Nigeria vs Zambia: Rural population density

Nigeria
227.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
Zambia
241.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2011
Nigeria rank
33rd
Zambia rank
31st

Rural population density over time

  • Nigeria
  • Zambia
0100200300196119862011

How they compare

Zambia currently reports 241.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land against 227.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land in Nigeria, a difference of 13.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land.

That makes Zambia's figure about 1.1 times Nigeria's.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Nigeria ahead.

Nigeria ranks 33rd and Zambia ranks 31st of 53 countries.

Across the 6 decades both report, Nigeria averaged higher in 4 and Zambia in 2.

Head to head by decade

Decade Nigeria Zambia Difference Ahead
1960s 153.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land 102.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land 50.78 rural population per sq. km of arable land Nigeria
1970s 175.24 rural population per sq. km of arable land 111.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land 63.48 rural population per sq. km of arable land Nigeria
1980s 203.67 rural population per sq. km of arable land 164.26 rural population per sq. km of arable land 39.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land Nigeria
1990s 225.43 rural population per sq. km of arable land 198.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land 26.72 rural population per sq. km of arable land Nigeria
2000s 224.45 rural population per sq. km of arable land 249.94 rural population per sq. km of arable land 25.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land Zambia
2010s 225.91 rural population per sq. km of arable land 227.59 rural population per sq. km of arable land 1.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land Zambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rural population density, Nigeria or Zambia?
Zambia, at 241.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land against 227.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land in Nigeria as of 2011.
What is the difference in rural population density between Nigeria and Zambia?
13.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land, with Zambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Nigeria and Zambia?
51 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2011.
How do Nigeria and Zambia rank globally for rural population density?
Nigeria ranks 33rd and Zambia ranks 31st of 53 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Nigeria vs Zambia: Rural population density. Statizoid, drawing on Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Retrieved 07 September 2026, from https://environment.statizoid.com/compare/rural-population-density-rural-population-per-sq-km-of-arable-land/nigeria/zambia/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land)
Unit
rural population per sq. km of arable land
Source
Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
59 places, 2,977 data points, 1961–2011
Last refreshed

Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.