Skip to content

Population density: Ethiopia vs Maldives compared

Updated on by Georank team

Ethiopia has a population density of 319 people per square mile compared to 4,620 people in Maldives. Ethiopia has 90,009 sq ft of land per person vs 6,077 sq ft in Maldives. Ethiopia and Maldives rank 78th and 6th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ethiopia has 1.62% of the world's population and 0.76% 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 Ethiopia 93.1% lower than in Maldives.

Population density by year

Ethiopia
Maldives

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Ethiopia Maldives
2026 319 4,620
2025 311 4,604
2024 303 4,587
2023 295.4 4,572
2022 287.8 4,525
2021 280.3 4,456
2020 272.9 4,335
2019 265.6 4,211
2018 258.6 4,084
2017 251.7 3,957
2016 244.9 3,827
2015 238.4 3,696
2014 232.1 3,571
2013 225.9 3,454
2012 219.8 3,340
2011 213.8 3,226
2010 207.8 3,115
2009 202 3,007
2008 196.3 2,902
2007 190.7 2,801
2006 185.2 2,710
2005 179.8 2,645
2004 174.6 2,602
2003 191.2 2,560
2002 185.5 2,518
2001 180 2,476
2000 174.6 2,435
1999 169.3 2,395
1998 164.1 2,354
1997 159 2,311
1996 154 2,265
1995 149 2,216
1994 144 2,165
1993 139.1 2,114
1992 - 2,059
1991 - 2,001
1990 - 1,940
1989 - 1,880
1988 - 1,821
1987 - 1,761
1986 - 1,700
1985 - 1,642
1984 - 1,590
1983 - 1,546
1982 - 1,505
1981 - 1,464
1980 - 1,423
1979 - 1,384
1978 - 1,348
1977 - 1,312
1976 - 1,274
1975 - 1,236
1974 - 1,200
1973 - 1,165
1972 - 1,131
1971 - 1,097
1970 - 1,064
1969 - 1,032
1968 - 1,002
1967 - 971
1966 - 937
1965 - 899
1964 - 869
1963 - 848
1962 - 827
1961 - 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/ethiopia/maldives | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ethiopia increased by 72.2%, compared to a 70.5% growth in Maldives.

In 2006, Ethiopia ranked 101st by population density and is 78th now. Maldives was 7th in 2006 and ranks 6th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Ethiopia
Maldives
1x
Year Urban population
Ethiopia Maldives
2024 23.6% 42%
2023 23.1% 41.5%
2022 22.7% 41.1%
2021 22.1% 40.7%
2020 21.6% 40.4%
2019 21.2% 40%
2018 20.8% 39.7%
2017 20.3% 39.3%
2016 19.9% 39%
2015 19.5% 38.6%
2014 19% 38.2%
2013 18.6% 37.8%
2012 18.2% 37.5%
2011 17.9% 37.1%
2010 17.5% 36.8%
2009 17.2% 36.4%
2008 16.8% 35.9%
2007 16.1% 35.4%
2006 16.2% 34.9%
2005 16% 34.1%
2004 15.8% 32.9%
2003 15.5% 31.4%
2002 15.3% 29.9%
2001 15.1% 28.6%
2000 14.9% 27.6%
1999 14.7% 27%
1998 14.5% 26.5%
1997 14.3% 26%
1996 14.1% 25.7%
1995 13.9% 25.5%
1994 13.7% 25.6%
1993 13.5% 25.6%
1992 13.3% 25.7%
1991 13% 25.8%
1990 12.8% 25.9%
1989 12.5% 25.8%
1988 12.2% 25.8%
1987 11.9% 25.7%
1986 11.7% 25.6%
1985 11.4% 25.5%
1984 11.2% 25.3%
1983 11% 24.9%
1982 10.8% 24.3%
1981 10.6% 23.6%
1980 10.4% 22.8%
1979 10.2% 22%
1978 9.98% 21.1%
1977 9.79% 20.2%
1976 9.61% 19%
1975 9.42% 17.6%
1974 9.24% 16.2%
1973 9.07% 14.7%
1972 8.9% 13.5%
1971 8.73% 12.5%
1970 8.57% 11.9%
1969 8.41% 11.6%
1968 8.25% 11.4%
1967 8.1% 11.3%
1966 7.95% 11.4%
1965 7.8% 11.5%
1964 7.66% 11.5%
1963 7.52% 11.4%
1962 7.38% 11.4%
1961 7.24% 11.4%
1960 7.11% 11.4%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15.8% to 23.6% in Ethiopia and from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives.

Densely populated cities

Ethiopia
City Population
Addis Ababa 5.7M
Gondar 324K
Mekelle 324K
Awasa 300K
Dire Dawa 277K
Bahir Dar 243K
Dessie 188K
Jimma 178K
Harar 157K
Jijiga 126K
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/ethiopia/maldives | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.