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Population density: El Salvador vs Malawi compared

Updated on by Georank team

El Salvador has a population density of 799 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. El Salvador has 35,733 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. El Salvador and Malawi rank 33rd and 48th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. El Salvador has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.01% 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 El Salvador 27.6% higher than in Malawi.

Population density by year

El Salvador
Malawi

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
El Salvador Malawi
2026 799 626
2025 796 610
2024 792 595
2023 789 580
2022 785 565
2021 782 551
2020 779 537
2019 778 523
2018 777 509
2017 777 496
2016 775 482
2015 773 469
2014 770 457
2013 767 444
2012 764 432
2011 761 419
2010 759 407
2009 756 395
2008 754 384
2007 751 373
2006 750 363
2005 751 353
2004 751 343
2003 750 335
2002 748 326
2001 746 318
2000 743 311
1999 739 303
1998 735 296.5
1997 731 290.2
1996 726 284.4
1995 720 278.8
1994 714 279.2
1993 707 282.5
1992 698 278.4
1991 687 270.4
1990 675 262.2
1989 662 252.1
1988 649 240.5
1987 637 227.8
1986 624 217.2
1985 612 209.3
1984 600 201.4
1983 588 193.7
1982 578 186.2
1981 571 179
1980 568 172.1
1979 560 165.6
1978 549 159.6
1977 538 154.3
1976 526 149.5
1975 512 145.3
1974 501 141.2
1973 489 137.5
1972 478 133.9
1971 467 130.5
1970 456 127.3
1969 444 124.2
1968 432 121.2
1967 421 118.2
1966 409 115.3
1965 397 112.5
1964 387 109.8
1963 376 107.2
1962 366 104.6
1961 357 102.1

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/el-salvador/malawi | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in El Salvador increased by 6.51%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.

In 2006, El Salvador ranked 29th by population density and is 33rd now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

El Salvador
Malawi
1x
Year Urban population
El Salvador Malawi
2024 75.1% 17.3%
2023 74.6% 17%
2022 74.1% 16.7%
2021 73.7% 16.5%
2020 73.1% 16.3%
2019 72.4% 16.1%
2018 71.8% 16%
2017 71.1% 16%
2016 70.4% 15.9%
2015 69.7% 15.8%
2014 68.9% 15.8%
2013 68.1% 15.7%
2012 67.2% 15.6%
2011 66.3% 15.6%
2010 65.4% 15.5%
2009 64.5% 15.4%
2008 63.6% 15.3%
2007 62.8% 15.2%
2006 61.9% 15.2%
2005 61% 15.1%
2004 60.1% 15%
2003 59.2% 15%
2002 58.3% 14.9%
2001 57.5% 14.8%
2000 56.6% 14.7%
1999 55.7% 14.6%
1998 54.8% 14.4%
1997 54% 14.2%
1996 53.2% 14%
1995 52.4% 13.6%
1994 51.7% 13.3%
1993 50.9% 12.9%
1992 50.3% 12.4%
1991 49.6% 12%
1990 49% 11.6%
1989 48.3% 11.2%
1988 47.7% 10.9%
1987 47% 10.6%
1986 46.4% 10.4%
1985 45.7% 10.1%
1984 45.1% 9.93%
1983 44.5% 9.73%
1982 43.9% 9.54%
1981 43.4% 9.34%
1980 42.8% 9.13%
1979 42.3% 8.92%
1978 41.8% 8.68%
1977 41.4% 8.42%
1976 41% 8.11%
1975 40.6% 7.76%
1974 40.2% 7.36%
1973 40% 6.95%
1972 39.7% 6.53%
1971 39.5% 6.12%
1970 39.4% 5.73%
1969 39.3% 5.38%
1968 39.2% 5.08%
1967 39.1% 4.84%
1966 39% 4.69%
1965 38.9% 4.57%
1964 38.8% 4.45%
1963 38.7% 4.34%
1962 38.6% 4.24%
1961 38.5% 4.14%
1960 38.4% 4.04%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/el-salvador/malawi | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 60.1% to 75.1% in El Salvador and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.

Densely populated cities

El Salvador
City Population
San Salvador 331K
Santa Ana 251K
San Miguel 233K
Soyapango 230K
Mejicanos 137K
Apopa 129K
Ahuachapan 127K
Santa Tecla 126K
Sonsonate 72.2K
Usulutan 66.1K
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/el-salvador/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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