Jamaica has a population density of 678 people per square mile compared to 287 people in Malaysia. Jamaica has 41,673 sq ft of land per person vs 100,140 sq ft in Malaysia. Jamaica and Malaysia rank 43rd and 85th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Jamaica has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.44% of the population and 0.22% of the land area for Malaysia, making the population density in Jamaica 136.3% higher than in Malaysia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Jamaica
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2026 | 678 | 287 |
| 2025 | 679 | 283.7 |
| 2024 | 679 | 280.3 |
| 2023 | 679 | 276.9 |
| 2022 | 679 | 273.5 |
| 2021 | 679 | 270.3 |
| 2020 | 677 | 267.2 |
| 2019 | 675 | 263.6 |
| 2018 | 674 | 259.4 |
| 2017 | 673 | 255.1 |
| 2016 | 672 | 250.6 |
| 2015 | 670 | 246.2 |
| 2014 | 668 | 242 |
| 2013 | 666 | 237.9 |
| 2012 | 663 | 233.8 |
| 2011 | 660 | 229.9 |
| 2010 | 657 | 225.9 |
| 2009 | 655 | 221.7 |
| 2008 | 652 | 217.3 |
| 2007 | 649 | 212.8 |
| 2006 | 646 | 208.3 |
| 2005 | 643 | 203.7 |
| 2004 | 639 | 199.1 |
| 2003 | 635 | 194.6 |
| 2002 | 631 | 190 |
| 2001 | 628 | 185.5 |
| 2000 | 624 | 181.1 |
| 1999 | 619 | 176.9 |
| 1998 | 615 | 172.7 |
| 1997 | 609 | 168.5 |
| 1996 | 604 | 164.4 |
| 1995 | 598 | 160.3 |
| 1994 | 592 | 156.2 |
| 1993 | 586 | 152.3 |
| 1992 | 580 | 148.5 |
| 1991 | 574 | 144.6 |
| 1990 | 569 | 140.6 |
| 1989 | 565 | 136.5 |
| 1988 | 561 | 132.4 |
| 1987 | 557 | 128.3 |
| 1986 | 553 | 124.2 |
| 1985 | 548 | 120.2 |
| 1984 | 542 | 116.3 |
| 1983 | 534 | 112.6 |
| 1982 | 527 | 109 |
| 1981 | 520 | 105.6 |
| 1980 | 513 | 102.3 |
| 1979 | 507 | 99.5 |
| 1978 | 501 | 97.2 |
| 1977 | 495 | 94.9 |
| 1976 | 489 | 92.6 |
| 1975 | 483 | 90.4 |
| 1974 | 476 | 88.3 |
| 1973 | 469 | 86.2 |
| 1972 | 462 | 84.2 |
| 1971 | 455 | 82.2 |
| 1970 | 449 | 80.2 |
| 1969 | 444 | 78.4 |
| 1968 | 439 | 76.7 |
| 1967 | 434 | 74.9 |
| 1966 | 428 | 73.2 |
| 1965 | 423 | 71.4 |
| 1964 | 417 | 69.6 |
| 1963 | 412 | 67.8 |
| 1962 | 406 | 66.1 |
| 1961 | 400 | 64.4 |
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/jamaica/malaysia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Jamaica increased by 4.96%, compared to a 37.8% growth in Malaysia.
In 2006, Jamaica ranked 36th by population density and is 43rd now. Malaysia was 92nd in 2006 and ranks 85th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Jamaica
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 678 ppl/mi² | 287 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 43/197 | 85/197 |
| Population |
2834980
|
36512221
|
| Land area | 4,181 sq mi | 126,854 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 41,059 sq ft | 99,458 sq ft |
| Rural population | 41.1% | 23.1% |
| Urban population | 58.9% | 76.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 24.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Jamaica
|
Malaysia
|
|
| 2024 | 58.9% | 76.9% |
| 2023 | 58.5% | 76.4% |
| 2022 | 58% | 76% |
| 2021 | 57.5% | 75.5% |
| 2020 | 57.1% | 75.1% |
| 2019 | 56.7% | 74.8% |
| 2018 | 56.3% | 74.6% |
| 2017 | 55.9% | 74.2% |
| 2016 | 55.5% | 73.9% |
| 2015 | 55.2% | 73.4% |
| 2014 | 54.9% | 73% |
| 2013 | 54.5% | 72.5% |
| 2012 | 54.2% | 72% |
| 2011 | 54% | 71.4% |
| 2010 | 53.8% | 70.9% |
| 2009 | 53.6% | 70.2% |
| 2008 | 53.4% | 69.5% |
| 2007 | 53.2% | 68.8% |
| 2006 | 53% | 67.9% |
| 2005 | 52.8% | 67% |
| 2004 | 52.6% | 66.1% |
| 2003 | 52.4% | 65.1% |
| 2002 | 52.1% | 64.1% |
| 2001 | 51.9% | 63% |
| 2000 | 51.7% | 62% |
| 1999 | 51.5% | 60.9% |
| 1998 | 51.3% | 59.7% |
| 1997 | 51% | 58.5% |
| 1996 | 50.8% | 57.2% |
| 1995 | 50.6% | 55.9% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | 54.6% |
| 1993 | 50.1% | 53.2% |
| 1992 | 49.9% | 51.9% |
| 1991 | 49.7% | 50.5% |
| 1990 | 49.4% | 49% |
| 1989 | 49.3% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 49.1% | 45.8% |
| 1987 | 48.9% | 44% |
| 1986 | 48.7% | 42.3% |
| 1985 | 48.5% | 40.6% |
| 1984 | 48.3% | 39% |
| 1983 | 48.1% | 37.5% |
| 1982 | 47.8% | 36.2% |
| 1981 | 47.5% | 35.1% |
| 1980 | 47.2% | 34.2% |
| 1979 | 46.8% | 33.6% |
| 1978 | 46.3% | 33% |
| 1977 | 45.8% | 32.4% |
| 1976 | 45.3% | 31.9% |
| 1975 | 44.8% | 31.4% |
| 1974 | 44.2% | 30.9% |
| 1973 | 43.5% | 30.5% |
| 1972 | 42.9% | 30.1% |
| 1971 | 42.2% | 29.8% |
| 1970 | 41.4% | 29.4% |
| 1969 | 40.6% | 29.1% |
| 1968 | 39.6% | 28.8% |
| 1967 | 38.4% | 28.5% |
| 1966 | 37.2% | 28.1% |
| 1965 | 35.8% | 27.8% |
| 1964 | 34.5% | 27.5% |
| 1963 | 33.2% | 27.2% |
| 1962 | 31.9% | 26.8% |
| 1961 | 30.7% | 26.5% |
| 1960 | 29.7% | 26.1% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/jamaica/malaysia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 52.6% to 58.9% in Jamaica and from 66.1% to 76.9% in Malaysia.
Densely populated cities
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/jamaica/malaysia | 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 (2001–2025, 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.