Ghana has a population density of 407 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Ghana has 74,579 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Ghana and Malawi rank 63rd and 48th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ghana has 0.42% of the world's population and 0.15% 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 Ghana 35.1% lower than in Malawi.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Ghana
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2026 | 407 | 626 |
| 2025 | 399 | 610 |
| 2024 | 392 | 595 |
| 2023 | 385 | 580 |
| 2022 | 377 | 565 |
| 2021 | 370 | 551 |
| 2020 | 363 | 537 |
| 2019 | 356 | 523 |
| 2018 | 349 | 509 |
| 2017 | 342 | 496 |
| 2016 | 334 | 482 |
| 2015 | 327 | 469 |
| 2014 | 319 | 457 |
| 2013 | 312 | 444 |
| 2012 | 304 | 432 |
| 2011 | 297 | 419 |
| 2010 | 290 | 407 |
| 2009 | 283 | 395 |
| 2008 | 276 | 384 |
| 2007 | 269.1 | 373 |
| 2006 | 262.3 | 363 |
| 2005 | 255.5 | 353 |
| 2004 | 248.9 | 343 |
| 2003 | 242.4 | 335 |
| 2002 | 236 | 326 |
| 2001 | 229.6 | 318 |
| 2000 | 223.5 | 311 |
| 1999 | 218 | 303 |
| 1998 | 212.7 | 296.5 |
| 1997 | 207.6 | 290.2 |
| 1996 | 202.7 | 284.4 |
| 1995 | 198 | 278.8 |
| 1994 | 193.4 | 279.2 |
| 1993 | 188.8 | 282.5 |
| 1992 | 184.2 | 278.4 |
| 1991 | 179.7 | 270.4 |
| 1990 | 175.2 | 262.2 |
| 1989 | 170.8 | 252.1 |
| 1988 | 166.6 | 240.5 |
| 1987 | 162.6 | 227.8 |
| 1986 | 159 | 217.2 |
| 1985 | 155.5 | 209.3 |
| 1984 | 152.2 | 201.4 |
| 1983 | 148.3 | 193.7 |
| 1982 | 143.9 | 186.2 |
| 1981 | 139.8 | 179 |
| 1980 | 135.9 | 172.1 |
| 1979 | 132 | 165.6 |
| 1978 | 128 | 159.6 |
| 1977 | 124.2 | 154.3 |
| 1976 | 120.6 | 149.5 |
| 1975 | 117.2 | 145.3 |
| 1974 | 113.8 | 141.2 |
| 1973 | 110.6 | 137.5 |
| 1972 | 107.4 | 133.9 |
| 1971 | 104.4 | 130.5 |
| 1970 | 101.6 | 127.3 |
| 1969 | 98.9 | 124.2 |
| 1968 | 96.5 | 121.2 |
| 1967 | 94.2 | 118.2 |
| 1966 | 91.9 | 115.3 |
| 1965 | 89.7 | 112.5 |
| 1964 | 87.6 | 109.8 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 83.5 | 104.6 |
| 1961 | 81.5 | 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/ghana/malawi | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ghana increased by 55%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.
In 2006, Ghana ranked 78th by population density and is 63rd now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Ghana
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 407 ppl/mi² | 626 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 63/197 | 48/197 |
| Population |
35885254
|
22949294
|
| Land area | 87,851 sq mi | 36,402 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 71,139 sq ft | 46,863 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.6% | 82.7% |
| Urban population | 58.4% | 17.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 15.8% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Ghana
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2024 | 58.4% | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 57.8% | 17% |
| 2022 | 57.3% | 16.7% |
| 2021 | 56.7% | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 56.2% | 16.3% |
| 2019 | 55.7% | 16.1% |
| 2018 | 55.2% | 16% |
| 2017 | 54.7% | 16% |
| 2016 | 54.2% | 15.9% |
| 2015 | 53.6% | 15.8% |
| 2014 | 53.1% | 15.8% |
| 2013 | 52.5% | 15.7% |
| 2012 | 51.9% | 15.6% |
| 2011 | 51.3% | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 50.7% | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 50.1% | 15.4% |
| 2008 | 49.5% | 15.3% |
| 2007 | 48.8% | 15.2% |
| 2006 | 48.1% | 15.2% |
| 2005 | 47.5% | 15.1% |
| 2004 | 46.8% | 15% |
| 2003 | 46.1% | 15% |
| 2002 | 45.3% | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 44.6% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 43.9% | 14.7% |
| 1999 | 43.2% | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 42.5% | 14.4% |
| 1997 | 41.6% | 14.2% |
| 1996 | 40.8% | 14% |
| 1995 | 40% | 13.6% |
| 1994 | 39.1% | 13.3% |
| 1993 | 38.2% | 12.9% |
| 1992 | 37.4% | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 36.5% | 12% |
| 1990 | 35.7% | 11.6% |
| 1989 | 35% | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 34.3% | 10.9% |
| 1987 | 33.6% | 10.6% |
| 1986 | 33% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 32.5% | 10.1% |
| 1984 | 32.1% | 9.93% |
| 1983 | 31.8% | 9.73% |
| 1982 | 31.5% | 9.54% |
| 1981 | 31.2% | 9.34% |
| 1980 | 31% | 9.13% |
| 1979 | 30.8% | 8.92% |
| 1978 | 30.7% | 8.68% |
| 1977 | 30.5% | 8.42% |
| 1976 | 30.3% | 8.11% |
| 1975 | 30.1% | 7.76% |
| 1974 | 30% | 7.36% |
| 1973 | 29.8% | 6.95% |
| 1972 | 29.5% | 6.53% |
| 1971 | 29.3% | 6.12% |
| 1970 | 29% | 5.73% |
| 1969 | 28.6% | 5.38% |
| 1968 | 28.2% | 5.08% |
| 1967 | 27.7% | 4.84% |
| 1966 | 27.2% | 4.69% |
| 1965 | 26.6% | 4.57% |
| 1964 | 26% | 4.45% |
| 1963 | 25.3% | 4.34% |
| 1962 | 24.6% | 4.24% |
| 1961 | 23.9% | 4.14% |
| 1960 | 23.3% | 4.04% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/ghana/malawi | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 46.8% to 58.4% in Ghana 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/ghana/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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