Skip to content

Population density: Sri Lanka vs Uganda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Sri Lanka has a population density of 928 people per square mile compared to 682 people in Uganda. Sri Lanka has 32,224 sq ft of land per person vs 51,875 sq ft in Uganda. Sri Lanka and Uganda rank 25th and 42nd 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 0.62% of the population and 0.13% of the land area for Uganda, making the population density in Sri Lanka 36% higher than in Uganda.

Population density by year

Sri Lanka
Uganda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Sri Lanka Uganda
2026 928 682
2025 923 664
2024 918 646
2023 923 628
2022 929 611
2021 928 593
2020 918 574
2019 913 555
2018 907 537
2017 898 519
2016 888 501
2015 878 485
2014 858 470
2013 850 456
2012 874 444
2011 868 431
2010 862 418
2009 857 408
2008 852 396
2007 846 384
2006 841 373
2005 835 362
2004 830 352
2003 824 342
2002 818 331
2001 810 321
2000 797 311
1999 782 301
1998 768 291.9
1997 754 283.3
1996 739 275.2
1995 725 267.9
1994 714 260.7
1993 703 252.1
1992 691 243.5
1991 680 235.3
1990 675 227.7
1989 671 220.5
1988 664 213.5
1987 657 206.8
1986 650 200.5
1985 642 194.7
1984 638 189.3
1983 636 184.3
1982 631 179.8
1981 624 175.7
1980 613 172.1
1979 602 168.5
1978 591 164.5
1977 580 160.2
1976 570 156
1975 560 152
1974 550 148.1
1973 539 144.5
1972 529 141.1
1971 518 137.6
1970 507 133.8
1969 496 129.8
1968 485 125.8
1967 473 122
1966 462 118.3
1965 451 114.7
1964 440 111.3
1963 429 108
1962 419 104.9
1961 409 101.9

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/uganda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sri Lanka increased by 10.4%, compared to a 82.7% growth in Uganda.

In 2006, Sri Lanka ranked 25th by population density and is 25th still. Uganda was 55th in 2006 and ranks 42nd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Sri Lanka
Uganda
1x
Year Urban population
Sri Lanka Uganda
2024 20.3% 31.3%
2023 20.1% 30.6%
2022 20% 29.9%
2021 19.8% 29.2%
2020 19.7% 28.5%
2019 19.5% 27.8%
2018 19.3% 27.1%
2017 19.2% 26.4%
2016 19% 25.7%
2015 18.8% 25%
2014 18.6% 24.2%
2013 18.4% 22.7%
2012 18.3% 21.4%
2011 17.8% 20.1%
2010 17.2% 18.8%
2009 16.7% 17.6%
2008 16.3% 16.5%
2007 15.9% 15.5%
2006 15.5% 14.6%
2005 15.2% 13.8%
2004 14.9% 13.1%
2003 14.7% 12.6%
2002 14.6% 12.2%
2001 14.6% 11.9%
2000 14.6% 11.6%
1999 14.7% 11.4%
1998 14.9% 11.2%
1997 15.2% 11%
1996 15.5% 10.9%
1995 15.9% 10.7%
1994 16.3% 10.6%
1993 16.7% 10.4%
1992 17.1% 10.2%
1991 17.6% 10%
1990 18.1% 9.76%
1989 18.6% 9.47%
1988 19% 9.15%
1987 19.5% 8.8%
1986 19.9% 8.44%
1985 20.3% 8.09%
1984 20.7% 7.74%
1983 21% 7.43%
1982 21.3% 7.15%
1981 21.5% 6.92%
1980 21.6% 6.76%
1979 21.8% 6.65%
1978 21.9% 6.57%
1977 22% 6.51%
1976 22.1% 6.46%
1975 22.2% 6.42%
1974 22.3% 6.38%
1973 22.4% 6.34%
1972 22.4% 6.29%
1971 22.4% 6.24%
1970 22.3% 6.17%
1969 22% 6.09%
1968 21.5% 5.97%
1967 21% 5.81%
1966 20.4% 5.63%
1965 19.8% 5.42%
1964 19.3% 5.2%
1963 18.9% 4.97%
1962 18.5% 4.75%
1961 18% 4.55%
1960 17.6% 4.36%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka and from 13.1% to 31.3% in Uganda.

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
Uganda
City Population
Kampala 1.68M
Mbale 586K
Arua 385K
Kira Town 317K
Jinja 279K
Gulu 177K
Kasese 101K
Entebbe 70K

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/uganda | 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:

  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)

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.