Rwanda has a population density of 1,497 people per square mile compared to 111.4 people in Zimbabwe. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 252,854 sq ft in Zimbabwe. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Rwanda and Zimbabwe are ranked 13th and 145th, 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 0.2% of the population and 0.26% of the land area for Zimbabwe, hence the population density in Rwanda is 1,244% higher than in Zimbabwe.
Population density comparison
Rwanda
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,497 ppl/mi² | 111.4 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 145/197 |
| Population |
14826674
|
17210092
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 149,364 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 250,326 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.9% | 67.3% |
| Urban population | 18.1% | 32.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 8.11% | 22.8% |
Rwanda vs Zimbabwe:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Rwanda increased by 61.7%, compared to a 34.5% growth in Zimbabwe.
In 2004, Rwanda ranked 18th for population density and is in 13th place now. Zimbabwe was 144th in 2004 and ranks 145th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2024 | 1,497 | 111.4 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 109.4 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 107.6 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 105.8 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 104 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 102.2 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 100.7 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 99.2 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 97.8 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 96.4 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 95.1 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 93.8 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 92.5 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 91 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 89.4 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 88 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 86.8 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 85.7 |
| 2006 | 976 | 84.6 |
| 2005 | 951 | 83.6 |
| 2004 | 926 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 901 | 81.9 |
| 2002 | 882 | 80.9 |
| 2001 | 870 | 80.2 |
| 2000 | 862 | 79.6 |
| 1999 | 855 | 78.9 |
| 1998 | 848 | 77.6 |
| 1997 | 814 | 76.1 |
| 1996 | 704 | 74.7 |
| 1995 | 596 | 73.5 |
| 1994 | 713 | 72.8 |
| 1993 | 838 | 72.7 |
| 1992 | 807 | 71.7 |
| 1991 | 790 | 69.7 |
| 1990 | 774 | 67.9 |
| 1989 | 754 | 66 |
| 1988 | 732 | 64.2 |
| 1987 | 709 | 62.2 |
| 1986 | 686 | 60.1 |
| 1985 | 663 | 58.2 |
| 1984 | 641 | 56.2 |
| 1983 | 620 | 54.2 |
| 1982 | 600 | 52.2 |
| 1981 | 580 | 50.2 |
| 1980 | 562 | 47.1 |
| 1979 | 545 | 44.5 |
| 1978 | 529 | 43.8 |
| 1977 | 513 | 43.2 |
| 1976 | 498 | 42.1 |
| 1975 | 484 | 40.8 |
| 1974 | 470 | 39.6 |
| 1973 | 456 | 38.3 |
| 1972 | 443 | 37.1 |
| 1971 | 430 | 36 |
| 1970 | 418 | 34.9 |
| 1969 | 405 | 33.9 |
| 1968 | 393 | 32.8 |
| 1967 | 381 | 31.8 |
| 1966 | 370 | 30.8 |
| 1965 | 359 | 29.8 |
| 1964 | 350 | 28.9 |
| 1963 | 342 | 28 |
| 1962 | 334 | 27.2 |
| 1961 | 326 | 26.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Zimbabwe
|
|
| 2024 | 18.1% | 32.7% |
| 2023 | 17.9% | 32.5% |
| 2022 | 17.7% | 32.4% |
| 2021 | 17.6% | 32.3% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 32.2% |
| 2019 | 17.3% | 32.2% |
| 2018 | 17.2% | 32.2% |
| 2017 | 17.1% | 32.2% |
| 2016 | 17.1% | 32.3% |
| 2015 | 17% | 32.4% |
| 2014 | 17% | 32.5% |
| 2013 | 16.9% | 32.7% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 32.8% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 33% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 33.2% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 33.4% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 33.6% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 33.7% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 33.9% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 34.1% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 34.3% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 34.5% |
| 2002 | 16.8% | 34.6% |
| 2001 | 15.8% | 34.2% |
| 2000 | 14.9% | 33.8% |
| 1999 | 14.1% | 33.3% |
| 1998 | 13.2% | 32.9% |
| 1997 | 12.5% | 32.5% |
| 1996 | 11.4% | 32.1% |
| 1995 | 9.84% | 31.7% |
| 1994 | 8.49% | 31.3% |
| 1993 | 7.31% | 30.9% |
| 1992 | 6.29% | 30.5% |
| 1991 | 5.49% | 29.7% |
| 1990 | 5.42% | 29% |
| 1989 | 5.34% | 28.2% |
| 1988 | 5.27% | 27.5% |
| 1987 | 5.2% | 26.8% |
| 1986 | 5.13% | 26.1% |
| 1985 | 5.06% | 25.4% |
| 1984 | 4.99% | 24.7% |
| 1983 | 4.92% | 24.1% |
| 1982 | 4.85% | 23.4% |
| 1981 | 4.79% | 22.9% |
| 1980 | 4.72% | 22.4% |
| 1979 | 4.66% | 21.9% |
| 1978 | 4.57% | 21.3% |
| 1977 | 4.37% | 20.8% |
| 1976 | 4.18% | 20.4% |
| 1975 | 4% | 19.9% |
| 1974 | 3.82% | 19.4% |
| 1973 | 3.65% | 18.9% |
| 1972 | 3.49% | 18.4% |
| 1971 | 3.34% | 17.9% |
| 1970 | 3.19% | 17.4% |
| 1969 | 3.13% | 16.9% |
| 1968 | 3.07% | 16.3% |
| 1967 | 3% | 15.7% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 15.2% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 14.6% |
| 1964 | 2.82% | 14.1% |
| 1963 | 2.77% | 13.6% |
| 1962 | 2.71% | 13.1% |
| 1961 | 2.65% | 12.8% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 12.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 16.9% to 18.1% in Rwanda and from 34.3% to 32.7% in Zimbabwe.
Densely populated cities
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