South Africa has a population density of 139.8 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. South Africa and Sri Lanka rank 135th and 25th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Africa has 0.79% of the world's population and 0.81% 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 South Africa 84.9% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
South Africa
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2026 | 139.8 | 928 |
| 2025 | 138.3 | 923 |
| 2024 | 136.7 | 918 |
| 2023 | 135 | 923 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 929 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 928 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 918 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 913 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 907 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 898 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 888 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 878 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 858 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 850 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 874 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 868 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 862 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 857 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 852 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 846 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 841 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 835 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 830 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 824 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 818 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 810 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 797 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 782 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 768 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 754 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 739 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 725 |
| 1994 | 94 | 714 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 703 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 691 |
| 1991 | 89 | 680 |
| 1990 | 87 | 675 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 671 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 664 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 657 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 650 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 642 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 638 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 636 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 631 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 624 |
| 1980 | 63 | 613 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 602 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 591 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 580 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 570 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 560 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 550 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 539 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 529 |
| 1971 | 49 | 518 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 507 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 496 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 485 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 473 |
| 1966 | 42 | 462 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 451 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 440 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 429 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 419 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 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/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in South Africa increased by 31%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2006, South Africa ranked 134th by population density and is 135th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
South Africa
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 139.8 ppl/mi² | 928 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 135/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
65683993
|
22185425
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.3% | 79.7% |
| Urban population | 63.7% | 20.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 15% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 63.7% | 20.3% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | 20.1% |
| 2022 | 63.5% | 20% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | 19.8% |
| 2020 | 63.4% | 19.7% |
| 2019 | 63.4% | 19.5% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | 19.3% |
| 2017 | 63.3% | 19.2% |
| 2016 | 63.3% | 19% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | 18.8% |
| 2014 | 63.1% | 18.6% |
| 2013 | 63.1% | 18.4% |
| 2012 | 63% | 18.3% |
| 2011 | 62.9% | 17.8% |
| 2010 | 62.6% | 17.2% |
| 2009 | 62.3% | 16.7% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 16.3% |
| 2007 | 61.2% | 15.9% |
| 2006 | 60.5% | 15.5% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 15.2% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | 14.9% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 14.7% |
| 2002 | 57.7% | 14.6% |
| 2001 | 57% | 14.6% |
| 2000 | 56.3% | 14.6% |
| 1999 | 55.4% | 14.7% |
| 1998 | 54.7% | 14.9% |
| 1997 | 54% | 15.2% |
| 1996 | 53.6% | 15.5% |
| 1995 | 53.3% | 15.9% |
| 1994 | 53.1% | 16.3% |
| 1993 | 52.9% | 16.7% |
| 1992 | 52.7% | 17.1% |
| 1991 | 52.4% | 17.6% |
| 1990 | 52% | 18.1% |
| 1989 | 51.4% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 50.7% | 19% |
| 1987 | 50.1% | 19.5% |
| 1986 | 49.6% | 19.9% |
| 1985 | 49.2% | 20.3% |
| 1984 | 49% | 20.7% |
| 1983 | 48.8% | 21% |
| 1982 | 48.6% | 21.3% |
| 1981 | 48.5% | 21.5% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 21.6% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 21.8% |
| 1978 | 48.2% | 21.9% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 22% |
| 1976 | 48.1% | 22.1% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 22.2% |
| 1974 | 48% | 22.3% |
| 1973 | 48% | 22.4% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 22.4% |
| 1971 | 47.8% | 22.4% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 22.3% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 22% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 21.5% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 21% |
| 1966 | 47.5% | 20.4% |
| 1965 | 47.4% | 19.8% |
| 1964 | 47.3% | 19.3% |
| 1963 | 47.1% | 18.9% |
| 1962 | 47% | 18.5% |
| 1961 | 46.9% | 18% |
| 1960 | 46.7% | 17.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.8M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
|
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
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/south-africa/sri-lanka | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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