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Population density: Singapore vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Singapore has a population density of 22,064 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Singapore has 1,282 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Singapore and Sri Lanka rank 2nd and 25th by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, making the population density in Singapore 2,279% higher than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Singapore
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Singapore Sri Lanka
2026 22,064 928
2025 21,926 923
2024 21,776 918
2023 21,346 923
2022 20,334 929
2021 19,672 928
2020 20,510 918
2019 20,632 913
2018 20,454 907
2017 20,415 898
2016 20,483 888
2015 20,219 878
2014 19,981 858
2013 19,779 850
2012 19,489 874
2011 19,071 868
2010 18,730 862
2009 18,454 857
2008 17,906 852
2007 17,100 846
2006 16,426 841
2005 16,035 835
2004 15,663 830
2003 15,513 824
2002 16,023 818
2001 15,996 810
2000 15,570 797
1999 15,303 782
1998 15,181 768
1997 14,674 754
1996 14,190 739
1995 13,625 725
1994 13,217 714
1993 12,809 703
1992 12,489 691
1991 12,119 680
1990 11,779 675
1989 11,330 671
1988 11,002 664
1987 10,726 657
1986 10,566 650
1985 10,576 642
1984 10,562 638
1983 10,364 636
1982 10,230 631
1981 9,791 624
1980 9,331 613
1979 9,214 602
1978 9,098 591
1977 8,989 580
1976 8,865 570
1975 8,746 560
1974 8,620 550
1973 8,477 539
1972 8,320 529
1971 8,168 518
1970 8,019 507
1969 7,896 496
1968 7,778 485
1967 7,645 473
1966 7,478 462
1965 7,294 451
1964 7,119 440
1963 6,939 429
1962 6,766 419
1961 6,581 409

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/singapore/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Singapore increased by 34.3%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Singapore ranked 2nd by population density and is 2nd still. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Singapore
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Singapore Sri Lanka
2024 100% 20.3%
2023 100% 20.1%
2022 100% 20%
2021 100% 19.8%
2020 100% 19.7%
2019 100% 19.5%
2018 100% 19.3%
2017 100% 19.2%
2016 100% 19%
2015 100% 18.8%
2014 100% 18.6%
2013 100% 18.4%
2012 100% 18.3%
2011 100% 17.8%
2010 100% 17.2%
2009 100% 16.7%
2008 100% 16.3%
2007 100% 15.9%
2006 100% 15.5%
2005 100% 15.2%
2004 100% 14.9%
2003 100% 14.7%
2002 100% 14.6%
2001 100% 14.6%
2000 100% 14.6%
1999 100% 14.7%
1998 100% 14.9%
1997 100% 15.2%
1996 100% 15.5%
1995 100% 15.9%
1994 100% 16.3%
1993 100% 16.7%
1992 100% 17.1%
1991 100% 17.6%
1990 100% 18.1%
1989 100% 18.6%
1988 100% 19%
1987 100% 19.5%
1986 100% 19.9%
1985 100% 20.3%
1984 100% 20.7%
1983 100% 21%
1982 100% 21.3%
1981 100% 21.5%
1980 100% 21.6%
1979 100% 21.8%
1978 100% 21.9%
1977 100% 22%
1976 100% 22.1%
1975 100% 22.2%
1974 100% 22.3%
1973 100% 22.4%
1972 100% 22.4%
1971 100% 22.4%
1970 100% 22.3%
1969 100% 22%
1968 100% 21.5%
1967 100% 21%
1966 100% 20.4%
1965 100% 19.8%
1964 100% 19.3%
1963 100% 18.9%
1962 100% 18.5%
1961 100% 18%
1960 100% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/singapore/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Singapore and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K
Sri Lanka
City Population
Colombo 648K
Gampaha 191K
Beruwala 165K
Negombo 142K
Kandy 120K
Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte 116K
Trincomalee 99.1K
Galle 93.1K
Matara 68.2K
Anuradhapura 63.2K

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/singapore/sri-lanka | 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 (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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