South Africa has a population density of 139.8 people per square mile compared to 424 people in the United Arab Emirates. South Africa has 205,338 sq ft of land per person vs 81,907 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. South Africa and the United Arab Emirates rank 135th and 62nd 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 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in South Africa 67% lower than in the United Arab Emirates.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
South Africa
|
UAE
|
|
| 2026 | 139.8 | 424 |
| 2025 | 138.3 | 415 |
| 2024 | 136.7 | 401 |
| 2023 | 135 | 382 |
| 2022 | 133.2 | 367 |
| 2021 | 131.3 | 349 |
| 2020 | 129.3 | 343 |
| 2019 | 127.2 | 344 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 341 |
| 2017 | 123.1 | 336 |
| 2016 | 122.3 | 326 |
| 2015 | 121.1 | 310 |
| 2014 | 118.7 | 293.9 |
| 2013 | 116.7 | 280.6 |
| 2012 | 114.8 | 269.6 |
| 2011 | 113.1 | 259.1 |
| 2010 | 111.8 | 250.5 |
| 2009 | 110.4 | 244.6 |
| 2008 | 109.1 | 229.8 |
| 2007 | 107.9 | 205.1 |
| 2006 | 106.7 | 182.7 |
| 2005 | 105.7 | 170.1 |
| 2004 | 104.6 | 161.5 |
| 2003 | 103.5 | 152.9 |
| 2002 | 102.5 | 144.3 |
| 2001 | 101.6 | 135.8 |
| 2000 | 100.7 | 127.4 |
| 1999 | 99.8 | 119.1 |
| 1998 | 98.7 | 110.9 |
| 1997 | 97.5 | 102.7 |
| 1996 | 96.3 | 94.7 |
| 1995 | 95.1 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 94 | 84.9 |
| 1993 | 92.4 | 81 |
| 1992 | 90.6 | 77.1 |
| 1991 | 89 | 73.2 |
| 1990 | 87 | 69.2 |
| 1989 | 84.6 | 65.3 |
| 1988 | 82.2 | 61.3 |
| 1987 | 79.7 | 57.4 |
| 1986 | 77.2 | 53.5 |
| 1985 | 74.8 | 50.3 |
| 1984 | 72.4 | 47.6 |
| 1983 | 69.9 | 45 |
| 1982 | 67.5 | 42.5 |
| 1981 | 65.2 | 40.1 |
| 1980 | 63 | 37 |
| 1979 | 61.1 | 33.3 |
| 1978 | 59.5 | 29.5 |
| 1977 | 57.9 | 25.9 |
| 1976 | 56.4 | 22.5 |
| 1975 | 54.9 | 19.8 |
| 1974 | 53.4 | 17.8 |
| 1973 | 51.9 | 15.9 |
| 1972 | 50.4 | 14 |
| 1971 | 49 | 12.2 |
| 1970 | 47.6 | 10.4 |
| 1969 | 46.1 | 8.74 |
| 1968 | 44.7 | 7.27 |
| 1967 | 43.4 | 6.55 |
| 1966 | 42 | 6.34 |
| 1965 | 40.8 | 6.09 |
| 1964 | 39.5 | 5.82 |
| 1963 | 38.3 | 5.55 |
| 1962 | 37.2 | 5.29 |
| 1961 | 36.1 | 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/south-africa/united-arab-emirates | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in South Africa increased by 31%, compared to a 132.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2006, South Africa ranked 134th by population density and is 135th now. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
South Africa
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 139.8 ppl/mi² | 424 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 135/197 | 62/197 |
| Population |
65683993
|
11686438
|
| Land area | 468,377 sq mi | 27,421 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 204,002 sq ft | 69,582 sq ft |
| Rural population | 36.3% | 14.2% |
| Urban population | 63.7% | 85.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 15% | 57.9% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Africa
|
UAE
|
|
| 2024 | 63.7% | 85.8% |
| 2023 | 63.6% | 85.7% |
| 2022 | 63.5% | 85.5% |
| 2021 | 63.5% | 85.4% |
| 2020 | 63.4% | 85.2% |
| 2019 | 63.4% | 85% |
| 2018 | 63.4% | 84.9% |
| 2017 | 63.3% | 84.7% |
| 2016 | 63.3% | 84.5% |
| 2015 | 63.2% | 84.3% |
| 2014 | 63.1% | 84.1% |
| 2013 | 63.1% | 84% |
| 2012 | 63% | 83.8% |
| 2011 | 62.9% | 83.6% |
| 2010 | 62.6% | 83.4% |
| 2009 | 62.3% | 83.2% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 83% |
| 2007 | 61.2% | 82.8% |
| 2006 | 60.5% | 82.6% |
| 2005 | 59.8% | 82.2% |
| 2004 | 59.1% | 81.5% |
| 2003 | 58.4% | 80.8% |
| 2002 | 57.7% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 57% | 79.7% |
| 2000 | 56.3% | 79.3% |
| 1999 | 55.4% | 78.9% |
| 1998 | 54.7% | 78.6% |
| 1997 | 54% | 78.4% |
| 1996 | 53.6% | 78.3% |
| 1995 | 53.3% | 78.3% |
| 1994 | 53.1% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 52.9% | 78.4% |
| 1992 | 52.7% | 78.4% |
| 1991 | 52.4% | 78.6% |
| 1990 | 52% | 78.7% |
| 1989 | 51.4% | 78.8% |
| 1988 | 50.7% | 79% |
| 1987 | 50.1% | 79.2% |
| 1986 | 49.6% | 79.3% |
| 1985 | 49.2% | 79.5% |
| 1984 | 49% | 79.7% |
| 1983 | 48.8% | 80% |
| 1982 | 48.6% | 80.3% |
| 1981 | 48.5% | 80.7% |
| 1980 | 48.4% | 81.1% |
| 1979 | 48.3% | 81.8% |
| 1978 | 48.2% | 82.6% |
| 1977 | 48.2% | 83.4% |
| 1976 | 48.1% | 83.9% |
| 1975 | 48.1% | 83.9% |
| 1974 | 48% | 83.7% |
| 1973 | 48% | 83.2% |
| 1972 | 47.9% | 82.6% |
| 1971 | 47.8% | 82% |
| 1970 | 47.8% | 81.2% |
| 1969 | 47.7% | 80.5% |
| 1968 | 47.6% | 79.8% |
| 1967 | 47.5% | 79.2% |
| 1966 | 47.5% | 78.5% |
| 1965 | 47.4% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 47.3% | 77.1% |
| 1963 | 47.1% | 76.3% |
| 1962 | 47% | 75.5% |
| 1961 | 46.9% | 74.5% |
| 1960 | 46.7% | 73.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-africa/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 59.1% to 63.7% in South Africa and from 81.5% to 85.8% in the United Arab Emirates.
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 |
|
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
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/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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)
- Wikidata (2011–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.