Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi ranked 50th out of 197.
Malawi has 0.27% of the world's population and 0.06% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Malawi compared to the World's average
Malawi
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | N/A |
| Population |
22673513
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Malawi population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Malawi has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 73.2%. The population density rank was 58th 21 years ago and is 50th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 595 | 50 |
| 2023 | 580 | 51 |
| 2022 | 565 | 53 |
| 2021 | 551 | 53 |
| 2020 | 537 | 54 |
| 2019 | 523 | 55 |
| 2018 | 509 | 55 |
| 2017 | 496 | 56 |
| 2016 | 482 | 56 |
| 2015 | 469 | 56 |
| 2014 | 457 | 57 |
| 2013 | 444 | 56 |
| 2012 | 432 | 56 |
| 2011 | 419 | 57 |
| 2010 | 407 | 56 |
| 2009 | 395 | 56 |
| 2008 | 384 | 57 |
| 2007 | 373 | 56 |
| 2006 | 363 | 56 |
| 2005 | 353 | 57 |
| 2004 | 343 | 58 |
| 2003 | 335 | 59 |
| 2002 | 326 | 59 |
| 2001 | 318 | 61 |
| 2000 | 311 | 61 |
| 1999 | 303 | 58 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 58 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 61 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 64 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 64 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 64 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 62 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 61 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 60 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 60 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 62 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 63 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 65 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 66 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 67 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 68 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 70 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 70 |
| 1981 | 179 | 70 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 70 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 71 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 71 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 72 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 72 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 72 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 72 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 70 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 69 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 69 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 70 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 70 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 70 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 70 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 70 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 70 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 70 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 71 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 70 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 69 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Malawi from 1960 to 2024: 4.39% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 14.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 18.6%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 189 |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 189 |
| 2022 | 18% | 189 |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 190 |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 191 |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 191 |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 191 |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 191 |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 191 |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 191 |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 192 |
| 2013 | 16% | 192 |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 192 |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 192 |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 192 |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 192 |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 192 |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 192 |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 192 |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 192 |
| 2004 | 15% | 191 |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 191 |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 192 |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 192 |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 192 |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 190 |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 189 |
| 1997 | 14% | 190 |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 191 |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 191 |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 191 |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 191 |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 191 |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 191 |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 191 |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 190 |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 190 |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 190 |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 190 |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 189 |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 189 |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 189 |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 189 |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 189 |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 188 |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 187 |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 187 |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 188 |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 188 |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 188 |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 189 |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 189 |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 190 |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 190 |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 190 |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 190 |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 190 |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 189 |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 189 |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 189 |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 189 |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 188 |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 187 |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 186 |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 186 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Malawi topic pages:
Population density comparisons
