Burundi has a population density of 1,487 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Burundi has 21,327 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Burundi and Malawi rank 15th and 48th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Burundi has 0.17% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Burundi 137.4% higher than in Malawi.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Burundi
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2026 | 1,487 | 626 |
| 2025 | 1,452 | 610 |
| 2024 | 1,417 | 595 |
| 2023 | 1,381 | 580 |
| 2022 | 1,344 | 565 |
| 2021 | 1,308 | 551 |
| 2020 | 1,273 | 537 |
| 2019 | 1,236 | 523 |
| 2018 | 1,196 | 509 |
| 2017 | 1,161 | 496 |
| 2016 | 1,134 | 482 |
| 2015 | 1,114 | 469 |
| 2014 | 1,089 | 457 |
| 2013 | 1,053 | 444 |
| 2012 | 1,016 | 432 |
| 2011 | 980 | 419 |
| 2010 | 946 | 407 |
| 2009 | 902 | 395 |
| 2008 | 858 | 384 |
| 2007 | 823 | 373 |
| 2006 | 793 | 363 |
| 2005 | 765 | 353 |
| 2004 | 737 | 343 |
| 2003 | 710 | 335 |
| 2002 | 688 | 326 |
| 2001 | 669 | 318 |
| 2000 | 653 | 311 |
| 1999 | 639 | 303 |
| 1998 | 624 | 296.5 |
| 1997 | 612 | 290.2 |
| 1996 | 612 | 284.4 |
| 1995 | 612 | 278.8 |
| 1994 | 576 | 279.2 |
| 1993 | 573 | 282.5 |
| 1992 | 591 | 278.4 |
| 1991 | 575 | 270.4 |
| 1990 | 563 | 262.2 |
| 1989 | 552 | 252.1 |
| 1988 | 541 | 240.5 |
| 1987 | 529 | 227.8 |
| 1986 | 517 | 217.2 |
| 1985 | 508 | 209.3 |
| 1984 | 497 | 201.4 |
| 1983 | 485 | 193.7 |
| 1982 | 472 | 186.2 |
| 1981 | 461 | 179 |
| 1980 | 442 | 172.1 |
| 1979 | 424 | 165.6 |
| 1978 | 414 | 159.6 |
| 1977 | 402 | 154.3 |
| 1976 | 392 | 149.5 |
| 1975 | 383 | 145.3 |
| 1974 | 374 | 141.2 |
| 1973 | 364 | 137.5 |
| 1972 | 365 | 133.9 |
| 1971 | 365 | 130.5 |
| 1970 | 356 | 127.3 |
| 1969 | 348 | 124.2 |
| 1968 | 341 | 121.2 |
| 1967 | 333 | 118.2 |
| 1966 | 325 | 115.3 |
| 1965 | 317 | 112.5 |
| 1964 | 308 | 109.8 |
| 1963 | 299.5 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 293.3 | 104.6 |
| 1961 | 285.9 | 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/burundi/malawi | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Burundi increased by 87.4%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.
In 2006, Burundi ranked 27th by population density and is 15th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Burundi
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,487 ppl/mi² | 626 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 15/197 | 48/197 |
| Population |
14833763
|
22949294
|
| Land area | 9,915 sq mi | 36,402 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 19,677 sq ft | 46,863 sq ft |
| Rural population | 75.2% | 82.7% |
| Urban population | 24.8% | 17.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Burundi
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2024 | 24.8% | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 23.6% | 17% |
| 2022 | 22.3% | 16.7% |
| 2021 | 21.1% | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 19.9% | 16.3% |
| 2019 | 18.8% | 16.1% |
| 2018 | 17.7% | 16% |
| 2017 | 16.6% | 16% |
| 2016 | 15.6% | 15.9% |
| 2015 | 14.7% | 15.8% |
| 2014 | 13.8% | 15.8% |
| 2013 | 13% | 15.7% |
| 2012 | 12.2% | 15.6% |
| 2011 | 11.6% | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 11% | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 10.5% | 15.4% |
| 2008 | 10.1% | 15.3% |
| 2007 | 9.77% | 15.2% |
| 2006 | 9.46% | 15.2% |
| 2005 | 9.18% | 15.1% |
| 2004 | 8.92% | 15% |
| 2003 | 8.68% | 15% |
| 2002 | 8.45% | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 8.24% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 8.04% | 14.7% |
| 1999 | 7.86% | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 7.68% | 14.4% |
| 1997 | 7.51% | 14.2% |
| 1996 | 7.34% | 14% |
| 1995 | 7.17% | 13.6% |
| 1994 | 7% | 13.3% |
| 1993 | 6.83% | 12.9% |
| 1992 | 6.65% | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 6.46% | 12% |
| 1990 | 6.27% | 11.6% |
| 1989 | 6.07% | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 5.86% | 10.9% |
| 1987 | 5.66% | 10.6% |
| 1986 | 5.46% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 5.26% | 10.1% |
| 1984 | 5.07% | 9.93% |
| 1983 | 4.88% | 9.73% |
| 1982 | 4.69% | 9.54% |
| 1981 | 4.51% | 9.34% |
| 1980 | 4.34% | 9.13% |
| 1979 | 4.18% | 8.92% |
| 1978 | 4.02% | 8.68% |
| 1977 | 3.87% | 8.42% |
| 1976 | 3.72% | 8.11% |
| 1975 | 3.57% | 7.76% |
| 1974 | 3.42% | 7.36% |
| 1973 | 3.28% | 6.95% |
| 1972 | 3.14% | 6.53% |
| 1971 | 3.01% | 6.12% |
| 1970 | 2.88% | 5.73% |
| 1969 | 2.75% | 5.38% |
| 1968 | 2.63% | 5.08% |
| 1967 | 2.51% | 4.84% |
| 1966 | 2.4% | 4.69% |
| 1965 | 2.3% | 4.57% |
| 1964 | 2.2% | 4.45% |
| 1963 | 2.11% | 4.34% |
| 1962 | 2.01% | 4.24% |
| 1961 | 1.92% | 4.14% |
| 1960 | 1.84% | 4.04% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/burundi/malawi | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 8.92% to 24.8% in Burundi and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.
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Population density in other countries
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/burundi/malawi | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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