Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Tanzania
Tanzania: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 26.68 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
26.68 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 4.9%
World rank
151st
of 215 countries
All-time high
26.68 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.5641 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 Tanzania, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 26.68 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 4.9% on the previous year and up 61.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Tanzania peaked at 26.68 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.5641 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Tanzania ranks 151st of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.5641 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.5824 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 1963 | 0.6015 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 1964 | 0.6219 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1965 | 0.6439 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 0.6679 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 0.694 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 1968 | 0.739 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1969 | 0.8265 people per square kilometre | +11.8% |
| 1970 | 0.9536 people per square kilometre | +15.4% |
| 1971 | 1.12 people per square kilometre | +17.1% |
| 1972 | 1.31 people per square kilometre | +17.5% |
| 1973 | 1.53 people per square kilometre | +16.9% |
| 1974 | 1.78 people per square kilometre | +15.8% |
| 1975 | 2.03 people per square kilometre | +14.4% |
| 1976 | 2.29 people per square kilometre | +12.8% |
| 1977 | 2.54 people per square kilometre | +11.0% |
| 1978 | 2.78 people per square kilometre | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 2.99 people per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1980 | 3.2 people per square kilometre | +7.0% |
| 1981 | 3.41 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1982 | 3.62 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 3.85 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 4.08 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1985 | 4.32 people per square kilometre | +5.9% |
| 1986 | 4.57 people per square kilometre | +5.8% |
| 1987 | 4.83 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 5.09 people per square kilometre | +5.4% |
| 1989 | 5.33 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1990 | 5.58 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1991 | 5.83 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1992 | 6.07 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1993 | 6.37 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1994 | 6.72 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 1995 | 7.04 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1996 | 7.27 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 7.54 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1998 | 7.86 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 1999 | 8.2 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2000 | 8.58 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2001 | 8.98 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2002 | 9.39 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2003 | 9.85 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2004 | 10.36 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2005 | 10.93 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2006 | 11.54 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2007 | 12.2 people per square kilometre | +5.7% |
| 2008 | 12.87 people per square kilometre | +5.5% |
| 2009 | 13.55 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 14.25 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2011 | 15 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 15.77 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2013 | 16.58 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2014 | 17.42 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2015 | 18.33 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 19.3 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2017 | 20.29 people per square kilometre | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 21.29 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 2019 | 22.28 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 23.3 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 24.36 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 25.44 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2023 | 26.68 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 26.68 people per square kilometre is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 33.53 people per square kilometre, 80% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 26.68 people per square kilometre is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 94% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.6601 people per square kilometre | 0.5641 people per square kilometre | 0.8265 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.93 people per square kilometre | 0.9536 people per square kilometre | 2.99 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 4.23 people per square kilometre | 3.2 people per square kilometre | 5.33 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.85 people per square kilometre | 5.58 people per square kilometre | 8.2 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 10.82 people per square kilometre | 8.58 people per square kilometre | 13.55 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.05 people per square kilometre | 14.25 people per square kilometre | 22.28 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 24.95 people per square kilometre | 23.3 people per square kilometre | 26.68 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
- 148 Fiji 29.64 people per square kilometre compare
- 149 Venezuela 28.64 people per square kilometre compare
- 150 Yemen 27.28 people per square kilometre compare
- 152 East Timor 26.62 people per square kilometre compare
- 153 Ethiopia 26.3 people per square kilometre compare
- 154 Myanmar 25.2 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Tanzania
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 129,932 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.6843 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.36 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.8793 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.9% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 20.58 million people (2100)
- Population density 296.72 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.9% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.089 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Tanzania?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Tanzania was 26.68 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 26.68 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.5641 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Tanzania rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Tanzania ranks 151st 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 Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 61.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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.