Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income): Population density was 72.49 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), 1961–2023
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
In 2023, population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) stood at 72.49 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.8% on the previous year and up 19.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) peaked at 72.49 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 15.48 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 15th of 47 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income), year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 15.48 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 15.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 16.3 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 16.74 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 17.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 17.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 18.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1968 | 18.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 19.19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 19.73 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 20.27 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 20.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 21.41 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1974 | 22.02 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 22.67 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 23.35 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 24.05 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1978 | 24.77 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1979 | 25.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1980 | 26.32 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 27.15 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1982 | 28 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1983 | 28.88 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1984 | 29.8 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1985 | 30.75 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 31.71 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1987 | 32.69 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 33.68 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1989 | 34.68 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 35.89 people per sq. km of land area | +3.5% |
| 1991 | 36.91 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 37.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 38.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1994 | 39.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 40.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 41.96 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1997 | 42.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 43.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 44.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2000 | 45.99 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2001 | 47.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 48.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2003 | 49.1 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 50.23 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 51.38 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2006 | 52.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2007 | 53.72 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 54.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2009 | 56.14 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 57.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2011 | 58.59 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 59.77 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2013 | 60.92 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 62.06 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 63.13 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2016 | 64.17 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 65.3 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2018 | 66.46 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2019 | 67.66 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2020 | 68.85 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 70.04 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 71.24 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 72.49 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 17.25 people per sq. km of land area | 15.48 people per sq. km of land area | 19.19 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 22.46 people per sq. km of land area | 19.73 people per sq. km of land area | 25.53 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 30.37 people per sq. km of land area | 26.32 people per sq. km of land area | 34.68 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 40.45 people per sq. km of land area | 35.89 people per sq. km of land area | 44.98 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 50.91 people per sq. km of land area | 45.99 people per sq. km of land area | 56.14 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 62.54 people per sq. km of land area | 57.37 people per sq. km of land area | 67.66 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 70.65 people per sq. km of land area | 68.85 people per sq. km of land area | 72.49 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- 12 Palestine 857.39 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 13 Channel Islands 842.13 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 14 Barbados 656.6 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 15 Mauritius 625.26 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 16 Aruba 596.44 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 17 Nauru 593.75 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 18 Rwanda 565.64 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)
- Population in the largest city 21.9% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 43.86 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) was 72.49 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, 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 Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The highest recorded value was 72.49 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.48 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) rank for population density?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) ranks 15th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (excluding high income) 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.
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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.