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Population density: Malawi vs Philippines compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 1,023 people in the Philippines. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 31,912 sq ft in the Philippines. Malawi and the Philippines rank 48th and 23rd 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 1.43% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for the Philippines, making the population density in Malawi 38.8% lower than in the Philippines.

Population density by year

Malawi
Philippines

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Philippines
2026 626 1,023
2025 610 1,014
2024 595 1,006
2023 580 998
2022 565 990
2021 551 982
2020 537 974
2019 523 962
2018 509 951
2017 496 939
2016 482 927
2015 469 915
2014 457 901
2013 444 887
2012 432 870
2011 419 853
2010 407 837
2009 395 820
2008 384 805
2007 373 791
2006 363 778
2005 353 765
2004 343 750
2003 335 736
2002 326 722
2001 318 707
2000 311 692
1999 303 675
1998 296.5 658
1997 290.2 642
1996 284.4 627
1995 278.8 613
1994 279.2 600
1993 282.5 587
1992 278.4 573
1991 270.4 559
1990 262.2 546
1989 252.1 532
1988 240.5 519
1987 227.8 505
1986 217.2 492
1985 209.3 480
1984 201.4 467
1983 193.7 453
1982 186.2 440
1981 179 428
1980 172.1 417
1979 165.6 407
1978 159.6 396
1977 154.3 385
1976 149.5 375
1975 145.3 366
1974 141.2 358
1973 137.5 350
1972 133.9 342
1971 130.5 334
1970 127.3 327
1969 124.2 318
1968 121.2 309
1967 118.2 301
1966 115.3 291.9
1965 112.5 283.3
1964 109.8 274.8
1963 107.2 266.4
1962 104.6 258.1
1961 102.1 250

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/philippines | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 31.5% growth in the Philippines.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. The Philippines was 28th in 2006 and ranks 23rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Philippines
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Philippines
2024 17.3% 55.5%
2023 17% 55.1%
2022 16.7% 54.8%
2021 16.5% 54.5%
2020 16.3% 54.1%
2019 16.1% 53.7%
2018 16% 53.2%
2017 16% 52.6%
2016 15.9% 51.9%
2015 15.8% 51.2%
2014 15.8% 50.2%
2013 15.7% 49.1%
2012 15.6% 47.9%
2011 15.6% 46.7%
2010 15.5% 45.5%
2009 15.4% 44.3%
2008 15.3% 43.2%
2007 15.2% 42.3%
2006 15.2% 41.8%
2005 15.1% 41.3%
2004 15% 40.9%
2003 15% 40.4%
2002 14.9% 40%
2001 14.8% 39.5%
2000 14.7% 39.1%
1999 14.6% 38.8%
1998 14.4% 38.4%
1997 14.2% 38%
1996 14% 37.7%
1995 13.6% 37.4%
1994 13.3% 37.1%
1993 12.9% 36.8%
1992 12.4% 36.5%
1991 12% 36.3%
1990 11.6% 36%
1989 11.2% 35.8%
1988 10.9% 35.5%
1987 10.6% 35.3%
1986 10.4% 35.1%
1985 10.1% 34.9%
1984 9.93% 34.6%
1983 9.73% 34.4%
1982 9.54% 34.2%
1981 9.34% 34%
1980 9.13% 33.8%
1979 8.92% 33.7%
1978 8.68% 33.5%
1977 8.42% 33.3%
1976 8.11% 33.1%
1975 7.76% 32.9%
1974 7.36% 32.7%
1973 6.95% 32.5%
1972 6.53% 32.3%
1971 6.12% 32.1%
1970 5.73% 31.9%
1969 5.38% 31.7%
1968 5.08% 31.5%
1967 4.84% 31.3%
1966 4.69% 31.1%
1965 4.57% 31%
1964 4.45% 30.8%
1963 4.34% 30.7%
1962 4.24% 30.5%
1961 4.14% 30.3%
1960 4.04% 30%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 40.9% to 55.5% in the Philippines.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Philippines
City Population
Quezon 3.08M
Manila 1.9M
Davao 1.85M
Caloocan 1.71M
Taguig 1.31M
Zamboanga 1.02M
Palawan 969K
Cebu 965K
Antipolo 914K
Pasig 853K

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/philippines | 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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