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Population density: Malawi vs Russia compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 22.4 people in Russia. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 1,280,521 sq ft in Russia. Malawi and Russia rank 48th and 186th 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 1.77% of the population and 11% of the land area for Russia, making the population density in Malawi 2,690% higher than in Russia.

Population density by year

Malawi
Russia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Russia
2026 626 22.4
2025 610 22.6
2024 595 22.7
2023 580 22.7
2022 565 22.8
2021 551 22.9
2020 537 23
2019 523 23
2018 509 23
2017 496 23
2016 482 22.9
2015 469 22.9
2014 457 22.8
2013 444 22.7
2012 432 22.7
2011 419 22.6
2010 407 22.6
2009 395 22.6
2008 384 22.6
2007 373 22.6
2006 363 22.6
2005 353 22.7
2004 343 22.8
2003 335 22.9
2002 326 23
2001 318 23.1
2000 311 23.2
1999 303 23.3
1998 296.5 23.3
1997 290.2 23.4
1996 284.4 23.4
1995 278.8 23.5
1994 279.2 23.5
1993 282.5 23.5
1992 278.4 23.5
1991 270.4 -
1990 262.2 -
1989 252.1 -
1988 240.5 -
1987 227.8 -
1986 217.2 -
1985 209.3 -
1984 201.4 -
1983 193.7 -
1982 186.2 -
1981 179 -
1980 172.1 -
1979 165.6 -
1978 159.6 -
1977 154.3 -
1976 149.5 -
1975 145.3 -
1974 141.2 -
1973 137.5 -
1972 133.9 -
1971 130.5 -
1970 127.3 -
1969 124.2 -
1968 121.2 -
1967 118.2 -
1966 115.3 -
1965 112.5 -
1964 109.8 -
1963 107.2 -
1962 104.6 -
1961 102.1 -

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/russia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 0.79% decline in Russia.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Russia was 179th in 2006 and ranks 186th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Russia
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Russia
2024 17.3% 75.1%
2023 17% 75%
2022 16.7% 74.9%
2021 16.5% 74.8%
2020 16.3% 74.7%
2019 16.1% 74.6%
2018 16% 74.5%
2017 16% 74.5%
2016 15.9% 74.4%
2015 15.8% 74.3%
2014 15.8% 74.2%
2013 15.7% 74.1%
2012 15.6% 74%
2011 15.6% 73.9%
2010 15.5% 73.7%
2009 15.4% 73.5%
2008 15.3% 73.5%
2007 15.2% 73.4%
2006 15.2% 73.2%
2005 15.1% 73.2%
2004 15% 73.3%
2003 15% 73.4%
2002 14.9% 73.3%
2001 14.8% 73.2%
2000 14.7% 73.2%
1999 14.6% 73%
1998 14.4% 73.2%
1997 14.2% 73.1%
1996 14% 73.1%
1995 13.6% 72.9%
1994 13.3% 73%
1993 12.9% 73.1%
1992 12.4% 73.4%
1991 12% 73.7%
1990 11.6% 73.7%
1989 11.2% 73.6%
1988 10.9% 73.2%
1987 10.6% 72.9%
1986 10.4% 72.5%
1985 10.1% 72%
1984 9.93% 71.6%
1983 9.73% 71.3%
1982 9.54% 70.9%
1981 9.34% 70.3%
1980 9.13% 69.9%
1979 8.92% 69.3%
1978 8.68% 68.8%
1977 8.42% 68.2%
1976 8.11% 67.7%
1975 7.76% 66.9%
1974 7.36% 66.1%
1973 6.95% 65.1%
1972 6.53% 64.2%
1971 6.12% 63.2%
1970 5.73% 62.6%
1969 5.38% 61.8%
1968 5.08% 60.9%
1967 4.84% 60%
1966 4.69% 59.2%
1965 4.57% 58.3%
1964 4.45% 57.6%
1963 4.34% 56.8%
1962 4.24% 55.9%
1961 4.14% 55.1%
1960 4.04% 54.1%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 73.3% to 75.1% in Russia.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Russia
City Population
Moscow 13.3M
Saint Petersburg 5.65M
Novosibirsk 1.64M
Yekaterinburg 1.47M
Kazan 1.33M
Nizhny Novgorod 1.2M
Chelyabinsk 1.18M
Krasnodar 1.15M
Samara 1.15M
Ufa 1.14M

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/russia | 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 (2007–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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