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Population density: Sri Lanka vs Sweden compared

Updated on by Georank team

Sri Lanka has a population density of 928 people per square mile compared to 67.8 people in Sweden. Sri Lanka has 32,224 sq ft of land per person vs 455,646 sq ft in Sweden. Sri Lanka and Sweden rank 25th and 163rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Sri Lanka has 0.27% of the world's population and 0.04% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.27% of the land area for Sweden, making the population density in Sri Lanka 1,267% higher than in Sweden.

Population density by year

Sri Lanka
Sweden

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Sri Lanka Sweden
2026 928 67.8
2025 923 67.5
2024 918 67.2
2023 923 67
2022 929 66.7
2021 928 66.2
2020 918 65.8
2019 913 65.4
2018 907 64.7
2017 898 64
2016 888 63.1
2015 878 62.3
2014 858 61.7
2013 850 61
2012 874 60.5
2011 868 60.1
2010 862 59.6
2009 857 59.1
2008 852 58.6
2007 846 58.2
2006 841 57.7
2005 835 57.4
2004 830 57.2
2003 824 57
2002 818 56.7
2001 810 56.6
2000 797 56.4
1999 782 56.3
1998 768 56.3
1997 754 56.2
1996 739 56.2
1995 725 56.1
1994 714 55.8
1993 703 55.4
1992 691 55.1
1991 680 54.8
1990 675 54.4
1989 671 54
1988 664 53.6
1987 657 53.4
1986 650 53.2
1985 642 53.1
1984 638 53
1983 636 53
1982 631 52.9
1981 624 52.9
1980 613 52.8
1979 602 52.7
1978 591 52.6
1977 580 52.5
1976 570 52.3
1975 560 52.1
1974 550 51.9
1973 539 51.7
1972 529 51.6
1971 518 51.5
1970 507 51.1
1969 496 50.7
1968 485 50.3
1967 473 50
1966 462 49.6
1965 451 49.2
1964 440 48.7
1963 429 48.4
1962 419 48.1
1961 409 47.8

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/sri-lanka/sweden | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sri Lanka increased by 10.4%, compared to a 17.5% growth in Sweden.

In 2006, Sri Lanka ranked 25th by population density and is 25th still. Sweden was 155th in 2006 and ranks 163rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Sri Lanka
Sweden
1x
Year Urban population
Sri Lanka Sweden
2024 20.3% 88.9%
2023 20.1% 88.6%
2022 20% 88.4%
2021 19.8% 88.2%
2020 19.7% 87.9%
2019 19.5% 87.7%
2018 19.3% 87.5%
2017 19.2% 87.2%
2016 19% 87%
2015 18.8% 86.6%
2014 18.6% 86.3%
2013 18.4% 85.9%
2012 18.3% 85.6%
2011 17.8% 85.4%
2010 17.2% 85.1%
2009 16.7% 84.9%
2008 16.3% 84.8%
2007 15.9% 84.6%
2006 15.5% 84.5%
2005 15.2% 84.4%
2004 14.9% 84.3%
2003 14.7% 84.2%
2002 14.6% 84.1%
2001 14.6% 84.1%
2000 14.6% 84%
1999 14.7% 84%
1998 14.9% 84%
1997 15.2% 84%
1996 15.5% 83.9%
1995 15.9% 83.9%
1994 16.3% 83.8%
1993 16.7% 83.7%
1992 17.1% 83.6%
1991 17.6% 83.5%
1990 18.1% 83.4%
1989 18.6% 83.3%
1988 19% 83.2%
1987 19.5% 83.2%
1986 19.9% 83.1%
1985 20.3% 83.1%
1984 20.7% 83.1%
1983 21% 83.1%
1982 21.3% 83.1%
1981 21.5% 83.1%
1980 21.6% 83.1%
1979 21.8% 83.1%
1978 21.9% 83%
1977 22% 82.9%
1976 22.1% 82.8%
1975 22.2% 82.7%
1974 22.3% 82.5%
1973 22.4% 82.3%
1972 22.4% 82%
1971 22.4% 81.7%
1970 22.3% 81.2%
1969 22% 80.6%
1968 21.5% 79.8%
1967 21% 78.9%
1966 20.4% 78%
1965 19.8% 77.1%
1964 19.3% 76.2%
1963 18.9% 75.3%
1962 18.5% 74.3%
1961 18% 73.4%
1960 17.6% 72.5%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka and from 84.3% to 88.9% in Sweden.

Densely populated cities

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
Sweden
City Population
Stockholm 985K
Gothenburg 675K
Malmo 339K
Uppsala 175K
Vasteras 132K
Orebro 129K
Linkoping 117K
Helsingborg 116K
Jonkoping 103K
Lund 98.3K

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/sri-lanka/sweden | 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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