Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 303 people in Portugal. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 92,762 sq ft in Portugal. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Portugal are ranked 50th and 81st, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.06% of the land area for Portugal, hence the population density in Malawi is 96.6% higher than in Portugal.
Population density comparison
Malawi
|
Portugal
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 303 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 81/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
10687819
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 35,369 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 92,139 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 31.6% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 68.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Malawi vs Portugal:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 1.96% growth in Portugal.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Portugal was 68th in 2004 and ranks 81st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 303 |
| 2023 | 580 | 299.1 |
| 2022 | 565 | 295 |
| 2021 | 551 | 293 |
| 2020 | 537 | 291.1 |
| 2019 | 523 | 290.8 |
| 2018 | 509 | 290.8 |
| 2017 | 496 | 291.2 |
| 2016 | 482 | 291.9 |
| 2015 | 469 | 292.9 |
| 2014 | 457 | 294.1 |
| 2013 | 444 | 295.7 |
| 2012 | 432 | 297.3 |
| 2011 | 419 | 298.5 |
| 2010 | 407 | 299 |
| 2009 | 395 | 298.8 |
| 2008 | 384 | 299 |
| 2007 | 373 | 298.5 |
| 2006 | 363 | 297.9 |
| 2005 | 353 | 297.4 |
| 2004 | 343 | 296.8 |
| 2003 | 335 | 296 |
| 2002 | 326 | 294.9 |
| 2001 | 318 | 293.3 |
| 2000 | 311 | 291.3 |
| 1999 | 303 | 289.2 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 287.6 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 286.1 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 284.9 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 283.8 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 282.8 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 282.1 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 281.7 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 281.9 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 282.6 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 283.2 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 283.6 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 283.9 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 284 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 283.7 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 283 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 281.9 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 280.6 |
| 1981 | 179 | 278.9 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 276.4 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 273.5 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 270.6 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 267.7 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 264.8 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 257.4 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 247.8 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 244.4 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 244.3 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 244.7 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 245.7 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 247.9 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 250.1 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 251.2 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 252.8 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 254.7 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 255.8 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 255.6 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 254.6 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 252.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Portugal
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 68.4% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 67.9% |
| 2022 | 18% | 67.4% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 66.8% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 66.3% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 65.8% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 65.2% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 64.7% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 64.1% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 63.5% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 62.9% |
| 2013 | 16% | 62.4% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 61.8% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 61.2% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 60.6% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 60% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 59.4% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 58.7% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 58.1% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 57.5% |
| 2004 | 15% | 56.9% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 56.3% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 55.7% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 55% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 54.4% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 53.7% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 53.1% |
| 1997 | 14% | 52.4% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 51.8% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 51.1% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 50.4% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 49.8% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 49.1% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 48.5% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 47.9% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 47.4% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 46.9% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 46.3% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 45.8% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 45.3% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 44.8% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 44.3% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 43.7% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 43.2% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 42.8% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 42.4% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 42% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 41.6% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 41.2% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 40.8% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 40.4% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 40% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 39.6% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 39.2% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 38.8% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 38.4% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 38% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 37.6% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 37.3% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 36.9% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 36.5% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 36.1% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 35.7% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 35.3% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 35% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 56.9% to 68.4% in Portugal.
Densely populated cities
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