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Population density: Madagascar vs Netherlands compared

Updated on by Georank team

Madagascar has a population density of 149.3 people per square mile compared to 1,402 people in the Netherlands. Madagascar has 197,766 sq ft of land per person vs 22,360 sq ft in the Netherlands. Madagascar and the Netherlands rank 133rd and 17th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Madagascar has 0.39% of the world's population and 0.39% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.22% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for the Netherlands, making the population density in Madagascar 89.4% lower than in the Netherlands.

Population density by year

Madagascar
Netherlands

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Madagascar Netherlands
2026 149.3 1,402
2025 145.8 1,394
2024 142.3 1,384
2023 138.9 1,375
2022 135.5 1,362
2021 132.2 1,349
2020 128.9 1,342
2019 125.6 1,334
2018 122.4 1,326
2017 119.3 1,318
2016 116.2 1,310
2015 113.2 1,303
2014 110.2 1,297
2013 107.3 1,292
2012 104.4 1,287
2011 101.6 1,282
2010 98.8 1,276
2009 96 1,269
2008 93.2 1,262
2007 90.5 1,257
2006 87.9 1,254
2005 85.3 1,252
2004 82.9 1,249
2003 80.5 1,245
2002 78.2 1,239
2001 75.9 1,231
2000 73.6 1,222
1999 71.3 1,213
1998 69 1,205
1997 66.8 1,198
1996 64.6 1,191
1995 62.6 1,186
1994 60.6 1,180
1993 58.8 1,173
1992 57 1,165
1991 55.3 1,156
1990 53.7 1,147
1989 52.1 1,139
1988 50.6 1,132
1987 49.2 1,125
1986 47.8 1,118
1985 46.5 1,112
1984 45.1 1,107
1983 43.8 1,102
1982 42.6 1,098
1981 41.3 1,093
1980 40.1 1,086
1979 38.9 1,077
1978 37.7 1,070
1977 36.6 1,063
1976 35.5 1,057
1975 34.5 1,048
1974 33.4 1,039
1973 32.5 1,031
1972 31.5 1,023
1971 30.6 1,012
1970 29.7 1,000
1969 28.9 988
1968 28.1 977
1967 27.3 967
1966 26.6 956
1965 25.9 943
1964 25.3 930
1963 24.6 918
1962 24 906
1961 23.4 893

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/madagascar/netherlands | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Madagascar increased by 69.9%, compared to a 11.8% growth in the Netherlands.

In 2006, Madagascar ranked 144th by population density and is 133rd now. The Netherlands was 15th in 2006 and ranks 17th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Madagascar
Netherlands
1x
Year Urban population
Madagascar Netherlands
2024 32.4% 95.6%
2023 32% 95.3%
2022 31.5% 95%
2021 31.1% 94.6%
2020 30.7% 94.3%
2019 30.3% 93.9%
2018 29.9% 92.6%
2017 29.7% 91.1%
2016 29.4% 90.6%
2015 29.2% 90.3%
2014 28.9% 89.8%
2013 28.7% 89.2%
2012 28.4% 88.5%
2011 28.1% 88%
2010 27.9% 87.4%
2009 27.6% 86.2%
2008 27.3% 85.6%
2007 27% 85.4%
2006 26.8% 84.7%
2005 26.5% 83.5%
2004 26.2% 82.3%
2003 25.9% 81.3%
2002 25.6% 80.8%
2001 25.3% 80.2%
2000 25% 78.5%
1999 24.7% 77.1%
1998 24.4% 76.8%
1997 24.1% 75.6%
1996 23.8% 72.4%
1995 23.5% 70.7%
1994 23.2% 70.4%
1993 22.9% 69.8%
1992 22.5% 69.3%
1991 22.2% 69.2%
1990 21.9% 69%
1989 21.6% 68.8%
1988 21.3% 68.4%
1987 20.9% 68.2%
1986 20.6% 68%
1985 20.3% 67.6%
1984 19.9% 67.4%
1983 19.6% 66.9%
1982 19.2% 66.5%
1981 18.9% 65.7%
1980 18.5% 65%
1979 18.1% 64.8%
1978 17.7% 64.6%
1977 17.3% 64.6%
1976 16.9% 64.5%
1975 16.5% 64.4%
1974 16.1% 64.2%
1973 15.6% 63.5%
1972 15% 63.1%
1971 14.5% 62.8%
1970 14.1% 62.1%
1969 13.7% 61.8%
1968 13.4% 61.8%
1967 13.1% 61.6%
1966 12.7% 61.3%
1965 12.4% 61.2%
1964 12.1% 60.9%
1963 11.8% 60.3%
1962 11.5% 60.3%
1961 11.2% 60.1%
1960 10.8% 59.9%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/madagascar/netherlands | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 26.2% to 32.4% in Madagascar and from 82.3% to 95.6% in the Netherlands.

Densely populated cities

Madagascar
City Population
Antananarivo 1.28M
Antsirabe 265K
Toamasina 225K
Toliara 169K
Netherlands
City Population
Amsterdam 921K
Rotterdam 664K
The Hague 548K
Utrecht 359K
Eindhoven 244K
Groningen 238K
Tilburg 228K
Almere 215K
Breda 188K
Nijmegen 177K

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/madagascar/netherlands | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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