South Africa has a population density of 136.7 people per square mile compared to 69.9 people in Sudan. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 392,733 sq ft in Sudan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, South Africa and Sudan are ranked 136th and 159th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.62% of the population and 1.25% of the land area for Sudan, hence the population density in South Africa is 95.4% higher than in Sudan.
Population density comparison
South Africa
|
Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 136.7 ppl/mi² | 69.9 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 136/197 | 159/197 |
| Population |
65314246
|
52963918
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 721,239 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 398,561 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.7% | 63.2% |
| Urban population | 69.3% | 36.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 14.8% | 16.2% |
South Africa vs Sudan:
Population density chart by year
From 2012 to 2024, population density in South Africa increased by 19%, compared to a 36.6% growth in Sudan.
In 2012, South Africa ranked 138th for population density and is in 136th place now. Sudan was 164th in 2012 and ranks 159th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 136.7 | 69.9 |
| 2023 | 135 | 69.4 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 68.5 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 66.6 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 64.9 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 63.2 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 61.3 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 59.2 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 57.2 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 55.5 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 53.8 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 52.4 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 51.2 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | - |
| 2010 | 111.8 | - |
| 2009 | 110.4 | - |
| 2008 | 109.1 | - |
| 2007 | 107.9 | - |
| 2006 | 106.7 | - |
| 2005 | 105.7 | - |
| 2004 | 104.6 | - |
| 2003 | 103.5 | - |
| 2002 | 102.5 | - |
| 2001 | 101.6 | - |
| 2000 | 100.7 | - |
| 1999 | 99.8 | - |
| 1998 | 98.7 | - |
| 1997 | 97.5 | - |
| 1996 | 96.3 | - |
| 1995 | 95.1 | - |
| 1994 | 94 | - |
| 1993 | 92.4 | - |
| 1992 | 90.6 | - |
| 1991 | 89 | - |
| 1990 | 87 | - |
| 1989 | 84.6 | - |
| 1988 | 82.2 | - |
| 1987 | 79.7 | - |
| 1986 | 77.2 | - |
| 1985 | 74.8 | - |
| 1984 | 72.4 | - |
| 1983 | 69.9 | - |
| 1982 | 67.5 | - |
| 1981 | 65.2 | - |
| 1980 | 63 | - |
| 1979 | 61.1 | - |
| 1978 | 59.5 | - |
| 1977 | 57.9 | - |
| 1976 | 56.4 | - |
| 1975 | 54.9 | - |
| 1974 | 53.4 | - |
| 1973 | 51.9 | - |
| 1972 | 50.4 | - |
| 1971 | 49 | - |
| 1970 | 47.6 | - |
| 1969 | 46.1 | - |
| 1968 | 44.7 | - |
| 1967 | 43.4 | - |
| 1966 | 42 | - |
| 1965 | 40.8 | - |
| 1964 | 39.5 | - |
| 1963 | 38.3 | - |
| 1962 | 37.2 | - |
| 1961 | 36.1 | - |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 69.3% | 36.8% |
| 2023 | 68.8% | 36.3% |
| 2022 | 68.3% | 36% |
| 2021 | 67.8% | 35.6% |
| 2020 | 67.4% | 35.3% |
| 2019 | 66.9% | 34.9% |
| 2018 | 66.4% | 34.6% |
| 2017 | 65.8% | 34.4% |
| 2016 | 65.3% | 34.1% |
| 2015 | 64.8% | 33.9% |
| 2014 | 64.3% | 33.7% |
| 2013 | 63.8% | 33.5% |
| 2012 | 63.3% | 33.3% |
| 2011 | 62.7% | 33.2% |
| 2010 | 62.2% | 33.1% |
| 2009 | 61.7% | 33% |
| 2008 | 61.2% | 32.9% |
| 2007 | 60.6% | 32.9% |
| 2006 | 60.1% | 32.8% |
| 2005 | 59.5% | 32.8% |
| 2004 | 59% | 32.7% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 32.7% |
| 2002 | 57.9% | 32.6% |
| 2001 | 57.4% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | 32.5% |
| 1999 | 56.4% | 32.4% |
| 1998 | 55.9% | 32.4% |
| 1997 | 55.4% | 32.3% |
| 1996 | 55% | 32.3% |
| 1995 | 54.5% | 32.2% |
| 1994 | 54% | 32.2% |
| 1993 | 53.5% | 32.1% |
| 1992 | 53% | 31.1% |
| 1991 | 52.6% | 29.8% |
| 1990 | 52% | 28.6% |
| 1989 | 51.5% | 27.4% |
| 1988 | 51% | 26.2% |
| 1987 | 50.4% | 25.1% |
| 1986 | 49.9% | 24% |
| 1985 | 49.4% | 22.9% |
| 1984 | 49.1% | 21.9% |
| 1983 | 48.9% | 20.9% |
| 1982 | 48.8% | 20.4% |
| 1981 | 48.6% | 20.2% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 20% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 19.8% |
| 1978 | 48.3% | 19.5% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 19.3% |
| 1976 | 48.2% | 19.1% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 18.9% |
| 1974 | 48% | 18.7% |
| 1973 | 48% | 18.5% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 17.9% |
| 1971 | 47.9% | 17.2% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 16.5% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 15.8% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 15.2% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 14.6% |
| 1966 | 47.4% | 14% |
| 1965 | 47.2% | 13.4% |
| 1964 | 47.1% | 12.8% |
| 1963 | 47% | 12.3% |
| 1962 | 46.9% | 11.7% |
| 1961 | 46.8% | 11.2% |
| 1960 | 46.6% | 10.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa and from 32.7% to 36.8% in Sudan.
Densely populated cities
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
|
Sudan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Khartoum | 5.34M |
| Omdurman | 2.81M |
| Khartoum North | 936K |
| Port Sudan | 580K |
| El-Obeid | 560K |
| Kassala | 536K |
| Kosti | 528K |
| Nyala | 493K |
| El-Gadarif | 355K |
| Al-Fashir | 286K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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