Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Gambia
Gambia: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 272.73 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
272.73 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.3%
World rank
46th
of 216 countries
All-time high
272.73 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
40.41 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Gambia, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
Gambia recorded 272.73 people per sq. km of land area for population density in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.3% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Gambia peaked at 272.73 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 40.41 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Gambia 46th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Gambia, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 40.41 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 41.52 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 42.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 43.84 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1965 | 45.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1966 | 46.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 47.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 48.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 50.34 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 51.79 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 53.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1972 | 54.88 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 56.52 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 58.21 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 59.96 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 61.82 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 63.81 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1978 | 65.92 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1979 | 68.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 70.54 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1981 | 73.04 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1982 | 75.67 people per sq. km of land area | +3.6% |
| 1983 | 78.51 people per sq. km of land area | +3.8% |
| 1984 | 81.58 people per sq. km of land area | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 84.87 people per sq. km of land area | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 88.34 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 92 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 1988 | 95.87 people per sq. km of land area | +4.2% |
| 1989 | 99.94 people per sq. km of land area | +4.2% |
| 1990 | 104.22 people per sq. km of land area | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 108.69 people per sq. km of land area | +4.3% |
| 1992 | 113.2 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 1993 | 117.43 people per sq. km of land area | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 121.27 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1995 | 124.93 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1996 | 128.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1997 | 132.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1998 | 136.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 139.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2000 | 143.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 147.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2002 | 151.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2003 | 155.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 160.21 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2005 | 164.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2006 | 169.49 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2007 | 174.48 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2008 | 179.63 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 184.92 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2010 | 190.38 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 196.03 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 201.89 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2013 | 207.89 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2014 | 213.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2015 | 219.81 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2016 | 225.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 231.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 237.12 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2019 | 242.77 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 248.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 254.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2022 | 260.52 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 266.58 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2024 | 272.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
Gambia compared with similar countries
- Gambia's 272.73 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for low income countries, which is 65.39 people per sq. km of land area, 4.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Gambia's 272.73 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.86 people per sq. km of land area, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 45.18 people per sq. km of land area | 40.41 people per sq. km of land area | 50.34 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 59.44 people per sq. km of land area | 51.79 people per sq. km of land area | 68.16 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 84.04 people per sq. km of land area | 70.54 people per sq. km of land area | 99.94 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 122.66 people per sq. km of land area | 104.22 people per sq. km of land area | 139.9 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 163.26 people per sq. km of land area | 143.78 people per sq. km of land area | 184.92 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 216.69 people per sq. km of land area | 190.38 people per sq. km of land area | 242.77 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 260.59 people per sq. km of land area | 248.59 people per sq. km of land area | 272.73 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Gambia
- 43 Saint Lucia 294.66 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 44 United Kingdom 286.37 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 45 Kuwait 274.82 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 47 Trinidad and Tobago 266.84 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 48 Seychelles 265.55 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 49 Luxembourg 262.97 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Gambia
- Population in the largest city 27.8% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 38.27 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in largest city 510,303 (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 11.57 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 3.71 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Gambia?
- Population density in Gambia was 272.73 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Gambia?
- The highest recorded value was 272.73 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Gambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 40.41 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Gambia rank for population density?
- Gambia ranks 46th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Gambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Gambia data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.