Botswana has a population density of 11.9 people per square mile compared to 286.9 people in Malaysia. Botswana has 2,443,976 sq ft of land per person vs 98,970 sq ft in Malaysia. Botswana and Malaysia rank 190th and 85th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Botswana has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.38% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.44% of the population and 0.22% of the land area for Malaysia, making the population density in Botswana 95.9% lower than in Malaysia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Botswana
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2026 | 11.9 | 286.9 |
| 2025 | 11.7 | 283.6 |
| 2024 | 11.5 | 280.3 |
| 2023 | 11.3 | 276.9 |
| 2022 | 11.2 | 273.5 |
| 2021 | 11 | 270.3 |
| 2020 | 10.8 | 267.2 |
| 2019 | 10.7 | 263.6 |
| 2018 | 10.5 | 259.4 |
| 2017 | 10.4 | 255.1 |
| 2016 | 10.2 | 250.6 |
| 2015 | 10.1 | 246.2 |
| 2014 | 9.93 | 242 |
| 2013 | 9.78 | 237.9 |
| 2012 | 9.64 | 233.8 |
| 2011 | 9.48 | 229.9 |
| 2010 | 9.29 | 225.9 |
| 2009 | 9.1 | 221.7 |
| 2008 | 8.91 | 217.3 |
| 2007 | 8.73 | 212.8 |
| 2006 | 8.57 | 208.3 |
| 2005 | 8.41 | 203.7 |
| 2004 | 8.26 | 199.1 |
| 2003 | 8.12 | 194.6 |
| 2002 | 7.97 | 190 |
| 2001 | 7.83 | 185.5 |
| 2000 | 7.67 | 181.1 |
| 1999 | 7.5 | 176.9 |
| 1998 | 7.34 | 172.7 |
| 1997 | 7.18 | 168.5 |
| 1996 | 7.02 | 164.4 |
| 1995 | 6.85 | 160.3 |
| 1994 | 6.67 | 156.2 |
| 1993 | 6.49 | 152.3 |
| 1992 | 6.31 | 148.5 |
| 1991 | 6.13 | 144.6 |
| 1990 | 5.97 | 140.6 |
| 1989 | 5.81 | 136.5 |
| 1988 | 5.65 | 132.4 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 128.3 |
| 1986 | 5.3 | 124.2 |
| 1985 | 5.13 | 120.2 |
| 1984 | 4.95 | 116.3 |
| 1983 | 4.78 | 112.6 |
| 1982 | 4.61 | 109 |
| 1981 | 4.43 | 105.6 |
| 1980 | 4.28 | 102.3 |
| 1979 | 4.12 | 99.5 |
| 1978 | 3.88 | 97.2 |
| 1977 | 3.65 | 94.9 |
| 1976 | 3.47 | 92.6 |
| 1975 | 3.29 | 90.4 |
| 1974 | 3.13 | 88.3 |
| 1973 | 2.98 | 86.2 |
| 1972 | 2.84 | 84.2 |
| 1971 | 2.74 | 82.2 |
| 1970 | 2.7 | 80.2 |
| 1969 | 2.68 | 78.4 |
| 1968 | 2.67 | 76.7 |
| 1967 | 2.65 | 74.9 |
| 1966 | 2.64 | 73.2 |
| 1965 | 2.63 | 71.4 |
| 1964 | 2.59 | 69.6 |
| 1963 | 2.53 | 67.8 |
| 1962 | 2.47 | 66.1 |
| 1961 | 2.41 | 64.4 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/malaysia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Botswana increased by 38.9%, compared to a 37.8% growth in Malaysia.
In 2006, Botswana ranked 188th by population density and is 190th now. Malaysia was 92nd in 2006 and ranks 85th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Botswana
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 11.9 ppl/mi² | 286.9 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 190/197 | 85/197 |
| Population |
2624853
|
36600906
|
| Land area | 218,816 sq mi | 126,854 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,380,929 sq ft | 98,296 sq ft |
| Rural population | 32% | 22.6% |
| Urban population | 68% | 77.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 24.6% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Botswana
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2025 | 68% | 77.4% |
| 2024 | 67.5% | 76.9% |
| 2023 | 67% | 76.4% |
| 2022 | 66.6% | 76% |
| 2021 | 66.5% | 75.5% |
| 2020 | 66.4% | 75.1% |
| 2019 | 66.3% | 74.8% |
| 2018 | 66.2% | 74.6% |
| 2017 | 65.9% | 74.2% |
| 2016 | 65.7% | 73.9% |
| 2015 | 65.4% | 73.4% |
| 2014 | 65.1% | 73% |
| 2013 | 64.8% | 72.5% |
| 2012 | 64.4% | 72% |
| 2011 | 64% | 71.4% |
| 2010 | 63.5% | 70.9% |
| 2009 | 62.8% | 70.2% |
| 2008 | 61.8% | 69.5% |
| 2007 | 60.8% | 68.8% |
| 2006 | 59.6% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 58.5% | 67% |
| 2004 | 57.3% | 66.1% |
| 2003 | 56.1% | 65.1% |
| 2002 | 55% | 64.1% |
| 2001 | 54% | 63% |
| 2000 | 53.2% | 62% |
| 1999 | 52.4% | 60.9% |
| 1998 | 51.7% | 59.7% |
| 1997 | 51.1% | 58.5% |
| 1996 | 50.4% | 57.2% |
| 1995 | 49.6% | 55.9% |
| 1994 | 48.8% | 54.6% |
| 1993 | 47.9% | 53.2% |
| 1992 | 46.8% | 51.9% |
| 1991 | 45.5% | 50.5% |
| 1990 | 43.6% | 49% |
| 1989 | 40.9% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 37.6% | 45.8% |
| 1987 | 33.9% | 44% |
| 1986 | 30% | 42.3% |
| 1985 | 26.2% | 40.6% |
| 1984 | 22.6% | 39% |
| 1983 | 19.6% | 37.5% |
| 1982 | 17.2% | 36.2% |
| 1981 | 15.8% | 35.1% |
| 1980 | 14.9% | 34.2% |
| 1979 | 14.2% | 33.6% |
| 1978 | 13.6% | 33% |
| 1977 | 13.1% | 32.4% |
| 1976 | 12.6% | 31.9% |
| 1975 | 12.1% | 31.4% |
| 1974 | 11.7% | 30.9% |
| 1973 | 11.1% | 30.5% |
| 1972 | 10.6% | 30.1% |
| 1971 | 9.89% | 29.8% |
| 1970 | 9% | 29.4% |
| 1969 | 7.93% | 29.1% |
| 1968 | 6.78% | 28.8% |
| 1967 | 5.65% | 28.5% |
| 1966 | 4.63% | 28.1% |
| 1965 | 3.83% | 27.8% |
| 1964 | 3.37% | 27.5% |
| 1963 | 3.22% | 27.2% |
| 1962 | 3.14% | 26.8% |
| 1961 | 3.07% | 26.5% |
| 1960 | 3% | 26.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/malaysia | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 58.5% to 68% in Botswana and from 67% to 77.4% in Malaysia.
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Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/botswana/malaysia | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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