Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan: Population density was 63.12 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, 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 stood at 63.12 people per sq. km of land area. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 19.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan peaked at 63.12 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 12.81 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 20th out of 47 groups with data for 2023, putting it 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, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 12.81 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 13.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1963 | 13.51 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 13.88 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 14.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 14.65 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1967 | 15.07 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1968 | 15.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1969 | 15.95 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 16.41 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 16.87 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1972 | 17.35 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1973 | 17.85 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1974 | 18.37 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 18.93 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1976 | 19.51 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 20.12 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 20.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 21.4 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 22.08 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1981 | 22.8 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1982 | 23.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1983 | 24.29 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 25.09 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1985 | 25.91 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1986 | 26.74 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1987 | 27.59 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1988 | 28.44 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1989 | 29.31 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1990 | 30.3 people per sq. km of land area | +3.4% |
| 1991 | 31.17 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1992 | 32.08 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1993 | 32.98 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1994 | 33.84 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1995 | 34.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1996 | 35.56 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 36.43 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1998 | 37.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 38.22 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2000 | 39.12 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 40.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2002 | 40.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 41.93 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2004 | 42.93 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2005 | 43.97 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 45.05 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 46.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2008 | 47.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 48.4 people per sq. km of land area | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 49.41 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 2011 | 50.53 people per sq. km of land area | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 51.66 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 52.78 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 53.83 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2015 | 54.9 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 55.91 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 56.87 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2018 | 57.78 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 2019 | 58.76 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 2020 | 59.84 people per sq. km of land area | +1.8% |
| 2021 | 60.73 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 2022 | 61.89 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 2023 | 63.12 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 14.31 people per sq. km of land area | 12.81 people per sq. km of land area | 15.95 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 18.76 people per sq. km of land area | 16.41 people per sq. km of land area | 21.4 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.58 people per sq. km of land area | 22.08 people per sq. km of land area | 29.31 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.26 people per sq. km of land area | 30.3 people per sq. km of land area | 38.22 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 43.58 people per sq. km of land area | 39.12 people per sq. km of land area | 48.4 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.24 people per sq. km of land area | 49.41 people per sq. km of land area | 58.76 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 61.39 people per sq. km of land area | 59.84 people per sq. km of land area | 63.12 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- 17 Nauru 593.75 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 18 Rwanda 565.64 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 19 Lebanon 564.37 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 20 San Marino 564.33 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 21 Saint Martin (French part) 550.3 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 22 Burundi 533.08 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 23 Netherlands 530.95 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan
- Population in the largest city 23.6% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 45.36 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 →
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Population density in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan was 63.12 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?
- The highest recorded value was 63.12 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.81 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan rank for population density?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan ranks 20th out of 47 groups with data for 2023.
- Is population density rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan 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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CSV · JSON — 63 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.