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Population density: Bhutan vs Maldives compared

Updated on by Georank team

Bhutan has a population density of 54.5 people per square mile compared to 4,620 people in Maldives. Bhutan has 522,119 sq ft of land per person vs 6,077 sq ft in Maldives. Bhutan and Maldives rank 168th and 6th 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 0.006% of the population and 0.0002% of the land area for Maldives, making the population density in Bhutan 98.8% lower than in Maldives.

Population density by year

Bhutan
Maldives

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Bhutan Maldives
2026 54.5 4,620
2025 54.1 4,604
2024 53.8 4,587
2023 53.4 4,572
2022 53 4,525
2021 52.7 4,456
2020 52.3 4,335
2019 51.9 4,211
2018 51.6 4,084
2017 51.2 3,957
2016 50.8 3,827
2015 50.3 3,696
2014 49.8 3,571
2013 49.3 3,454
2012 48.7 3,340
2011 48.2 3,226
2010 47.7 3,115
2009 47.2 3,007
2008 46.6 2,902
2007 46.1 2,801
2006 45.6 2,710
2005 45 2,645
2004 44.2 2,602
2003 41.5 2,560
2002 40.6 2,518
2001 39.7 2,476
2000 38.8 2,435
1999 37.9 2,395
1998 37.1 2,354
1997 36.4 2,311
1996 35.7 2,265
1995 35.7 2,216
1994 36.1 2,165
1993 30.7 2,114
1992 32 2,059
1991 33.2 2,001
1990 32.7 1,940
1989 31.8 1,880
1988 30.9 1,821
1987 30 1,761
1986 29.1 1,700
1985 28.2 1,642
1984 27.3 1,590
1983 26.5 1,546
1982 25.6 1,505
1981 24.8 1,464
1980 24 1,423
1979 23.2 1,384
1978 22.5 1,348
1977 21.7 1,312
1976 21 1,274
1975 20.3 1,236
1974 19.6 1,200
1973 18.9 1,165
1972 18.3 1,131
1971 17.7 1,097
1970 17.1 1,064
1969 16.5 1,032
1968 16 1,002
1967 15.5 971
1966 15 937
1965 14.5 899
1964 14 869
1963 13.6 848
1962 13.2 827
1961 12.8 807

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/maldives | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Bhutan increased by 19.5%, compared to a 70.5% growth in Maldives.

In 2006, Bhutan ranked 160th by population density and is 168th now. Maldives was 7th in 2006 and ranks 6th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Bhutan
Maldives
1x
Year Urban population
Bhutan Maldives
2024 42.6% 42%
2023 41.7% 41.5%
2022 40.9% 41.1%
2021 40.3% 40.7%
2020 39.7% 40.4%
2019 39.1% 40%
2018 38.5% 39.7%
2017 37.9% 39.3%
2016 37.3% 39%
2015 36.7% 38.6%
2014 36.1% 38.2%
2013 35.6% 37.8%
2012 35% 37.5%
2011 34.5% 37.1%
2010 33.9% 36.8%
2009 33.3% 36.4%
2008 32.8% 35.9%
2007 32.2% 35.4%
2006 31.6% 34.9%
2005 30.9% 34.1%
2004 30.3% 32.9%
2003 29.6% 31.4%
2002 29% 29.9%
2001 28.3% 28.6%
2000 27.6% 27.6%
1999 26.9% 27%
1998 26.2% 26.5%
1997 25.5% 26%
1996 24.7% 25.7%
1995 24% 25.5%
1994 23.3% 25.6%
1993 22.5% 25.6%
1992 21.7% 25.7%
1991 21% 25.8%
1990 20.2% 25.9%
1989 19.4% 25.8%
1988 18.6% 25.8%
1987 17.9% 25.7%
1986 17.1% 25.6%
1985 16.3% 25.5%
1984 15.5% 25.3%
1983 14.7% 24.9%
1982 13.9% 24.3%
1981 13% 23.6%
1980 12.2% 22.8%
1979 11.2% 22%
1978 10.1% 21.1%
1977 8.99% 20.2%
1976 7.87% 19%
1975 6.78% 17.6%
1974 5.77% 16.2%
1973 4.86% 14.7%
1972 4.09% 13.5%
1971 3.51% 12.5%
1970 3.16% 11.9%
1969 3.01% 11.6%
1968 2.91% 11.4%
1967 2.83% 11.3%
1966 2.77% 11.4%
1965 2.71% 11.5%
1964 2.66% 11.5%
1963 2.61% 11.4%
1962 2.57% 11.4%
1961 2.53% 11.4%
1960 2.48% 11.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 30.3% to 42.6% in Bhutan and from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K

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/maldives | 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 (2014–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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