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Population density: Somalia vs United Kingdom compared

Updated on by Georank team

Somalia has a population density of 83.9 people per square mile compared to 750 people in the United Kingdom. Somalia has 361,073 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. Somalia and the United Kingdom rank 152nd and 35th 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, making the population density in Somalia 88.8% lower than in the United Kingdom.

Population density by year

Somalia
United Kingdom

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Somalia United Kingdom
2026 83.9 750
2025 81.2 746
2024 78.5 741
2023 75.8 733
2022 73.5 724
2021 71.3 717
2020 68.7 715
2019 66.2 713
2018 63.8 710
2017 61.6 706
2016 59.2 702
2015 57 697
2014 55.1 692
2013 53.1 687
2012 51.4 682
2011 51 677
2010 50.6 672
2009 49.4 667
2008 48.2 662
2007 46.7 656
2006 45.3 651
2005 43.9 647
2004 42.4 642
2003 40.9 639
2002 39.4 636
2001 38 633
2000 36.5 630
1999 35.1 628
1998 33.7 626
1997 32.3 624
1996 31.2 623
1995 30.1 621
1994 29 619
1993 27.6 618
1992 26.8 616
1991 28.1 615
1990 29.2 613
1989 29.4 611
1988 29.9 609
1987 29.8 608
1986 28.8 607
1985 27.6 605
1984 26.5 604
1983 25.6 603
1982 24.8 603
1981 24.7 603
1980 24.5 603
1979 22.5 602
1978 19.9 602
1977 18.5 602
1976 18 602
1975 17.6 602
1974 17.1 602
1973 16.7 602
1972 16.3 600
1971 15.8 598
1970 15.4 596
1969 15 594
1968 14.6 591
1967 14.3 588
1966 13.9 585
1965 13.5 582
1964 13.2 578
1963 12.8 574
1962 12.5 570
1961 12.2 565

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/united-kingdom | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Somalia increased by 85.2%, compared to a 15.1% growth in the United Kingdom.

In 2006, Somalia ranked 162nd by population density and is 152nd now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2006 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Somalia
United Kingdom
1x
Year Urban population
Somalia United Kingdom
2024 54.6% 83.2%
2023 54.1% 83.2%
2022 53.5% 83.1%
2021 52.9% 83%
2020 52.3% 82.9%
2019 51.6% 82.7%
2018 51% 82.4%
2017 48.4% 82.2%
2016 45.9% 82%
2015 43.9% 81.8%
2014 42.4% 81.6%
2013 41.3% 81.5%
2012 40.3% 81.3%
2011 39.4% 81.1%
2010 38.6% 81%
2009 37.8% 80.9%
2008 37.2% 80.8%
2007 36.6% 80.6%
2006 36% 80.5%
2005 35.5% 80.4%
2004 35% 80.3%
2003 34.5% 80.2%
2002 34% 80.1%
2001 33.5% 80%
2000 33.1% 79.8%
1999 32.6% 79.6%
1998 32.2% 79.4%
1997 31.8% 79.1%
1996 31.4% 78.9%
1995 31.1% 78.7%
1994 30.7% 78.4%
1993 30.4% 78.3%
1992 30% 78.2%
1991 29.7% 78.1%
1990 29.4% 78.1%
1989 29.1% 78.1%
1988 28.8% 78.2%
1987 28.5% 78.3%
1986 28.2% 78.3%
1985 28% 78.4%
1984 27.7% 78.5%
1983 27.5% 78.5%
1982 27.3% 78.6%
1981 27.1% 78.6%
1980 26.8% 78.6%
1979 26.6% 78.5%
1978 26.4% 78.3%
1977 26.1% 78.1%
1976 25.8% 77.8%
1975 25.5% 77.5%
1974 25.2% 77.3%
1973 24.8% 77.1%
1972 24.3% 77%
1971 23.8% 76.9%
1970 23.2% 76.9%
1969 22.7% 77%
1968 22.1% 77.1%
1967 21.5% 77.2%
1966 20.9% 77.4%
1965 20.3% 77.6%
1964 19.7% 77.8%
1963 19.2% 78%
1962 18.7% 78.2%
1961 18.2% 78.4%
1960 17.7% 78.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/somalia/united-kingdom | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 35% to 54.6% in Somalia and from 80.3% to 83.2% in the United Kingdom.

Densely populated cities

Somalia
City Population
Mogadishu 2.12M
Hargeisa 1.23M
Baidoa 1.2M
Borama 68.1K
United Kingdom
City Population
London 8.8M
Birmingham 1.14M
Glasgow 626K
Manchester 548K
Leeds 536K
Sheffield 518K
Liverpool 513K
Edinburgh 488K
Bristol 472K
Cardiff 384K

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/united-kingdom | 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 (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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