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Population density: Kiribati vs Maldives compared

Updated on by Georank team

Kiribati has a population density of 443 people per square mile compared to 4,620 people in Maldives. Kiribati has 64,895 sq ft of land per person vs 6,077 sq ft in Maldives. Kiribati and Maldives rank 61st and 6th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Kiribati has 0.002% of the world's population and 0.0005% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.006% of the population and 0.0002% of the land area for Maldives, making the population density in Kiribati 90.4% lower than in Maldives.

Population density by year

Kiribati
Maldives

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Kiribati Maldives
2026 443 4,620
2025 437 4,604
2024 430 4,587
2023 424 4,572
2022 417 4,525
2021 410 4,456
2020 403 4,335
2019 396 4,211
2018 390 4,084
2017 385 3,957
2016 379 3,827
2015 374 3,696
2014 369 3,571
2013 364 3,454
2012 359 3,340
2011 354 3,226
2010 348 3,115
2009 340 3,007
2008 333 2,902
2007 326 2,801
2006 320 2,710
2005 313 2,645
2004 307 2,602
2003 301 2,560
2002 295 2,518
2001 288.8 2,476
2000 283.3 2,435
1999 278.6 2,395
1998 273.9 2,354
1997 269.1 2,311
1996 264.2 2,265
1995 259.7 2,216
1994 255.9 2,165
1993 252.1 2,114
1992 248.3 2,059
1991 244.2 2,001
1990 239.4 1,940
1989 233.9 1,880
1988 228.4 1,821
1987 223 1,761
1986 217.6 1,700
1985 212.6 1,642
1984 208.6 1,590
1983 205.2 1,546
1982 201.9 1,505
1981 198.6 1,464
1980 195.5 1,423
1979 192.4 1,384
1978 191.4 1,348
1977 192.7 1,312
1976 194 1,274
1975 195 1,236
1974 195.7 1,200
1973 194.5 1,165
1972 191.1 1,131
1971 187.5 1,097
1970 183.9 1,064
1969 180.2 1,032
1968 177.6 1,002
1967 175.9 971
1966 174 937
1965 170.9 899
1964 166.6 869
1963 162.4 848
1962 158.4 827
1961 154.5 807

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/kiribati/maldives | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Kiribati increased by 38.5%, compared to a 70.5% growth in Maldives.

In 2006, Kiribati ranked 65th by population density and is 61st now. Maldives was 7th in 2006 and ranks 6th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Kiribati
Maldives
1x
Year Urban population
Kiribati Maldives
2024 62.5% 42%
2023 61.5% 41.5%
2022 60.6% 41.1%
2021 59.6% 40.7%
2020 58.4% 40.4%
2019 56.3% 40%
2018 54.5% 39.7%
2017 53% 39.3%
2016 51.8% 39%
2015 51% 38.6%
2014 50.4% 38.2%
2013 50% 37.8%
2012 49.6% 37.5%
2011 49.1% 37.1%
2010 48.5% 36.8%
2009 47.4% 36.4%
2008 45.9% 35.9%
2007 44.6% 35.4%
2006 43.7% 34.9%
2005 43.5% 34.1%
2004 43.5% 32.9%
2003 43.5% 31.4%
2002 43.5% 29.9%
2001 43.5% 28.6%
2000 43.3% 27.6%
1999 42.3% 27%
1998 40.5% 26.5%
1997 38.6% 26%
1996 37.1% 25.7%
1995 36.3% 25.5%
1994 36% 25.6%
1993 35.7% 25.6%
1992 35.5% 25.7%
1991 35.3% 25.8%
1990 35% 25.9%
1989 34.7% 25.8%
1988 34.4% 25.8%
1987 34.1% 25.7%
1986 33.8% 25.6%
1985 33.5% 25.5%
1984 33.3% 25.3%
1983 33.1% 24.9%
1982 32.9% 24.3%
1981 32.7% 23.6%
1980 32.4% 22.8%
1979 32.1% 22%
1978 31.6% 21.1%
1977 30.5% 20.2%
1976 29% 19%
1975 27.4% 17.6%
1974 26.1% 16.2%
1973 25.5% 14.7%
1972 25.1% 13.5%
1971 24.8% 12.5%
1970 24.5% 11.9%
1969 24.2% 11.6%
1968 23.7% 11.4%
1967 22.9% 11.3%
1966 21.9% 11.4%
1965 20.7% 11.5%
1964 19.5% 11.5%
1963 18.2% 11.4%
1962 17% 11.4%
1961 16% 11.4%
1960 15.2% 11.4%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/kiribati/maldives | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 43.5% to 62.5% in Kiribati and from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K

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/kiribati/maldives | 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 (2014–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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