Kenya has a population density of 261.5 people per square mile compared to 626 people in Malawi. Kenya has 110,878 sq ft of land per person vs 58,893 sq ft in Malawi. Kenya and Malawi rank 94th and 48th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Kenya has 0.69% of the world's population and 0.39% 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 Kenya 58.2% lower than in Malawi.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Kenya
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2026 | 261.5 | 626 |
| 2025 | 256.6 | 610 |
| 2024 | 251.6 | 595 |
| 2023 | 246.7 | 580 |
| 2022 | 241.9 | 565 |
| 2021 | 237.3 | 551 |
| 2020 | 232.8 | 537 |
| 2019 | 229.1 | 523 |
| 2018 | 225.4 | 509 |
| 2017 | 221.6 | 496 |
| 2016 | 217.6 | 482 |
| 2015 | 213.6 | 469 |
| 2014 | 209.6 | 457 |
| 2013 | 204.7 | 444 |
| 2012 | 199.7 | 432 |
| 2011 | 194.6 | 419 |
| 2010 | 189.3 | 407 |
| 2009 | 183.9 | 395 |
| 2008 | 178.4 | 384 |
| 2007 | 173.1 | 373 |
| 2006 | 167.9 | 363 |
| 2005 | 162.9 | 353 |
| 2004 | 158 | 343 |
| 2003 | 153.1 | 335 |
| 2002 | 148.5 | 326 |
| 2001 | 143.9 | 318 |
| 2000 | 139.4 | 311 |
| 1999 | 135.3 | 303 |
| 1998 | 131.5 | 296.5 |
| 1997 | 127.9 | 290.2 |
| 1996 | 124.4 | 284.4 |
| 1995 | 121.1 | 278.8 |
| 1994 | 117.7 | 279.2 |
| 1993 | 114.3 | 282.5 |
| 1992 | 111 | 278.4 |
| 1991 | 107.6 | 270.4 |
| 1990 | 104.2 | 262.2 |
| 1989 | 100.7 | 252.1 |
| 1988 | 97.2 | 240.5 |
| 1987 | 93.8 | 227.8 |
| 1986 | 90.6 | 217.2 |
| 1985 | 87.4 | 209.3 |
| 1984 | 84.3 | 201.4 |
| 1983 | 81.2 | 193.7 |
| 1982 | 78.3 | 186.2 |
| 1981 | 75.5 | 179 |
| 1980 | 72.9 | 172.1 |
| 1979 | 70.4 | 165.6 |
| 1978 | 68 | 159.6 |
| 1977 | 65.7 | 154.3 |
| 1976 | 63.5 | 149.5 |
| 1975 | 61.5 | 145.3 |
| 1974 | 59.5 | 141.2 |
| 1973 | 57.5 | 137.5 |
| 1972 | 55.5 | 133.9 |
| 1971 | 53.6 | 130.5 |
| 1970 | 51.7 | 127.3 |
| 1969 | 49.8 | 124.2 |
| 1968 | 47.9 | 121.2 |
| 1967 | 46 | 118.2 |
| 1966 | 44.2 | 115.3 |
| 1965 | 42.5 | 112.5 |
| 1964 | 40.8 | 109.8 |
| 1963 | 39.3 | 107.2 |
| 1962 | 37.8 | 104.6 |
| 1961 | 36.3 | 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/kenya/malawi | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Kenya increased by 55.7%, compared to a 72.7% growth in Malawi.
In 2006, Kenya ranked 111th by population density and is 94th now. Malawi was 56th in 2006 and ranks 48th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Kenya
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 261.5 ppl/mi² | 626 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 94/197 | 48/197 |
| Population |
58955623
|
22949294
|
| Land area | 224,278 sq mi | 36,402 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 110,795 sq ft | 46,863 sq ft |
| Rural population | 68.1% | 82.7% |
| Urban population | 31.9% | 17.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.5% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Kenya
|
Malawi
|
|
| 2024 | 31.9% | 17.3% |
| 2023 | 31.6% | 17% |
| 2022 | 31.4% | 16.7% |
| 2021 | 31.3% | 16.5% |
| 2020 | 31.2% | 16.3% |
| 2019 | 31.2% | 16.1% |
| 2018 | 31.4% | 16% |
| 2017 | 31.5% | 16% |
| 2016 | 31.7% | 15.9% |
| 2015 | 31.7% | 15.8% |
| 2014 | 31.8% | 15.8% |
| 2013 | 31.8% | 15.7% |
| 2012 | 31.9% | 15.6% |
| 2011 | 31.9% | 15.6% |
| 2010 | 31.9% | 15.5% |
| 2009 | 31.9% | 15.4% |
| 2008 | 31.4% | 15.3% |
| 2007 | 30.4% | 15.2% |
| 2006 | 29% | 15.2% |
| 2005 | 27.3% | 15.1% |
| 2004 | 25.4% | 15% |
| 2003 | 23.6% | 15% |
| 2002 | 21.9% | 14.9% |
| 2001 | 20.4% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 19.5% | 14.7% |
| 1999 | 19% | 14.6% |
| 1998 | 18.9% | 14.4% |
| 1997 | 18.8% | 14.2% |
| 1996 | 18.7% | 14% |
| 1995 | 18.6% | 13.6% |
| 1994 | 18.5% | 13.3% |
| 1993 | 18.5% | 12.9% |
| 1992 | 18.4% | 12.4% |
| 1991 | 18.3% | 12% |
| 1990 | 18.2% | 11.6% |
| 1989 | 18.1% | 11.2% |
| 1988 | 17.9% | 10.9% |
| 1987 | 17.7% | 10.6% |
| 1986 | 17.5% | 10.4% |
| 1985 | 17.3% | 10.1% |
| 1984 | 17% | 9.93% |
| 1983 | 16.8% | 9.73% |
| 1982 | 16.5% | 9.54% |
| 1981 | 16.2% | 9.34% |
| 1980 | 15.8% | 9.13% |
| 1979 | 15.5% | 8.92% |
| 1978 | 15% | 8.68% |
| 1977 | 14.5% | 8.42% |
| 1976 | 13.9% | 8.11% |
| 1975 | 13.2% | 7.76% |
| 1974 | 12.5% | 7.36% |
| 1973 | 11.8% | 6.95% |
| 1972 | 11.2% | 6.53% |
| 1971 | 10.6% | 6.12% |
| 1970 | 10.1% | 5.73% |
| 1969 | 9.83% | 5.38% |
| 1968 | 9.61% | 5.08% |
| 1967 | 9.42% | 4.84% |
| 1966 | 9.26% | 4.69% |
| 1965 | 9.12% | 4.57% |
| 1964 | 8.97% | 4.45% |
| 1963 | 8.82% | 4.34% |
| 1962 | 8.63% | 4.24% |
| 1961 | 8.44% | 4.14% |
| 1960 | 8.23% | 4.04% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/kenya/malawi | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 25.4% to 31.9% in Kenya and from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi.
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/kenya/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 (1999–2024, 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.