Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Mauritania
Mauritania: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 5.02 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
5.02 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.9%
World rank
206th
of 216 countries
All-time high
5.02 people per sq. km of land area
in 2024
All-time low
0.821 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Mauritania, 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
Mauritania recorded 5.02 people per sq. km of land area for population density in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 2.9% on the previous year and up 34.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Mauritania peaked at 5.02 people per sq. km of land area in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.821 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Mauritania 206th out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom 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 Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.821 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 0.8433 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 0.8668 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1964 | 0.8916 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1965 | 0.9177 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 0.9451 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 0.9739 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1968 | 1 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1969 | 1.03 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1970 | 1.07 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1971 | 1.1 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1972 | 1.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1973 | 1.17 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 1.2 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 1.24 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 1.28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 1.31 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1978 | 1.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1979 | 1.39 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 1.43 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1981 | 1.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1982 | 1.51 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 1.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1984 | 1.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1985 | 1.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 1.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 1.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 1.8 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 1.85 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 1.89 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1991 | 1.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 2.03 people per sq. km of land area | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 2.11 people per sq. km of land area | +4.1% |
| 1994 | 2.18 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1995 | 2.24 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1996 | 2.29 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 2.34 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 2.4 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1999 | 2.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 2.54 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2001 | 2.6 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2002 | 2.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 2.72 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 2.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 2.85 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 2.92 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 3.09 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.19 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 3.29 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2011 | 3.4 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2012 | 3.51 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 3.62 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2014 | 3.73 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 3.85 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 2016 | 3.96 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2017 | 4.09 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2018 | 4.21 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2019 | 4.33 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2020 | 4.46 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2021 | 4.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 4.73 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 4.87 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 5.02 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 5.02 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 82.92 people per sq. km of land area, 6% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 5.02 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 69.86 people per sq. km of land area, 7% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.922 people per sq. km of land area | 0.821 people per sq. km of land area | 1.03 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.22 people per sq. km of land area | 1.07 people per sq. km of land area | 1.39 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.63 people per sq. km of land area | 1.43 people per sq. km of land area | 1.85 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.19 people per sq. km of land area | 1.89 people per sq. km of land area | 2.47 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.83 people per sq. km of land area | 2.54 people per sq. km of land area | 3.19 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.8 people per sq. km of land area | 3.29 people per sq. km of land area | 4.33 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.74 people per sq. km of land area | 4.46 people per sq. km of land area | 5.02 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
- 203 Russia 8.77 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 204 Central African Republic 8.56 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 205 Kazakhstan 7.63 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 207 Canada 4.69 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 208 Botswana 4.45 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 209 Libya 4.19 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Mauritania
- Population in the largest city 49.4% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 46.5 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.3035 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.61 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 3.92 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 1.45 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.61 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 9.24 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Mauritania?
- Population density in Mauritania was 5.02 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 Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 5.02 people per sq. km of land area in 2024.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.821 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Mauritania rank for population density?
- Mauritania ranks 206th out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania 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.