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Population density: Malawi vs Peru compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 70.7 people in Peru. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 404,290 sq ft in Peru. Malawi and Peru rank 48th and 161st 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 0.42% of the population and 0.86% of the land area for Peru, making the population density in Malawi 786% higher than in Peru.

Population density by year

Malawi
Peru

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Peru
2026 626 70.7
2025 610 70
2024 595 69.2
2023 580 68.5
2022 565 67.7
2021 551 67.1
2020 537 66.4
2019 523 65.7
2018 509 64.5
2017 496 63.4
2016 482 62.5
2015 469 61.6
2014 457 60.9
2013 444 60.3
2012 432 59.8
2011 419 59.3
2010 407 58.9
2009 395 58.5
2008 384 58.1
2007 373 57.7
2006 363 57.3
2005 353 56.9
2004 343 56.4
2003 335 55.8
2002 326 55.2
2001 318 54.6
2000 311 53.8
1999 303 53
1998 296.5 52.1
1997 290.2 51.1
1996 284.4 50.2
1995 278.8 49.3
1994 279.2 48.3
1993 282.5 47.4
1992 278.4 46.4
1991 270.4 45.5
1990 262.2 44.5
1989 252.1 43.6
1988 240.5 42.6
1987 227.8 41.6
1986 217.2 40.7
1985 209.3 39.8
1984 201.4 38.8
1983 193.7 37.9
1982 186.2 36.9
1981 179 36
1980 172.1 35.1
1979 165.6 34.3
1978 159.6 33.4
1977 154.3 32.6
1976 149.5 31.8
1975 145.3 31
1974 141.2 30.3
1973 137.5 29.5
1972 133.9 28.8
1971 130.5 28
1970 127.3 27.3
1969 124.2 26.6
1968 121.2 25.9
1967 118.2 25.2
1966 115.3 24.5
1965 112.5 23.8
1964 109.8 23.1
1963 107.2 22.5
1962 104.6 21.8
1961 102.1 21.2

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/peru | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 23.4% growth in Peru.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Peru was 157th in 2006 and ranks 161st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Peru
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Peru
2024 17.3% 85.2%
2023 17% 84.8%
2022 16.7% 84.4%
2021 16.5% 83.9%
2020 16.3% 83.5%
2019 16.1% 83.1%
2018 16% 82.7%
2017 16% 82.2%
2016 15.9% 81.4%
2015 15.8% 80.7%
2014 15.8% 80%
2013 15.7% 79.3%
2012 15.6% 78.6%
2011 15.6% 78%
2010 15.5% 77.4%
2009 15.4% 76.8%
2008 15.3% 76.3%
2007 15.2% 75.8%
2006 15.2% 75.3%
2005 15.1% 74.8%
2004 15% 74.4%
2003 15% 74%
2002 14.9% 73.6%
2001 14.8% 73.2%
2000 14.7% 72.8%
1999 14.6% 72.4%
1998 14.4% 72%
1997 14.2% 71.6%
1996 14% 71.3%
1995 13.6% 70.9%
1994 13.3% 70.5%
1993 12.9% 70.1%
1992 12.4% 69.7%
1991 12% 69.3%
1990 11.6% 68.9%
1989 11.2% 68.6%
1988 10.9% 68.2%
1987 10.6% 67.8%
1986 10.4% 67.4%
1985 10.1% 67%
1984 9.93% 66.6%
1983 9.73% 66.2%
1982 9.54% 65.7%
1981 9.34% 65.2%
1980 9.13% 64.7%
1979 8.92% 64.2%
1978 8.68% 63.6%
1977 8.42% 63%
1976 8.11% 62.4%
1975 7.76% 61.8%
1974 7.36% 61.1%
1973 6.95% 60.3%
1972 6.53% 59.6%
1971 6.12% 58.7%
1970 5.73% 57.7%
1969 5.38% 56.6%
1968 5.08% 55.4%
1967 4.84% 54.1%
1966 4.69% 52.8%
1965 4.57% 51.6%
1964 4.45% 50.4%
1963 4.34% 49.3%
1962 4.24% 48.3%
1961 4.14% 47.4%
1960 4.04% 46.7%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 74.4% to 85.2% in Peru.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Peru
City Population
Lima 9.94M
Arequipa 1.01M
Trujillo 920K
Chiclayo 553K
Callao 537K
Piura 473K
Cusco 428K
Chimbote 395K
Huancayo 378K
Iquitos 378K

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/peru | 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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