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Population density: Malawi vs Poland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Poland. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 92,061 sq ft in Poland. Malawi and Poland rank 48th and 80th 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 0.45% of the population and 0.21% of the land area for Poland, making the population density in Malawi 106.8% higher than in Poland.

Population density by year

Malawi
Poland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Poland
2026 626 303
2025 610 306
2024 595 309
2023 580 310
2022 565 312
2021 551 313
2020 537 317
2019 523 321
2018 509 321
2017 496 321
2016 482 321
2015 469 321
2014 457 322
2013 444 322
2012 432 322
2011 419 322
2010 407 322
2009 395 323
2008 384 322
2007 373 322
2006 363 322
2005 353 323
2004 343 323
2003 335 323
2002 326 323
2001 318 323
2000 311 324
1999 303 327
1998 296.5 327
1997 290.2 327
1996 284.4 327
1995 278.8 326
1994 279.2 326
1993 282.5 325
1992 278.4 324
1991 270.4 323
1990 262.2 322
1989 252.1 321
1988 240.5 320
1987 227.8 319
1986 217.2 317
1985 209.3 315
1984 201.4 312
1983 193.7 309
1982 186.2 306
1981 179 304
1980 172.1 301
1979 165.6 298.1
1978 159.6 295.7
1977 154.3 293.3
1976 149.5 290.5
1975 145.3 287.6
1974 141.2 284.8
1973 137.5 282.1
1972 133.9 279.5
1971 130.5 277.2
1970 127.3 276.2
1969 124.2 275.2
1968 121.2 273.1
1967 118.2 270.5
1966 115.3 267.9
1965 112.5 265.9
1964 109.8 263.3
1963 107.2 259.7
1962 104.6 256.3
1961 102.1 253.4

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/poland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 6.1% decline in Poland.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Poland was 64th in 2006 and ranks 80th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Poland
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Poland
2024 17.3% 60%
2023 17% 59.9%
2022 16.7% 59.8%
2021 16.5% 59.8%
2020 16.3% 59.9%
2019 16.1% 60%
2018 16% 60.1%
2017 16% 60.1%
2016 15.9% 60.2%
2015 15.8% 60.3%
2014 15.8% 60.4%
2013 15.7% 60.5%
2012 15.6% 60.6%
2011 15.6% 60.7%
2010 15.5% 60.8%
2009 15.4% 61%
2008 15.3% 61.1%
2007 15.2% 61.3%
2006 15.2% 61.4%
2005 15.1% 61.5%
2004 15% 61.7%
2003 15% 61.7%
2002 14.9% 61.8%
2001 14.8% 61.8%
2000 14.7% 61.7%
1999 14.6% 61.7%
1998 14.4% 61.7%
1997 14.2% 61.7%
1996 14% 61.6%
1995 13.6% 61.6%
1994 13.3% 61.5%
1993 12.9% 61.5%
1992 12.4% 61.4%
1991 12% 61.4%
1990 11.6% 61.3%
1989 11.2% 61.2%
1988 10.9% 61.1%
1987 10.6% 61%
1986 10.4% 60.7%
1985 10.1% 60.4%
1984 9.93% 60.1%
1983 9.73% 59.6%
1982 9.54% 59.2%
1981 9.34% 58.7%
1980 9.13% 58.2%
1979 8.92% 57.7%
1978 8.68% 57.2%
1977 8.42% 56.7%
1976 8.11% 56%
1975 7.76% 55.3%
1974 7.36% 54.6%
1973 6.95% 53.9%
1972 6.53% 53.2%
1971 6.12% 52.6%
1970 5.73% 52.1%
1969 5.38% 51.6%
1968 5.08% 51.2%
1967 4.84% 50.9%
1966 4.69% 50.6%
1965 4.57% 50.2%
1964 4.45% 49.9%
1963 4.34% 49.5%
1962 4.24% 49.1%
1961 4.14% 48.6%
1960 4.04% 48.1%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 61.7% to 60% in Poland.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Poland
City Population
Warsaw 1.86M
Krakow 804K
Wroclaw 674K
Lodz 649K
Poznan 547K
Gdansk 488K
Szczecin 388K
Lublin 335K
Bydgoszcz 325K
Bialystok 290K

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/poland | 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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