Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania
Mauritania: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 2.91 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.91 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
210th
of 215 countries
All-time high
2.91 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.0613 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Mauritania recorded 2.91 people per square kilometre for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 62.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania peaked at 2.91 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0613 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Mauritania 210th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.0613 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.0684 people per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1963 | 0.0759 people per square kilometre | +10.9% |
| 1964 | 0.0838 people per square kilometre | +10.5% |
| 1965 | 0.0937 people per square kilometre | +11.8% |
| 1966 | 0.105 people per square kilometre | +12.1% |
| 1967 | 0.1174 people per square kilometre | +11.8% |
| 1968 | 0.1308 people per square kilometre | +11.5% |
| 1969 | 0.1454 people per square kilometre | +11.1% |
| 1970 | 0.1611 people per square kilometre | +10.8% |
| 1971 | 0.178 people per square kilometre | +10.5% |
| 1972 | 0.1962 people per square kilometre | +10.2% |
| 1973 | 0.2155 people per square kilometre | +9.9% |
| 1974 | 0.2362 people per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1975 | 0.2582 people per square kilometre | +9.3% |
| 1976 | 0.2816 people per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 1977 | 0.3072 people per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 1978 | 0.3368 people per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1979 | 0.3714 people per square kilometre | +10.3% |
| 1980 | 0.4099 people per square kilometre | +10.4% |
| 1981 | 0.4513 people per square kilometre | +10.1% |
| 1982 | 0.4946 people per square kilometre | +9.6% |
| 1983 | 0.5385 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1984 | 0.5816 people per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1985 | 0.6224 people per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1986 | 0.6591 people per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1987 | 0.6899 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 1988 | 0.713 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 0.7304 people per square kilometre | +2.4% |
| 1990 | 0.7475 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 0.7672 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 0.794 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1993 | 0.8231 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1994 | 0.8476 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 1995 | 0.867 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 0.8803 people per square kilometre | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 0.8965 people per square kilometre | +1.8% |
| 1998 | 0.917 people per square kilometre | +2.3% |
| 1999 | 0.9395 people per square kilometre | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 0.9649 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 0.9904 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 1.02 people per square kilometre | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 1.06 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 1.1 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2005 | 1.15 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2006 | 1.21 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2007 | 1.27 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 1.35 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2009 | 1.43 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2010 | 1.51 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2011 | 1.6 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 2012 | 1.69 people per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 2013 | 1.79 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2014 | 1.88 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 1.99 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 2.1 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2017 | 2.21 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2018 | 2.32 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 2.43 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 2.54 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2021 | 2.66 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 2.78 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2023 | 2.91 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
Mauritania compared with similar countries
- Mauritania's 2.91 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.53 people per square kilometre, 9% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Mauritania's 2.91 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 10% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.098 people per square kilometre | 0.0613 people per square kilometre | 0.1454 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 0.2542 people per square kilometre | 0.1611 people per square kilometre | 0.3714 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.5891 people per square kilometre | 0.4099 people per square kilometre | 0.7304 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.848 people per square kilometre | 0.7475 people per square kilometre | 0.9395 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.15 people per square kilometre | 0.9649 people per square kilometre | 1.43 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.95 people per square kilometre | 1.51 people per square kilometre | 2.43 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.72 people per square kilometre | 2.54 people per square kilometre | 2.91 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Mauritania
- 207 Papua New Guinea 3.45 people per square kilometre compare
- 208 Australia 3.01 people per square kilometre compare
- 209 Botswana 2.93 people per square kilometre compare
- 211 Suriname 2.58 people per square kilometre compare
- 212 Namibia 1.8 people per square kilometre compare
- 213 Mongolia 1.55 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Mauritania
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6195 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.8005 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6195 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.5617 % change on previous year (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1772 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Population density 16.61 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 1.22 million people (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.6% (2100)
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, annual growth rate 4.31 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Mauritania was 2.91 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Mauritania?
- The highest recorded value was 2.91 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Mauritania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0613 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Mauritania rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Mauritania ranks 210th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Mauritania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Mauritania data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.