Countries By Population Density

There are approximately 7.6 billion people on Earth as of 2021. These people are distributed across the globe, including Antarctica. With a total area of about 510.1 million km², the global human population density is 14.7 people per km². But, if only the land area (150 million km²) is considered, the population density rises to 50 people per km². However, the population is not distributed evenly across the globe. Some countries or regions are more crowded than other places. Regions such as deserts and mountain ranges are inhospitable due to unfavorable conditions. Thus, human population density is high in areas with favorable conditions, such as abundant arable land and freshwater than in desert regions.

Importance Of Studying Population Density

Human population density is defined as the number of people living within a unit of area. Thus, the number of people within mile² or km². The area under consideration can be either be the total surface area, including water, or just the land area. Population density is derived by dividing the total population of a given region, country, city, or territory by its area (including or excluding the area of water). Population density is an important aspect of economic and social planning for any region, city, or country. It helps in determining the amount of resources to be allocated to an area. For instance, places with high population densities require more resources because of the high demand than sparsely populated areas.

Distribution Of Population Density Around The World

Asia is the most populous and densely populated continent, followed by Africa and Europe. Therefore, it is not surprising that 7 of the top 10 densely populated countries are on the continent. However, the most densely populated country, Monaco, is located in Europe. Mauritius is the only African country featuring on the top ten most densely populated countries list. However, some of the world’s crowded countries are also some of the smallest countries by area.

On the contrary, some sparsely populated countries have large areas but a small population. For instance, Namibia is the world’s 34th largest country by area, with a land area of 823,290 km². However, it is the second most sparsely populated country. Most of these sparsely populated countries are located in places either too cold or too hot for human survival.

10 Countries With The Highest Population Density

1.Monaco, a city-state in Western Europe, is the world’s most densely populated country, with 19,083 people per km². It is the second’s smallest country by area, covering about 2 km². Monaco has an estimated population of 38,960, of which the majority are from France.

2.Singapore is Asia’s most densely populated country and the world’s second, with almost 8,000 people per km². It is also a city-state in Southern Asia and one of the world’s smallest countries, covering an estimated 716 km². The high immigration rate has partly contributed to Singapore’s high population density, with immigrants accounting for nearly 39% of the 5.7 million Singaporeans.

3.Bahrain is an island country in the Persian Gulf, with an estimated population of 1.6 million people, of which more than 50% are foreigners. Bahrain Island and the surrounding islands cover an area of approximately 778 km². Thus, the country has a population density of 2,012 people per km². It is the most densely populated country which is not a city-state.

4.The Maldives is Asia’s smallest country, with an estimated land area of 298 km². However, its population of 530,950 makes it the world’s 4th most crowded country, with 1,719 people per km².

5.Malta, an island country in Southern Europe, is the 5th most densely populated country, with 1,514 people per km², the highest in the EU. It is slightly larger than the Maldives by area, covering approximately 316 km². Malta has an estimated population of 502,650 people.

6.Bangladesh completes the list of countries with a population density of at least 1,000 per km². It is the world’s 8th most populous country, with an estimated 163 million people. However, it is the 92nd largest country, with a land area of 130,168 km². Its population density of 1,239 people per km² is the world’s 6th highest.

7.Palestine, comprising of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, ranks 7th with 759 people per km² of land area.

8.Lebanon has an estimated population of 6.8 million, of which about 1.6 million are refugees mainly from the neighboring Asian countries. With a land area of 10,230 km², its population density stands at 669 people per km². Without the refugees, Lebanon would not have been crowded as it is today.

9.Barbados is a small island country in the Caribbean, covering an area of 432 km². However, its population of 287,000 makes it one of the crowded countries in the world. Its population density of 667 people per km² is the world’s 9th highest.

10.Nauru is the third smallest country by area, after Vatican City and Monaco, covering just 21 km², and by population, with 12,580 people. The island country in Oceania has a population density of 635 people per km².

10 Countries With The Lowest Population Density

Each of the ten countries with the lowest population density has less than five people per km².

1.Mongolia is the world’s least crowded country with just 2 people per km². It is the world’s 18th largest country by area, covering 1.6 million km². However, it has a population of about 3.2 million people. Mongolia’s low population results from its climatic and geographic extremes. Mongolia is home to both deserts (Gobi Desert) and mountain ranges. The long winters and extreme temperatures make most of the country unhospitable.

2.Namibia is the world’s second most sparsely populated country, with about 3 people per km². However, it is the 34th largest country, covering 823,290 km², and has a population of 2.5 million people. Namibia is located in Kalahari and Namib Deserts, making it the driest Sub-Saharan African country. The extremely high temperatures and low rainfall make most parts of the country uninhabitable. 

3.Australia has a population of 25.4 million people despite being the 6th largest country by area, covering 7.7 million km². It has a population density of 3 people per km², making it the third most sparsely populated country. A large portion of Australia is desert or semi-arid land, while some parts comprise mountain ranges and rainforests. Thus, the country’s geography and climate are the major factors to Australia’s low population density.

4.Iceland covers an estimated area of 103,000 km². However, about 63% of the land area is tundra. About 14% of the land is covered by glaciers and lakes, with only 23% vegetated. The extremely cold condition makes Iceland one of the less crowded places on Earth. With a population of 361,310, the country has a population density of 4 people per km².

5.Suriname is home to about 581,000 people. At 156,000 km², it is South America’s smallest country by size. Suriname has extensive tree covers, restricting its population to the northern coast. The country has a population density of 4 people per km².

6.Libya is Africa’s second most sparsely populated country, with 4 people per km². It has a population of 6.8 million people despite being the 16th largest country, covering 1.76 million km². The coastal areas are the most crowded places, with up to 50 people per km². Much of Libya is covered by the Libyan Desert, one of the driest places on earth. Parts of the desert can go for decades without receiving any rainfall, limiting the human population.

7.Guyana has a land area of approximately 196,849 km². It is home to about 783,000 people, making it one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries. Its population density of 4 people per km² is the world’s 8th lowest.

8.Botswana covers an area of approximately 580,731 km². However, over 70% of its land area lies in the Kalahari Desert. The large desert cover and extreme climatic conditions have restricted the country’s population to just 2.3 million. Its population density is 4 people per km².

9.Although Canada is the world’s second-largest country, covering 9.1 million km², it is the 39th most populous country, with 37.6 million people. Therefore, Canada has a population density of 4 people per km². Large parts of Canada are not arable, and thus are least populated. Other parts of the country are too cold to support the human population.

10.Mauritania is Africa’s 11th largest country and the world’s 28th largest, covering 1.025 million km². However, it has a population of only 4.5 million people and a population density of 4 people per km². Mauritania’s low population is because of its harsh climatic condition. About 90% of the country is considered a desert. The country has also experienced two decades of drought, making it an inhospitable country.

Countries By Population Density

Six of the ten most densely populated countries have a population density of higher than 1,000 people per km², while seven countries have between 500 and 1,000 people per km². Several factors contribute to the countries’ high population density. However, the most common factor is the small land size.

About 33 countries have a population density of lower than 20 people per km². Most of the sparsely populated countries are located in Asia and Africa, with a few in the Americas and Europe. Climate and geography are the major factors contributing to the sparse population in most countries. 

Table: Countries By Population Density. Source: World Bank

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