Iceland has a population density of 10.2 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Iceland has 2,868,586 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Iceland and Malawi rank 194th and 48th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iceland has 0.005% of the world's population and 0.07% 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 Iceland 98.4% lower than in Malawi.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Iceland
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2026 | 10.2 | 626 |
| 2025 | 10.1 | 610 |
| 2024 | 9.93 | 595 |
| 2023 | 9.91 | 580 |
| 2022 | 9.81 | 565 |
| 2021 | 9.57 | 551 |
| 2020 | 9.41 | 537 |
| 2019 | 9.26 | 523 |
| 2018 | 9.06 | 509 |
| 2017 | 8.87 | 496 |
| 2016 | 8.67 | 482 |
| 2015 | 8.55 | 469 |
| 2014 | 8.46 | 457 |
| 2013 | 8.36 | 444 |
| 2012 | 8.29 | 432 |
| 2011 | 8.24 | 419 |
| 2010 | 8.22 | 407 |
| 2009 | 8.23 | 395 |
| 2008 | 8.2 | 384 |
| 2007 | 8.05 | 373 |
| 2006 | 7.85 | 363 |
| 2005 | 7.67 | 353 |
| 2004 | 7.55 | 343 |
| 2003 | 7.48 | 335 |
| 2002 | 7.43 | 326 |
| 2001 | 7.36 | 318 |
| 2000 | 7.27 | 311 |
| 1999 | 7.17 | 303 |
| 1998 | 7.08 | 296.5 |
| 1997 | 7 | 290.2 |
| 1996 | 6.95 | 284.4 |
| 1995 | 6.91 | 278.8 |
| 1994 | 6.87 | 279.2 |
| 1993 | 6.81 | 282.5 |
| 1992 | 6.74 | 278.4 |
| 1991 | 6.66 | 270.4 |
| 1990 | 6.58 | 262.2 |
| 1989 | 6.53 | 252.1 |
| 1988 | 6.45 | 240.5 |
| 1987 | 6.35 | 227.8 |
| 1986 | 6.28 | 217.2 |
| 1985 | 6.24 | 209.3 |
| 1984 | 6.19 | 201.4 |
| 1983 | 6.12 | 193.7 |
| 1982 | 6.04 | 186.2 |
| 1981 | 5.96 | 179 |
| 1980 | 5.89 | 172.1 |
| 1979 | 5.83 | 165.6 |
| 1978 | 5.78 | 159.6 |
| 1977 | 5.73 | 154.3 |
| 1976 | 5.69 | 149.5 |
| 1975 | 5.63 | 145.3 |
| 1974 | 5.56 | 141.2 |
| 1973 | 5.49 | 137.5 |
| 1972 | 5.4 | 133.9 |
| 1971 | 5.32 | 130.5 |
| 1970 | 5.28 | 127.3 |
| 1969 | 5.25 | 124.2 |
| 1968 | 5.21 | 121.2 |
| 1967 | 5.13 | 118.2 |
| 1966 | 5.05 | 115.3 |
| 1965 | 4.97 | 112.5 |
| 1964 | 4.88 | 109.8 |
| 1963 | 4.8 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 4.71 | 104.6 |
| 1961 | 4.63 | 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/iceland/malawi | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Iceland increased by 29.7%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.
In 2006, Iceland ranked 190th by population density and is 194th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Iceland
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 10.2 ppl/mi² | 626 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 194/197 | 48/197 |
| Population |
397129
|
22949294
|
| Land area | 38,931 sq mi | 36,402 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,808,042 sq ft | 46,863 sq ft |
| Rural population | 5.82% | 82.7% |
| Urban population | 94.2% | 17.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iceland
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2024 | 94.2% | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 94.2% | 17% |
| 2022 | 94.2% | 16.7% |
| 2021 | 94.2% | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 94.1% | 16.3% |
| 2019 | 94% | 16.1% |
| 2018 | 93.9% | 16% |
| 2017 | 93.8% | 16% |
| 2016 | 93.8% | 15.9% |
| 2015 | 93.7% | 15.8% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | 15.8% |
| 2013 | 93.6% | 15.7% |
| 2012 | 93.5% | 15.6% |
| 2011 | 93.4% | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 93.5% | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 93.4% | 15.4% |
| 2008 | 93.1% | 15.3% |
| 2007 | 92.4% | 15.2% |
| 2006 | 92.2% | 15.2% |
| 2005 | 92.4% | 15.1% |
| 2004 | 92.4% | 15% |
| 2003 | 92.3% | 15% |
| 2002 | 92.2% | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 92% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 92% | 14.7% |
| 1999 | 91.8% | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 91.7% | 14.4% |
| 1997 | 92% | 14.2% |
| 1996 | 91.8% | 14% |
| 1995 | 91.6% | 13.6% |
| 1994 | 91.4% | 13.3% |
| 1993 | 91.3% | 12.9% |
| 1992 | 91.1% | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 90.9% | 12% |
| 1990 | 90.6% | 11.6% |
| 1989 | 90.4% | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 90.1% | 10.9% |
| 1987 | 89.8% | 10.6% |
| 1986 | 89.6% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 89.3% | 10.1% |
| 1984 | 89.1% | 9.93% |
| 1983 | 88.9% | 9.73% |
| 1982 | 88.6% | 9.54% |
| 1981 | 88.3% | 9.34% |
| 1980 | 88.1% | 9.13% |
| 1979 | 87.9% | 8.92% |
| 1978 | 87.7% | 8.68% |
| 1977 | 87.4% | 8.42% |
| 1976 | 87.2% | 8.11% |
| 1975 | 86.9% | 7.76% |
| 1974 | 86.5% | 7.36% |
| 1973 | 86.2% | 6.95% |
| 1972 | 85.7% | 6.53% |
| 1971 | 85.3% | 6.12% |
| 1970 | 85% | 5.73% |
| 1969 | 84.8% | 5.38% |
| 1968 | 84.4% | 5.08% |
| 1967 | 83.9% | 4.84% |
| 1966 | 83.5% | 4.69% |
| 1965 | 83.2% | 4.57% |
| 1964 | 82.7% | 4.45% |
| 1963 | 82% | 4.34% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | 4.24% |
| 1961 | 81% | 4.14% |
| 1960 | 80.4% | 4.04% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/iceland/malawi | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 92.4% to 94.2% in Iceland 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/iceland/malawi | 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:
- 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)
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.