Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 52.8 people in New Zealand. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 545,618 sq ft in New Zealand. Malawi and New Zealand rank 48th and 169th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Malawi has 0.27% of the world's population and 0.06% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.07% of the population and 0.18% of the land area for New Zealand, making the population density in Malawi 1,087% higher than in New Zealand.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 52.8 |
| 2025 | 610 | 52.4 |
| 2024 | 595 | 52 |
| 2023 | 580 | 51.1 |
| 2022 | 565 | 50 |
| 2021 | 551 | 50 |
| 2020 | 537 | 49.9 |
| 2019 | 523 | 48.9 |
| 2018 | 509 | 48.2 |
| 2017 | 496 | 47.3 |
| 2016 | 482 | 46.4 |
| 2015 | 469 | 45.3 |
| 2014 | 457 | 44.4 |
| 2013 | 444 | 43.7 |
| 2012 | 432 | 43.4 |
| 2011 | 419 | 43.1 |
| 2010 | 407 | 42.8 |
| 2009 | 395 | 42.3 |
| 2008 | 384 | 41.9 |
| 2007 | 373 | 41.5 |
| 2006 | 363 | 41.2 |
| 2005 | 353 | 40.7 |
| 2004 | 343 | 40.2 |
| 2003 | 335 | 39.6 |
| 2002 | 326 | 38.8 |
| 2001 | 318 | 38.2 |
| 2000 | 311 | 37.9 |
| 1999 | 303 | 37.7 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 37.5 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 37.2 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 36.7 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 36.1 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 35.6 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 35.1 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 34.7 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 34.4 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 32.8 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 32.5 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 32.3 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 32.2 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 31.9 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 31.9 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 31.7 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 31.5 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 31 |
| 1981 | 179 | 30.7 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 30.6 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 30.6 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 30.7 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 30.7 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 30.6 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 30.3 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 29.7 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 29.1 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 28.6 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 28.1 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 27.6 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 27.3 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 27 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 26.8 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 26.3 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 25.9 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 25.4 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 24.9 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 24.4 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 23.8 |
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/malawi/new-zealand | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 28.2% growth in New Zealand.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. New Zealand was 166th in 2006 and ranks 169th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 52.8 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 169/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
5374272
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 101,665 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 536,027 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 16.1% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 83.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 27.4% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
New Zealand
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 83.9% |
| 2023 | 17% | 83.9% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 83.9% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 83.8% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 83.8% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 83.8% |
| 2018 | 16% | 83.8% |
| 2017 | 16% | 84.2% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 84.7% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 85.2% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 85.5% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 85.7% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 85.8% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 85.8% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 85.9% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 85.9% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 85.9% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 85.9% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 85.9% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 85.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 85.9% |
| 2003 | 15% | 85.9% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 85.8% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 85.8% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 85.7% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 85.7% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 85.6% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 85.5% |
| 1996 | 14% | 85.5% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 85.4% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 85.3% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 85.2% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 85.1% |
| 1991 | 12% | 85% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 84.8% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 84.6% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 84.3% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 84.1% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 83.9% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 83.8% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 83.7% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 83.6% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 83.6% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 83.5% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 83.4% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 83.3% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 83.2% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 83.1% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 82.9% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 82.7% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 82.5% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 82.3% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 81.9% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 81.5% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 80.4% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 77.9% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 74.6% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 71.3% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 68.8% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 67.4% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 66.5% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 65.7% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 64.9% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 63.9% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 62.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/new-zealand | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 85.9% to 83.9% in New Zealand.
Densely populated cities
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lilongwe | 989K |
| Blantyre | 800K |
| Mzuzu | 150K |
| Zomba | 101K |
| Mangochi | 53.5K |
|
New Zealand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Auckland | 1.47M |
| Christchurch | 383K |
| Wellington | 216K |
| Hamilton | 176K |
| Tauranga | 151K |
| Dunedin | 106K |
| Lower Hutt | 103K |
| Palmerston North | 81.5K |
| Napier | 66.3K |
| Hibiscus Coast | 59.8K |
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/malawi/new-zealand | CC BY
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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 (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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