The Gambia has a population density of 739 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. The Gambia has 44,070 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. The Gambia and Malawi rank 36th and 48th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. The Gambia has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% 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 the Gambia 18% higher than in Malawi.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Gambia
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2026 | 739 | 626 |
| 2025 | 722 | 610 |
| 2024 | 706 | 595 |
| 2023 | 690 | 580 |
| 2022 | 675 | 565 |
| 2021 | 659 | 551 |
| 2020 | 644 | 537 |
| 2019 | 629 | 523 |
| 2018 | 614 | 509 |
| 2017 | 599 | 496 |
| 2016 | 584 | 482 |
| 2015 | 569 | 469 |
| 2014 | 554 | 457 |
| 2013 | 538 | 444 |
| 2012 | 523 | 432 |
| 2011 | 508 | 419 |
| 2010 | 493 | 407 |
| 2009 | 479 | 395 |
| 2008 | 465 | 384 |
| 2007 | 452 | 373 |
| 2006 | 439 | 363 |
| 2005 | 427 | 353 |
| 2004 | 415 | 343 |
| 2003 | 404 | 335 |
| 2002 | 393 | 326 |
| 2001 | 383 | 318 |
| 2000 | 372 | 311 |
| 1999 | 362 | 303 |
| 1998 | 352 | 296.5 |
| 1997 | 343 | 290.2 |
| 1996 | 333 | 284.4 |
| 1995 | 324 | 278.8 |
| 1994 | 314 | 279.2 |
| 1993 | 304 | 282.5 |
| 1992 | 293.2 | 278.4 |
| 1991 | 281.5 | 270.4 |
| 1990 | 269.9 | 262.2 |
| 1989 | 258.8 | 252.1 |
| 1988 | 248.3 | 240.5 |
| 1987 | 238.3 | 227.8 |
| 1986 | 228.8 | 217.2 |
| 1985 | 219.8 | 209.3 |
| 1984 | 211.3 | 201.4 |
| 1983 | 203.3 | 193.7 |
| 1982 | 196 | 186.2 |
| 1981 | 189.2 | 179 |
| 1980 | 182.7 | 172.1 |
| 1979 | 176.5 | 165.6 |
| 1978 | 170.7 | 159.6 |
| 1977 | 165.3 | 154.3 |
| 1976 | 160.1 | 149.5 |
| 1975 | 155.3 | 145.3 |
| 1974 | 150.8 | 141.2 |
| 1973 | 146.4 | 137.5 |
| 1972 | 142.1 | 133.9 |
| 1971 | 138 | 130.5 |
| 1970 | 134.1 | 127.3 |
| 1969 | 130.4 | 124.2 |
| 1968 | 126.8 | 121.2 |
| 1967 | 123.3 | 118.2 |
| 1966 | 119.9 | 115.3 |
| 1965 | 116.7 | 112.5 |
| 1964 | 113.6 | 109.8 |
| 1963 | 110.5 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 107.5 | 104.6 |
| 1961 | 104.7 | 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/gambia/malawi | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in the Gambia increased by 68.2%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.
In 2006, the Gambia ranked 51st by population density and is 36th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Gambia
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 739 ppl/mi² | 626 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 36/197 | 48/197 |
| Population |
2902554
|
22949294
|
| Land area | 3,907 sq mi | 36,402 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 39,468 sq ft | 46,863 sq ft |
| Rural population | 35.7% | 82.7% |
| Urban population | 64.3% | 17.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Gambia
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2024 | 64.3% | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 63.8% | 17% |
| 2022 | 63.3% | 16.7% |
| 2021 | 62.8% | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 62.2% | 16.3% |
| 2019 | 61.6% | 16.1% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 16% |
| 2017 | 60.5% | 16% |
| 2016 | 59.9% | 15.9% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | 15.8% |
| 2014 | 58.6% | 15.8% |
| 2013 | 58% | 15.7% |
| 2012 | 57.3% | 15.6% |
| 2011 | 56.7% | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 56% | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 55.3% | 15.4% |
| 2008 | 54.6% | 15.3% |
| 2007 | 53.9% | 15.2% |
| 2006 | 53.2% | 15.2% |
| 2005 | 52.4% | 15.1% |
| 2004 | 51.5% | 15% |
| 2003 | 50.6% | 15% |
| 2002 | 49.6% | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 48.3% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 47% | 14.7% |
| 1999 | 45.5% | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 44% | 14.4% |
| 1997 | 42.4% | 14.2% |
| 1996 | 40.9% | 14% |
| 1995 | 39.6% | 13.6% |
| 1994 | 38.3% | 13.3% |
| 1993 | 37.3% | 12.9% |
| 1992 | 36.5% | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 35.8% | 12% |
| 1990 | 35.2% | 11.6% |
| 1989 | 34.6% | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 34.1% | 10.9% |
| 1987 | 33.6% | 10.6% |
| 1986 | 33.1% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | 10.1% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 9.93% |
| 1983 | 31% | 9.73% |
| 1982 | 30% | 9.54% |
| 1981 | 28.7% | 9.34% |
| 1980 | 27.2% | 9.13% |
| 1979 | 25.6% | 8.92% |
| 1978 | 23.8% | 8.68% |
| 1977 | 22% | 8.42% |
| 1976 | 20.3% | 8.11% |
| 1975 | 18.7% | 7.76% |
| 1974 | 17.3% | 7.36% |
| 1973 | 16.1% | 6.95% |
| 1972 | 15.1% | 6.53% |
| 1971 | 14.1% | 6.12% |
| 1970 | 13.2% | 5.73% |
| 1969 | 12.2% | 5.38% |
| 1968 | 11.3% | 5.08% |
| 1967 | 10.5% | 4.84% |
| 1966 | 9.86% | 4.69% |
| 1965 | 9.33% | 4.57% |
| 1964 | 8.98% | 4.45% |
| 1963 | 8.82% | 4.34% |
| 1962 | 8.84% | 4.24% |
| 1961 | 8.93% | 4.14% |
| 1960 | 9.07% | 4.04% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/gambia/malawi | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 51.5% to 64.3% in the Gambia and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.
Densely populated cities
|
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
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/gambia/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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