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Population density: Sri Lanka vs Vietnam compared

Updated on by Georank team

Sri Lanka has a population density of 928 people per square mile compared to 845 people in Vietnam. Sri Lanka has 32,224 sq ft of land per person vs 35,354 sq ft in Vietnam. Sri Lanka and Vietnam rank 25th and 30th 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 1.24% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Vietnam, making the population density in Sri Lanka 9.83% higher than in Vietnam.

Population density by year

Sri Lanka
Vietnam

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Sri Lanka Vietnam
2026 928 845
2025 923 840
2024 918 835
2023 923 829
2022 929 824
2021 928 818
2020 918 810
2019 913 803
2018 907 795
2017 898 787
2016 888 777
2015 878 767
2014 858 758
2013 850 749
2012 874 740
2011 868 731
2010 862 723
2009 857 716
2008 852 705
2007 846 693
2006 841 680
2005 835 671
2004 830 671
2003 824 665
2002 818 657
2001 810 649
2000 797 642
1999 782 607
1998 768 599
1997 754 591
1996 739 582
1995 725 573
1994 714 564
1993 703 554
1992 691 543
1991 680 532
1990 675 521
1989 671 510
1988 664 500
1987 657 490
1986 650 480
1985 642 470
1984 638 459
1983 636 448
1982 631 438
1981 624 428
1980 613 418
1979 602 409
1978 591 400
1977 580 390
1976 570 379
1975 560 370
1974 550 361
1973 539 353
1972 529 346
1971 518 338
1970 507 330
1969 496 323
1968 485 316
1967 473 309
1966 462 303
1965 451 295.4
1964 440 288.1
1963 429 280.5
1962 419 272.8
1961 409 265.8

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/vietnam | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sri Lanka increased by 10.4%, compared to a 24.1% growth in Vietnam.

In 2006, Sri Lanka ranked 25th by population density and is 25th still. Vietnam was 33rd in 2006 and ranks 30th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Sri Lanka
Vietnam
1x
Year Urban population
Sri Lanka Vietnam
2024 20.3% 38.5%
2023 20.1% 38.1%
2022 20% 37.5%
2021 19.8% 36.7%
2020 19.7% 35.6%
2019 19.5% 34.6%
2018 19.3% 33.9%
2017 19.2% 33.4%
2016 19% 32.8%
2015 18.8% 32.4%
2014 18.6% 31.9%
2013 18.4% 31.5%
2012 18.3% 31.1%
2011 17.8% 30.7%
2010 17.2% 30.3%
2009 16.7% 29.8%
2008 16.3% 29.2%
2007 15.9% 28.6%
2006 15.5% 28%
2005 15.2% 27.4%
2004 14.9% 26.8%
2003 14.7% 26.2%
2002 14.6% 25.6%
2001 14.6% 24.9%
2000 14.6% 24.4%
1999 14.7% 23.8%
1998 14.9% 23.3%
1997 15.2% 22.7%
1996 15.5% 22.1%
1995 15.9% 21.5%
1994 16.3% 20.9%
1993 16.7% 20.3%
1992 17.1% 19.8%
1991 17.6% 19.4%
1990 18.1% 19.2%
1989 18.6% 19.1%
1988 19% 19%
1987 19.5% 19.1%
1986 19.9% 19.1%
1985 20.3% 19.1%
1984 20.7% 19.1%
1983 21% 19.1%
1982 21.3% 19.1%
1981 21.5% 19.1%
1980 21.6% 19.2%
1979 21.8% 19.2%
1978 21.9% 19.2%
1977 22% 19.6%
1976 22.1% 20.4%
1975 22.2% 20.6%
1974 22.3% 20.5%
1973 22.4% 20.5%
1972 22.4% 20.6%
1971 22.4% 20.7%
1970 22.3% 20.7%
1969 22% 20.6%
1968 21.5% 20.1%
1967 21% 19.3%
1966 20.4% 18.4%
1965 19.8% 17.5%
1964 19.3% 16.9%
1963 18.9% 16.5%
1962 18.5% 16.1%
1961 18% 15.7%
1960 17.6% 15.3%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 14.9% to 20.3% in Sri Lanka and from 26.8% to 38.5% in Vietnam.

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
Vietnam
City Population
Ho Chi Minh 14M
Hanoi 8.72M
Can Tho 3.21M
Da Nang 2.82M
Haiphong 2.12M
Bien Hoa 1.1M
Hue 653K
Bac Ninh 520K
Hai Duong 507K
Vinh 490K

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/vietnam | 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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