 According to <unk> , Mogadishu has a population of around 2 @,@ 120 @,@ 000 residents as of 2015 . It is the <unk> largest city in the world by population size . The urban area occupies 91 square kilometres ( 35 sq mi ) , with a population density of around 23 @,@ 400 inhabitants per square kilometre ( 61 @,@ 000 / sq mi ) . As of September 2014 , the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation is scheduled to launch the first population census for Somalia in over two decades . The <unk> assisted the Ministry in the project , which is slated to be finalized ahead of the planned <unk> and local and national elections in 2016 . 
