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Population density: Bhutan vs Malawi compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bhutan has a population density of 54.5 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Bhutan has 522,119 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Bhutan and Malawi rank 168th and 48th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bhutan has 0.01% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.27% of the population and 0.06% of the land area for Malawi, making the population density in Bhutan 91.3% lower than in Malawi.

Population density by year

Bhutan
Malawi

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bhutan Malawi
2026 54.5 626
2025 54.1 610
2024 53.8 595
2023 53.4 580
2022 53 565
2021 52.7 551
2020 52.3 537
2019 51.9 523
2018 51.6 509
2017 51.2 496
2016 50.8 482
2015 50.3 469
2014 49.8 457
2013 49.3 444
2012 48.7 432
2011 48.2 419
2010 47.7 407
2009 47.2 395
2008 46.6 384
2007 46.1 373
2006 45.6 363
2005 45 353
2004 44.2 343
2003 41.5 335
2002 40.6 326
2001 39.7 318
2000 38.8 311
1999 37.9 303
1998 37.1 296.5
1997 36.4 290.2
1996 35.7 284.4
1995 35.7 278.8
1994 36.1 279.2
1993 30.7 282.5
1992 32 278.4
1991 33.2 270.4
1990 32.7 262.2
1989 31.8 252.1
1988 30.9 240.5
1987 30 227.8
1986 29.1 217.2
1985 28.2 209.3
1984 27.3 201.4
1983 26.5 193.7
1982 25.6 186.2
1981 24.8 179
1980 24 172.1
1979 23.2 165.6
1978 22.5 159.6
1977 21.7 154.3
1976 21 149.5
1975 20.3 145.3
1974 19.6 141.2
1973 18.9 137.5
1972 18.3 133.9
1971 17.7 130.5
1970 17.1 127.3
1969 16.5 124.2
1968 16 121.2
1967 15.5 118.2
1966 15 115.3
1965 14.5 112.5
1964 14 109.8
1963 13.6 107.2
1962 13.2 104.6
1961 12.8 102.1

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bhutan/malawi | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bhutan increased by 19.5%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.

In 2006, Bhutan ranked 160th by population density and is 168th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bhutan
Malawi
1x
Year Urban population
Bhutan Malawi
2024 42.6% 17.3%
2023 41.7% 17%
2022 40.9% 16.7%
2021 40.3% 16.5%
2020 39.7% 16.3%
2019 39.1% 16.1%
2018 38.5% 16%
2017 37.9% 16%
2016 37.3% 15.9%
2015 36.7% 15.8%
2014 36.1% 15.8%
2013 35.6% 15.7%
2012 35% 15.6%
2011 34.5% 15.6%
2010 33.9% 15.5%
2009 33.3% 15.4%
2008 32.8% 15.3%
2007 32.2% 15.2%
2006 31.6% 15.2%
2005 30.9% 15.1%
2004 30.3% 15%
2003 29.6% 15%
2002 29% 14.9%
2001 28.3% 14.8%
2000 27.6% 14.7%
1999 26.9% 14.6%
1998 26.2% 14.4%
1997 25.5% 14.2%
1996 24.7% 14%
1995 24% 13.6%
1994 23.3% 13.3%
1993 22.5% 12.9%
1992 21.7% 12.4%
1991 21% 12%
1990 20.2% 11.6%
1989 19.4% 11.2%
1988 18.6% 10.9%
1987 17.9% 10.6%
1986 17.1% 10.4%
1985 16.3% 10.1%
1984 15.5% 9.93%
1983 14.7% 9.73%
1982 13.9% 9.54%
1981 13% 9.34%
1980 12.2% 9.13%
1979 11.2% 8.92%
1978 10.1% 8.68%
1977 8.99% 8.42%
1976 7.87% 8.11%
1975 6.78% 7.76%
1974 5.77% 7.36%
1973 4.86% 6.95%
1972 4.09% 6.53%
1971 3.51% 6.12%
1970 3.16% 5.73%
1969 3.01% 5.38%
1968 2.91% 5.08%
1967 2.83% 4.84%
1966 2.77% 4.69%
1965 2.71% 4.57%
1964 2.66% 4.45%
1963 2.61% 4.34%
1962 2.57% 4.24%
1961 2.53% 4.14%
1960 2.48% 4.04%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bhutan/malawi | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 30.3% to 42.6% in Bhutan and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/bhutan/malawi | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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