9% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 38.4% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 37.9% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 37.4% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 36.4% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 36% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | 35.5% |
| 2001 | 15.8% | 35% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | 35.3% |
| 1998 | 13.2% | 35.7% |
| 1997 | 12.5% | 36.2% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | 36.6% |
| 1995 | 9.84% | 37.1% |
| 1994 | 8.49% | 37.6% |
| 1993 | 7.31% | 38% |
| 1992 | 6.29% | 38.5% |
| 1991 | 5.49% | 39% |
| 1990 | 5.42% | 39.4% |
| 1989 | 5.34% | 39.5% |
| 1988 | 5.27% | 39.5% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | 39.6% |
| 1986 | 5.13% | 39.6% |
| 1985 | 5.06% | 39.7% |
| 1984 | 4.99% | 39.7% |
| 1983 | 4.92% | 39.8% |
| 1982 | 4.85% | 39.8% |
| 1981 | 4.79% | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 4.72% | 39.8% |
| 1979 | 4.66% | 38.8% |
| 1978 | 4.57% | 37.8% |
| 1977 | 4.37% | 36.9% |
| 1976 | 4.18% | 35.9% |
| 1975 | 4% | 34.9% |
| 1974 | 3.82% | 34% |
| 1973 | 3.65% | 33.1% |
| 1972 | 3.49% | 32.1% |
| 1971 | 3.34% | 31.2% |
| 1970 | 3.19% | 30.4% |
| 1969 | 3.13% | 29.4% |
| 1968 | 3.07% | 27.8% |
| 1967 | 3% | 26.3% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 24.8% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 23.4% |
| 1964 | 2.82% | 22% |
| 1963 | 2.77% | 20.7% |
| 1962 | 2.71% | 19.8% |
| 1961 | 2.65% | 19% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 18.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 16.9% to 18.1% in Rwanda and from 36.4% to 46.9% in Zambia.
Densely populated cities
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