30. Algeria
> Population density: 48 people per square mile
> Est. population 2020: 43,851,043 — #34 out of 217 countries
> Land area: 919,595 square miles — #10 out of 217 countries
> Population growth, 2015-2020: 10.4%
Algeria is the largest country in Africa by total area. But the vast majority of it is located in Western Sahara, the largest hot desert in the world, and is uninhabitable. As a result, most of the country’s population lives along the Mediterranean coast.
29. Finland
> Population density: 47 people per square mile
> Est. population 2020: 5,530,719 — #115 out of 217 countries
> Land area: 117,344 square miles — #71 out of 217 countries
> Population growth, 2015-2020: 0.9%
Finland is the most sparsely populated country in the European Union. It is the eighth largest country in Europe, but the 23rd most populous. About 86% of the Scandinavian country’s population lives in urban areas, and much of the population lives in the south. The most populous city is the capital, Helsinki, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, with more than 650,000 residents.
28. Paraguay
> Population density: 46 people per square mile
> Est. population 2020: 7,132,530 — #104 out of 217 countries
> Land area: 153,398 square miles — #60 out of 217 countries
> Population growth, 2015-2020: 6.6%
Landlocked Paraguay is located in the heart of South America. The country’s population is largely concentrated in the southern regions. Paraguay has only a handful of cities with a population of over 100,000. The metro area in which the capital, Asuncion, is located, is home to some 2.2 million people.
27. South Sudan
> Population density: 46 people per square mile
> Est. population 2020: 11,193,729 — #83 out of 217 countries
> Land area: 243,989 square miles — #41 out of 217 countries
> Population growth, 2015-2020: 4.5%
The newest country in the world, South Sudan declared independence from Sudan after years of civil war and was internationally recognized in 2011. Much of the country’s population is concentrated along the Nile rivers and their streams. The vast majority of the people live in rural areas and settlements.
26. Belize
> Population density: 45 people per square mile
> Est. population 2020: 397,621 — #173 out of 217 countries
> Land area: 8,807 square miles — #148 out of 217 countries
> Population growth, 2015-2020: 10.2%
Belize is located on the eastern coast of Central America, south of Mexico. The country’s capital, Belmopan, which was built inland after a hurricane destroyed the previous capital in 1961, is the most populous city in Belize.
