Low income Countries Ranked by Population density (2024)
Population density: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest. Source: The World Bank (CC BY 4.0).
Summary
Rwanda ranks #1 with 600 people per km². Burundi is second with 547 people per km², 9.7% behind. The top five are Rwanda, Burundi, Gambia, The, Uganda and Malawi. The median across all 25 is 65.4 people per km²; Central African Republic is last at 8.56 people per km². Rwanda's figure has risen 80% since 2000 (333 people per km² to 600 people per km² in 2024).
- #1
- Rwanda · 600 people per km²
- Median
- 65.4 people per km²
- Coverage
- 25 Low income countries
- Data year
- 2024
- Last updated
- 2026-11-14
Full ranking
| Rank | Country | Population density (people per km²) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rwanda | 600 |
| 2 | Burundi | 547 |
| 3 | Gambia, The | 272.7 |
| 4 | Uganda | 249.4 |
| 5 | Malawi | 229.7 |
| 6 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 220.1 |
| 7 | Syrian Arab Republic | 134.4 |
| 8 | Sierra Leone | 119.7 |
| 9 | Ethiopia | 117.7 |
| 10 | Burkina Faso | 86.1 |
| 11 | Guinea-Bissau | 78.3 |
| 12 | Yemen, Rep. | 76.9 |
| 13 | Afghanistan | 65.4 |
| 14 | Liberia | 58.3 |
| 15 | Madagascar | 54.9 |
| 16 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 48.2 |
| 17 | Mozambique | 44 |
| 18 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 30.3 |
| 19 | Eritrea | 29.3 |
| 20 | Sudan | 27 |
| 21 | Niger | 21.3 |
| 22 | Mali | 20.1 |
| 23 | South Sudan | 18.9 |
| 24 | Chad | 16.1 |
| 25 | Central African Republic | 8.56 |
About the top 10
#1 Rwanda
Rwanda ranks #1 on this list with 600 people per km².
- Capital
- Kigali
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.57 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$16.37 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,124 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 30.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kigali.
Also ranks #1 in women in parliament share · #2 in school enrolment (primary) · #2 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary).
#2 Burundi
Burundi ranks #2 on this list with 547 people per km².
- Capital
- Gitega
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 14.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$3.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$233.8 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 63.8 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 25.7% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in prevalence of stunting (under-5) · #3 in forest rents share of gdp · #3 in real effective exchange rate index.
#3 Gambia, The
Gambia, The ranks #3 on this list with 272.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Banjul
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 2.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$2.59 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$919.1 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 66.1 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 65% of population (2025)
Also ranks #2 in gender parity index (school enrolment) · #3 in arable land share · #7 in gross capital formation rate.
#4 Uganda
Uganda ranks #4 on this list with 249.4 people per km².
- Capital
- Kampala
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 51.39 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$61.99 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,206 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 68.5 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 31.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Kampala.
Also ranks #6 in renewable energy share · #6 in refugee population by asylum · #7 in agricultural land share.
#5 Malawi
Malawi ranks #5 on this list with 229.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Lilongwe
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 22.22 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$14.92 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$671.5 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 17.6% of population (2025)
Also ranks #3 in school enrolment (primary) · #3 in pupil-teacher ratio (primary) · #3 in poverty headcount ratio.
#6 Korea, Dem. People's Rep.
Korea, Dem. People's Rep. ranks #6 on this list with 220.1 people per km².
- Capital
- Pyongyang
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 26.57 million people (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 73.7 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 64.2% of population (2025)
- CO2 emissions per person
- 2.5 t CO2e per person (2024)
- Currency
- North Korean won
Largest cities: Pyongyang.
Also ranks #2 in hospital beds per 10,000 · #3 in armed forces personnel · #6 in female labour force participation.
#7 Syrian Arab Republic
Syrian Arab Republic ranks #7 on this list with 134.4 people per km².
- Capital
- Damascus
- Continent
- Asia
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 25.62 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$23.74 billion (2022)
- GDP per person
- US$1,057 (2022)
- Life expectancy
- 72.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 72.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Damascus, Aleppo.
Also ranks #2 in refugee population by origin · #2 in agriculture value added share of gdp · #3 in net migration.
#8 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone ranks #8 on this list with 119.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Freetown
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 8.82 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$7.46 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$846.3 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 62 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 45.9% of population (2025)
Also ranks #1 in school enrolment (primary) · #7 in under-5 mortality rate · #8 in forest rents share of gdp.
#9 Ethiopia
Ethiopia ranks #9 on this list with 117.7 people per km².
- Capital
- Addis Ababa
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 135.47 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$126.36 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$932.7 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 67.6 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 24.1% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Addis Ababa.
Also ranks #3 in children out of school (primary) · #6 in rural population · #6 in gdp growth rate.
#10 Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso ranks #10 on this list with 86.1 people per km².
- Capital
- Ouagadougou
- Continent
- Africa
- Income group
- Low income
- Population
- 24.08 million people (2025)
- GDP
- US$27.63 billion (2025)
- GDP per person
- US$1,148 (2025)
- Life expectancy
- 61.3 years (2024)
- Urban population
- 28.9% of population (2025)
Largest cities: Ouagadougou.
Also ranks #7 in mineral rents share of gdp · #9 in children out of school (primary) · #11 in under-5 mortality rate.
Profile facts: World Bank (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0); weather links go to Purr Weather, another ChowChow Labs site.
Source and method
Population density: each country's latest value (2019–2024), ranked from highest to lowest.
Source: The World Bank, indicator EN.POP.DNST. Licence: CC BY 4.0. Retrieved: 2026-11-14.
The World Bank: Population density (people per sq. km of land area): FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (via World Development Indicators)
Original data provider, as recorded by the World Bank: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); World Bank population estimates, World Bank (WB), publisher: World Bank (WB).
Values are shown as published. Provider terms: The World Bank. All licences: Sources & licences.