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Population density: Ivory Coast vs Malawi compared

Updated on by Georank team

Ivory Coast has a population density of 272.9 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Ivory Coast has 108,691 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Ivory Coast and Malawi rank 89th and 48th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Ivory Coast has 0.39% of the world's population and 0.21% 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 Ivory Coast 56.4% lower than in Malawi.

Population density by year

Ivory Coast
Malawi

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Ivory Coast Malawi
2026 272.9 626
2025 266.5 610
2024 260.1 595
2023 253.8 580
2022 247.6 565
2021 241.4 551
2020 235.5 537
2019 229.6 523
2018 223.7 509
2017 217.7 496
2016 211.7 482
2015 205.6 469
2014 199.8 457
2013 195 444
2012 191.1 432
2011 187.2 419
2010 183.2 407
2009 179.2 395
2008 175.2 384
2007 171.3 373
2006 167.3 363
2005 163.4 353
2004 159.6 343
2003 155.8 335
2002 151.9 326
2001 148.1 318
2000 144.2 311
1999 140.2 303
1998 135.7 296.5
1997 130.7 290.2
1996 125.8 284.4
1995 121 278.8
1994 116.4 279.2
1993 111.9 282.5
1992 107.5 278.4
1991 103.3 270.4
1990 99.3 262.2
1989 95.5 252.1
1988 91.8 240.5
1987 88.4 227.8
1986 85 217.2
1985 81.8 209.3
1984 78.6 201.4
1983 75.5 193.7
1982 72.6 186.2
1981 69.7 179
1980 67 172.1
1979 64.4 165.6
1978 61.9 159.6
1977 59.6 154.3
1976 57.5 149.5
1975 55.2 145.3
1974 52.7 141.2
1973 50.4 137.5
1972 48.1 133.9
1971 46 130.5
1970 44.1 127.3
1969 42.3 124.2
1968 40.6 121.2
1967 39.1 118.2
1966 37.6 115.3
1965 36.2 112.5
1964 34.8 109.8
1963 33.5 107.2
1962 32.2 104.6
1961 31 102.1

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/ivory-coast/malawi | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Ivory Coast increased by 63.1%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.

In 2006, Ivory Coast ranked 112th by population density and is 89th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Ivory Coast
Malawi
1x
Year Urban population
Ivory Coast Malawi
2024 54% 17.3%
2023 53.4% 17%
2022 52.8% 16.7%
2021 52.3% 16.5%
2020 51.8% 16.3%
2019 51.4% 16.1%
2018 50.9% 16%
2017 50.4% 16%
2016 49.9% 15.9%
2015 49.5% 15.8%
2014 49% 15.8%
2013 48.6% 15.7%
2012 48.1% 15.6%
2011 47.7% 15.6%
2010 47.2% 15.5%
2009 46.8% 15.4%
2008 46.4% 15.3%
2007 45.9% 15.2%
2006 45.5% 15.2%
2005 45.1% 15.1%
2004 44.7% 15%
2003 44.3% 15%
2002 43.9% 14.9%
2001 43.5% 14.8%
2000 43.1% 14.7%
1999 42.7% 14.6%
1998 42.3% 14.4%
1997 42% 14.2%
1996 41.6% 14%
1995 41.3% 13.6%
1994 41% 13.3%
1993 40.6% 12.9%
1992 40.3% 12.4%
1991 40% 12%
1990 39.7% 11.6%
1989 39.4% 11.2%
1988 39.1% 10.9%
1987 38.8% 10.6%
1986 38.6% 10.4%
1985 38.4% 10.1%
1984 38.2% 9.93%
1983 38% 9.73%
1982 37.7% 9.54%
1981 37.5% 9.34%
1980 37.2% 9.13%
1979 36.9% 8.92%
1978 36.4% 8.68%
1977 35.3% 8.42%
1976 33.7% 8.11%
1975 32.2% 7.76%
1974 31.2% 7.36%
1973 30.3% 6.95%
1972 29.5% 6.53%
1971 28.8% 6.12%
1970 28.2% 5.73%
1969 27.5% 5.38%
1968 26.9% 5.08%
1967 26.2% 4.84%
1966 25.4% 4.69%
1965 24.5% 4.57%
1964 23.5% 4.45%
1963 22.3% 4.34%
1962 21.1% 4.24%
1961 19.7% 4.14%
1960 18.4% 4.04%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/ivory-coast/malawi | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 44.7% to 54% in Ivory Coast and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.

Densely populated cities

Ivory Coast
City Population
Abidjan 5.62M
Bouake 740K
Korhogo 441K
Yamoussoukro 340K
Divo 295K
Gagnoa 277K
Abengourou 164K
Dabou 138K
Agboville 135K
Grand-Bassam 125K
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/ivory-coast/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 (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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