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Population density: Malawi vs Pakistan compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 871 people in Pakistan. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 37,780 sq ft in Pakistan. Malawi and Pakistan rank 48th and 29th 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 3.09% of the population and 0.52% of the land area for Pakistan, making the population density in Malawi 28.1% lower than in Pakistan.

Population density by year

Malawi
Pakistan

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Pakistan
2026 626 871
2025 610 857
2024 595 844
2023 580 832
2022 565 819
2021 551 805
2020 537 790
2019 523 775
2018 509 762
2017 496 750
2016 482 740
2015 469 730
2014 457 720
2013 444 709
2012 432 698
2011 419 685
2010 407 669
2009 395 653
2008 384 637
2007 373 620
2006 363 604
2005 353 589
2004 343 575
2003 335 561
2002 326 548
2001 318 535
2000 311 520
1999 303 506
1998 296.5 492
1997 290.2 479
1996 284.4 466
1995 278.8 452
1994 279.2 439
1993 282.5 427
1992 278.4 415
1991 270.4 403
1990 262.2 390
1989 252.1 377
1988 240.5 365
1987 227.8 353
1986 217.2 341
1985 209.3 330
1984 201.4 320
1983 193.7 310
1982 186.2 299.3
1981 179 288.3
1980 172.1 276.5
1979 165.6 265.4
1978 159.6 256.4
1977 154.3 248.3
1976 149.5 240.6
1975 145.3 233.4
1974 141.2 226.5
1973 137.5 219.9
1972 133.9 213.6
1971 130.5 207.8
1970 127.3 202.1
1969 124.2 196.4
1968 121.2 190.9
1967 118.2 185.5
1966 115.3 180.3
1965 112.5 175.4
1964 109.8 170.7
1963 107.2 166.1
1962 104.6 161.8
1961 102.1 157.6

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/pakistan | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 44.3% growth in Pakistan.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Pakistan was 38th in 2006 and ranks 29th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Pakistan
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Pakistan
2024 17.3% 39.2%
2023 17% 38.8%
2022 16.7% 38.4%
2021 16.5% 37.9%
2020 16.3% 37.5%
2019 16.1% 37.1%
2018 16% 36.7%
2017 16% 36.4%
2016 15.9% 36.2%
2015 15.8% 35.9%
2014 15.8% 35.7%
2013 15.7% 35.4%
2012 15.6% 35.2%
2011 15.6% 35%
2010 15.5% 34.8%
2009 15.4% 34.6%
2008 15.3% 34.4%
2007 15.2% 34.3%
2006 15.2% 34.1%
2005 15.1% 33.9%
2004 15% 33.7%
2003 15% 33.6%
2002 14.9% 33.4%
2001 14.8% 33.2%
2000 14.7% 33%
1999 14.6% 32.8%
1998 14.4% 32.6%
1997 14.2% 32.4%
1996 14% 32.1%
1995 13.6% 31.9%
1994 13.3% 31.7%
1993 12.9% 31.5%
1992 12.4% 31.2%
1991 12% 31%
1990 11.6% 30.8%
1989 11.2% 30.5%
1988 10.9% 30.3%
1987 10.6% 30%
1986 10.4% 29.8%
1985 10.1% 29.5%
1984 9.93% 29.2%
1983 9.73% 29%
1982 9.54% 28.7%
1981 9.34% 28.4%
1980 9.13% 28.1%
1979 8.92% 27.8%
1978 8.68% 27.4%
1977 8.42% 27.1%
1976 8.11% 26.7%
1975 7.76% 26.3%
1974 7.36% 26%
1973 6.95% 25.6%
1972 6.53% 25.3%
1971 6.12% 25.1%
1970 5.73% 24.8%
1969 5.38% 24.6%
1968 5.08% 24.4%
1967 4.84% 24.1%
1966 4.69% 23.9%
1965 4.57% 23.7%
1964 4.45% 23.5%
1963 4.34% 23.2%
1962 4.24% 22.9%
1961 4.14% 22.6%
1960 4.04% 22.3%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/pakistan | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 33.7% to 39.2% in Pakistan.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Pakistan
City Population
Karachi 14.9M
Lahore 11.1M
Faisalabad 3.2M
Rawalpindi 2.1M
Gujranwala 2.03M
Peshawar 1.97M
Multan 1.87M
Hyderabad 1.73M
Islamabad 1.01M
Quetta 1M

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/malawi/pakistan | 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 (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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