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Population density: Somalia vs Uganda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Somalia has a population density of 83.9 people per square mile compared to 682 people in Uganda. Somalia has 361,073 sq ft of land per person vs 51,875 sq ft in Uganda. Somalia and Uganda rank 152nd and 42nd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Somalia has 0.23% of the world's population and 0.42% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.62% of the population and 0.13% of the land area for Uganda, making the population density in Somalia 87.7% lower than in Uganda.

Population density by year

Somalia
Uganda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Somalia Uganda
2026 83.9 682
2025 81.2 664
2024 78.5 646
2023 75.8 628
2022 73.5 611
2021 71.3 593
2020 68.7 574
2019 66.2 555
2018 63.8 537
2017 61.6 519
2016 59.2 501
2015 57 485
2014 55.1 470
2013 53.1 456
2012 51.4 444
2011 51 431
2010 50.6 418
2009 49.4 408
2008 48.2 396
2007 46.7 384
2006 45.3 373
2005 43.9 362
2004 42.4 352
2003 40.9 342
2002 39.4 331
2001 38 321
2000 36.5 311
1999 35.1 301
1998 33.7 291.9
1997 32.3 283.3
1996 31.2 275.2
1995 30.1 267.9
1994 29 260.7
1993 27.6 252.1
1992 26.8 243.5
1991 28.1 235.3
1990 29.2 227.7
1989 29.4 220.5
1988 29.9 213.5
1987 29.8 206.8
1986 28.8 200.5
1985 27.6 194.7
1984 26.5 189.3
1983 25.6 184.3
1982 24.8 179.8
1981 24.7 175.7
1980 24.5 172.1
1979 22.5 168.5
1978 19.9 164.5
1977 18.5 160.2
1976 18 156
1975 17.6 152
1974 17.1 148.1
1973 16.7 144.5
1972 16.3 141.1
1971 15.8 137.6
1970 15.4 133.8
1969 15 129.8
1968 14.6 125.8
1967 14.3 122
1966 13.9 118.3
1965 13.5 114.7
1964 13.2 111.3
1963 12.8 108
1962 12.5 104.9
1961 12.2 101.9

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/somalia/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Somalia increased by 85.2%, compared to a 82.7% growth in Uganda.

In 2006, Somalia ranked 162nd by population density and is 152nd now. Uganda was 55th in 2006 and ranks 42nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Somalia
Uganda
1x
Year Urban population
Somalia Uganda
2024 54.6% 31.3%
2023 54.1% 30.6%
2022 53.5% 29.9%
2021 52.9% 29.2%
2020 52.3% 28.5%
2019 51.6% 27.8%
2018 51% 27.1%
2017 48.4% 26.4%
2016 45.9% 25.7%
2015 43.9% 25%
2014 42.4% 24.2%
2013 41.3% 22.7%
2012 40.3% 21.4%
2011 39.4% 20.1%
2010 38.6% 18.8%
2009 37.8% 17.6%
2008 37.2% 16.5%
2007 36.6% 15.5%
2006 36% 14.6%
2005 35.5% 13.8%
2004 35% 13.1%
2003 34.5% 12.6%
2002 34% 12.2%
2001 33.5% 11.9%
2000 33.1% 11.6%
1999 32.6% 11.4%
1998 32.2% 11.2%
1997 31.8% 11%
1996 31.4% 10.9%
1995 31.1% 10.7%
1994 30.7% 10.6%
1993 30.4% 10.4%
1992 30% 10.2%
1991 29.7% 10%
1990 29.4% 9.76%
1989 29.1% 9.47%
1988 28.8% 9.15%
1987 28.5% 8.8%
1986 28.2% 8.44%
1985 28% 8.09%
1984 27.7% 7.74%
1983 27.5% 7.43%
1982 27.3% 7.15%
1981 27.1% 6.92%
1980 26.8% 6.76%
1979 26.6% 6.65%
1978 26.4% 6.57%
1977 26.1% 6.51%
1976 25.8% 6.46%
1975 25.5% 6.42%
1974 25.2% 6.38%
1973 24.8% 6.34%
1972 24.3% 6.29%
1971 23.8% 6.24%
1970 23.2% 6.17%
1969 22.7% 6.09%
1968 22.1% 5.97%
1967 21.5% 5.81%
1966 20.9% 5.63%
1965 20.3% 5.42%
1964 19.7% 5.2%
1963 19.2% 4.97%
1962 18.7% 4.75%
1961 18.2% 4.55%
1960 17.7% 4.36%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/somalia/uganda | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 35% to 54.6% in Somalia and from 13.1% to 31.3% in Uganda.

Densely populated cities

Somalia
City Population
Mogadishu 2.12M
Hargeisa 1.23M
Baidoa 1.2M
Borama 68.1K
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 101K
Entebbe 70K

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/somalia/uganda | 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 (2013–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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