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Population density: Gabon vs Malawi compared

Updated on by Georank team

Gabon has a population density of 26.6 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Gabon has 1,134,777 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Gabon and Malawi rank 184th and 48th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Gabon has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.17% 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 Gabon 95.7% lower than in Malawi.

Population density by year

Gabon
Malawi

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Gabon Malawi
2026 26.6 626
2025 26.1 610
2024 25.5 595
2023 25 580
2022 24.4 565
2021 23.9 551
2020 23.3 537
2019 22.8 523
2018 22.2 509
2017 21.7 496
2016 21.1 482
2015 20.5 469
2014 19.9 457
2013 19.2 444
2012 18.6 432
2011 17.9 419
2010 17.3 407
2009 16.7 395
2008 16.2 384
2007 15.6 373
2006 15.2 363
2005 14.7 353
2004 14.3 343
2003 13.9 335
2002 13.5 326
2001 13.2 318
2000 12.8 311
1999 12.5 303
1998 12.2 296.5
1997 11.9 290.2
1996 11.6 284.4
1995 11.3 278.8
1994 11 279.2
1993 10.7 282.5
1992 10.4 278.4
1991 10.2 270.4
1990 9.89 262.2
1989 9.62 252.1
1988 9.36 240.5
1987 9.1 227.8
1986 8.85 217.2
1985 8.61 209.3
1984 8.38 201.4
1983 8.15 193.7
1982 7.93 186.2
1981 7.72 179
1980 7.52 172.1
1979 7.33 165.6
1978 7.15 159.6
1977 6.98 154.3
1976 6.81 149.5
1975 6.66 145.3
1974 6.51 141.2
1973 6.37 137.5
1972 6.24 133.9
1971 6.11 130.5
1970 5.99 127.3
1969 5.86 124.2
1968 5.75 121.2
1967 5.66 118.2
1966 5.57 115.3
1965 5.49 112.5
1964 5.41 109.8
1963 5.34 107.2
1962 5.27 104.6
1961 5.21 102.1

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/gabon/malawi | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Gabon increased by 75.6%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.

In 2006, Gabon ranked 184th by population density and is 184th still. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Gabon
Malawi
1x
Year Urban population
Gabon Malawi
2024 91.9% 17.3%
2023 91.6% 17%
2022 91.2% 16.7%
2021 90.8% 16.5%
2020 90.3% 16.3%
2019 89.9% 16.1%
2018 89.5% 16%
2017 89% 16%
2016 88.5% 15.9%
2015 88.1% 15.8%
2014 87.6% 15.8%
2013 87.1% 15.7%
2012 86.9% 15.6%
2011 86.6% 15.6%
2010 86.2% 15.5%
2009 85.7% 15.4%
2008 85.2% 15.3%
2007 84.7% 15.2%
2006 84.1% 15.2%
2005 83.4% 15.1%
2004 82.7% 15%
2003 82% 15%
2002 81.2% 14.9%
2001 80.4% 14.8%
2000 79.6% 14.7%
1999 78.7% 14.6%
1998 77.8% 14.4%
1997 76.9% 14.2%
1996 75.9% 14%
1995 75% 13.6%
1994 74% 13.3%
1993 73% 12.9%
1992 71.9% 12.4%
1991 70.7% 12%
1990 69.3% 11.6%
1989 67.8% 11.2%
1988 66.4% 10.9%
1987 65% 10.6%
1986 63.7% 10.4%
1985 62.5% 10.1%
1984 61.2% 9.93%
1983 59.9% 9.73%
1982 58.5% 9.54%
1981 57% 9.34%
1980 55.2% 9.13%
1979 53.2% 8.92%
1978 51.1% 8.68%
1977 48.8% 8.42%
1976 46.4% 8.11%
1975 43.9% 7.76%
1974 41.4% 7.36%
1973 38.9% 6.95%
1972 36.5% 6.53%
1971 34.2% 6.12%
1970 32% 5.73%
1969 29.8% 5.38%
1968 27.4% 5.08%
1967 24.9% 4.84%
1966 22.4% 4.69%
1965 20% 4.57%
1964 17.7% 4.45%
1963 15.8% 4.34%
1962 14.2% 4.24%
1961 13.1% 4.14%
1960 12.6% 4.04%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/gabon/malawi | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.7% to 91.9% in Gabon and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.

Densely populated cities

Gabon
City Population
Libreville 899K
Port-Gentil 155K
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/gabon/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 (2007–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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