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Population density: Spain vs Sri Lanka compared

Updated on by Georank team

Spain has a population density of 253 people per square mile compared to 928 people in Sri Lanka. Spain has 111,496 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. Spain and Sri Lanka rank 97th and 25th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Spain has 0.6% of the world's population and 0.34% 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 Spain 72.7% lower than in Sri Lanka.

Population density by year

Spain
Sri Lanka

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Spain Sri Lanka
2026 253 928
2025 253.1 923
2024 253.2 918
2023 250.6 923
2022 247.7 929
2021 245.9 928
2020 245.5 918
2019 244.3 913
2018 242.5 907
2017 241.5 898
2016 240.9 888
2015 240.6 878
2014 240.6 858
2013 241.3 850
2012 242.2 874
2011 242.2 868
2010 241.3 862
2009 240.8 857
2008 238.6 852
2007 234.7 846
2006 230.4 841
2005 226.5 835
2004 222.7 830
2003 218.9 824
2002 215 818
2001 212.2 810
2000 210.6 797
1999 209.4 782
1998 208.6 768
1997 207.7 754
1996 206.9 739
1995 206 725
1994 205.1 714
1993 204.1 703
1992 203.1 691
1991 202.1 680
1990 201.6 675
1989 201.4 671
1988 201 664
1987 200.6 657
1986 200.1 650
1985 199.5 642
1984 198.8 638
1983 198 636
1982 197 631
1981 195.8 624
1980 194.4 613
1979 192.8 602
1978 191.1 591
1977 189.3 580
1976 187.4 570
1975 185.4 560
1974 183.3 550
1973 181.3 539
1972 179.3 529
1971 177.4 518
1970 175.2 507
1969 173.3 496
1968 171.6 485
1967 169.4 473
1966 167.3 462
1965 165.6 451
1964 163.8 440
1963 162.2 429
1962 160.8 419
1961 159.3 409

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/spain/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Spain increased by 9.77%, compared to a 10.4% growth in Sri Lanka.

In 2006, Spain ranked 84th by population density and is 97th now. Sri Lanka was 25th in 2006 and still ranks 25th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Spain
Sri Lanka
1x
Year Urban population
Spain Sri Lanka
2024 80.3% 20.3%
2023 80.1% 20.1%
2022 80% 20%
2021 79.8% 19.8%
2020 79.7% 19.7%
2019 79.6% 19.5%
2018 79.6% 19.3%
2017 79.5% 19.2%
2016 79.4% 19%
2015 79.2% 18.8%
2014 79.1% 18.6%
2013 79% 18.4%
2012 78.8% 18.3%
2011 78.7% 17.8%
2010 78.5% 17.2%
2009 78.3% 16.7%
2008 78% 16.3%
2007 77.8% 15.9%
2006 77.5% 15.5%
2005 77.2% 15.2%
2004 77% 14.9%
2003 76.7% 14.7%
2002 76.5% 14.6%
2001 76.3% 14.6%
2000 76.2% 14.6%
1999 76% 14.7%
1998 75.9% 14.9%
1997 75.8% 15.2%
1996 75.7% 15.5%
1995 75.6% 15.9%
1994 75.5% 16.3%
1993 75.3% 16.7%
1992 75.2% 17.1%
1991 75% 17.6%
1990 74.8% 18.1%
1989 74.6% 18.6%
1988 74.4% 19%
1987 74.1% 19.5%
1986 73.8% 19.9%
1985 73.5% 20.3%
1984 73.1% 20.7%
1983 72.8% 21%
1982 72.4% 21.3%
1981 72% 21.5%
1980 71.5% 21.6%
1979 71.1% 21.8%
1978 70.6% 21.9%
1977 70.1% 22%
1976 69.6% 22.1%
1975 69.1% 22.2%
1974 68.5% 22.3%
1973 68% 22.4%
1972 67.4% 22.4%
1971 66.8% 22.4%
1970 66.2% 22.3%
1969 65.4% 22%
1968 64.4% 21.5%
1967 63.4% 21%
1966 62.3% 20.4%
1965 61.1% 19.8%
1964 60% 19.3%
1963 58.9% 18.9%
1962 58% 18.5%
1961 57.1% 18%
1960 56.5% 17.6%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/spain/sri-lanka | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77% to 80.3% in Spain and from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka.

Densely populated cities

Spain
City Population
Madrid 3.51M
Barcelona 1.73M
Tenerife 955K
Valencia 841K
Zaragoza 693K
Seville 689K
Malaga 599K
Palma de Mallorca 435K
Las Palmas 382K
Alicante 366K
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

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/spain/sri-lanka | 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. Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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