Singapore has a population density of 21,776 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Singapore has 1,282 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Singapore and South Africa are ranked 2nd and 136th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Singapore has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.0005% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Singapore is 15,835% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Singapore
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 21,776 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 2/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
6105665
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 277.2 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 1,280 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 0% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 100% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 97.2% | 14.8% |
Singapore vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Singapore increased by 39%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Singapore ranked 2nd for population density and is in 2nd place still. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Singapore
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 21,776 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 21,346 | 135 |
| 2022 | 20,334 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 19,672 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 20,510 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 20,632 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 20,454 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 20,415 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 20,483 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 20,219 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 19,981 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 19,779 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 19,489 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 19,071 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 18,730 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 18,454 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 17,906 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 17,100 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 16,426 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 16,035 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 15,663 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 15,513 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 16,023 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 15,996 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 15,570 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 15,303 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 15,181 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 14,674 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 14,190 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 13,625 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 13,217 | 94 |
| 1993 | 12,809 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 12,489 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 12,119 | 89 |
| 1990 | 11,779 | 87 |
| 1989 | 11,330 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 11,002 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 10,726 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 10,566 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 10,576 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 10,562 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 10,364 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 10,230 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 9,791 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 9,331 | 63 |
| 1979 | 9,214 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 9,098 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 8,989 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 8,865 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 8,746 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 8,620 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 8,477 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 8,320 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 8,168 | 49 |
| 1970 | 8,019 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 7,896 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 7,778 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 7,645 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 7,478 | 42 |
| 1965 | 7,294 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 7,119 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 6,939 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 6,766 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 6,581 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Singapore
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 100% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 100% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 100% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 100% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 100% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 100% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 100% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 100% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 100% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 100% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 100% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 100% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 100% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 100% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 100% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 100% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 100% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 100% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 100% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 100% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 100% | 59% |
| 2003 | 100% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 100% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 100% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 100% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 100% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 100% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 100% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 100% | 55% |
| 1995 | 100% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 100% | 54% |
| 1993 | 100% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 100% | 53% |
| 1991 | 100% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 100% | 52% |
| 1989 | 100% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 100% | 51% |
| 1987 | 100% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 100% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 100% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 100% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 100% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 100% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 100% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 100% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 100% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 100% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 100% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 100% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 100% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 100% | 48% |
| 1973 | 100% | 48% |
| 1972 | 100% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 100% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 100% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 100% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 100% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 100% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 100% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 100% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 100% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 100% | 47% |
| 1962 | 100% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 100% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 100% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Singapore and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Singapore
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Singapore | 5.87M |
| Bukit Merah | 152K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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