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Population density: Singapore vs United Arab Emirates compared

Updated on by Georank team

Singapore has a population density of 22,064 people per square mile compared to 424 people in the United Arab Emirates. Singapore has 1,282 sq ft of land per person vs 81,907 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Singapore and the United Arab Emirates rank 2nd and 62nd 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 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Singapore 5,101% higher than in the United Arab Emirates.

Population density by year

Singapore
United Arab Emirates

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Singapore UAE
2026 22,064 424
2025 21,926 415
2024 21,776 401
2023 21,346 382
2022 20,334 367
2021 19,672 349
2020 20,510 343
2019 20,632 344
2018 20,454 341
2017 20,415 336
2016 20,483 326
2015 20,219 310
2014 19,981 293.9
2013 19,779 280.6
2012 19,489 269.6
2011 19,071 259.1
2010 18,730 250.5
2009 18,454 244.6
2008 17,906 229.8
2007 17,100 205.1
2006 16,426 182.7
2005 16,035 170.1
2004 15,663 161.5
2003 15,513 152.9
2002 16,023 144.3
2001 15,996 135.8
2000 15,570 127.4
1999 15,303 119.1
1998 15,181 110.9
1997 14,674 102.7
1996 14,190 94.7
1995 13,625 88.8
1994 13,217 84.9
1993 12,809 81
1992 12,489 77.1
1991 12,119 73.2
1990 11,779 69.2
1989 11,330 65.3
1988 11,002 61.3
1987 10,726 57.4
1986 10,566 53.5
1985 10,576 50.3
1984 10,562 47.6
1983 10,364 45
1982 10,230 42.5
1981 9,791 40.1
1980 9,331 37
1979 9,214 33.3
1978 9,098 29.5
1977 8,989 25.9
1976 8,865 22.5
1975 8,746 19.8
1974 8,620 17.8
1973 8,477 15.9
1972 8,320 14
1971 8,168 12.2
1970 8,019 10.4
1969 7,896 8.74
1968 7,778 7.27
1967 7,645 6.55
1966 7,478 6.34
1965 7,294 6.09
1964 7,119 5.82
1963 6,939 5.55
1962 6,766 5.29
1961 6,581 5.03

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/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Singapore increased by 34.3%, compared to a 132.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.

In 2006, Singapore ranked 2nd by population density and is 2nd still. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Singapore
United Arab Emirates
1x
Year Urban population
Singapore UAE
2024 100% 85.8%
2023 100% 85.7%
2022 100% 85.5%
2021 100% 85.4%
2020 100% 85.2%
2019 100% 85%
2018 100% 84.9%
2017 100% 84.7%
2016 100% 84.5%
2015 100% 84.3%
2014 100% 84.1%
2013 100% 84%
2012 100% 83.8%
2011 100% 83.6%
2010 100% 83.4%
2009 100% 83.2%
2008 100% 83%
2007 100% 82.8%
2006 100% 82.6%
2005 100% 82.2%
2004 100% 81.5%
2003 100% 80.8%
2002 100% 80.3%
2001 100% 79.7%
2000 100% 79.3%
1999 100% 78.9%
1998 100% 78.6%
1997 100% 78.4%
1996 100% 78.3%
1995 100% 78.3%
1994 100% 78.3%
1993 100% 78.4%
1992 100% 78.4%
1991 100% 78.6%
1990 100% 78.7%
1989 100% 78.8%
1988 100% 79%
1987 100% 79.2%
1986 100% 79.3%
1985 100% 79.5%
1984 100% 79.7%
1983 100% 80%
1982 100% 80.3%
1981 100% 80.7%
1980 100% 81.1%
1979 100% 81.8%
1978 100% 82.6%
1977 100% 83.4%
1976 100% 83.9%
1975 100% 83.9%
1974 100% 83.7%
1973 100% 83.2%
1972 100% 82.6%
1971 100% 82%
1970 100% 81.2%
1969 100% 80.5%
1968 100% 79.8%
1967 100% 79.2%
1966 100% 78.5%
1965 100% 77.8%
1964 100% 77.1%
1963 100% 76.3%
1962 100% 75.5%
1961 100% 74.5%
1960 100% 73.5%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/singapore/united-arab-emirates | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 100% to 100% in Singapore and from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates.

Densely populated cities

Singapore
City Population
Singapore 5.87M
Bukit Merah 152K
UAE
City Population
Dubai 3.94M
Abu Dhabi 1.57M
Sharjah 1.25M
Al Ain 767K
Ajman 490K
Ras al-Khaimah 116K
Fujairah 93.7K

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/united-arab-emirates | 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 (2015–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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