Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 1,497 people in Rwanda. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Rwanda are ranked 50th and 13th, 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 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, hence the population density in Malawi is 60.3% lower than in Rwanda.
Population density comparison
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 1,497 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 13/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
14826674
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 9,525 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 18,626 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 81.9% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 18.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 8.11% |
Malawi vs Rwanda:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 61.7% growth in Rwanda.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Rwanda was 18th in 2004 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 1,497 |
| 2023 | 580 | 1,465 |
| 2022 | 565 | 1,433 |
| 2021 | 551 | 1,402 |
| 2020 | 537 | 1,372 |
| 2019 | 523 | 1,341 |
| 2018 | 509 | 1,311 |
| 2017 | 496 | 1,281 |
| 2016 | 482 | 1,251 |
| 2015 | 469 | 1,222 |
| 2014 | 457 | 1,193 |
| 2013 | 444 | 1,165 |
| 2012 | 432 | 1,137 |
| 2011 | 419 | 1,110 |
| 2010 | 407 | 1,083 |
| 2009 | 395 | 1,056 |
| 2008 | 384 | 1,029 |
| 2007 | 373 | 1,003 |
| 2006 | 363 | 976 |
| 2005 | 353 | 951 |
| 2004 | 343 | 926 |
| 2003 | 335 | 901 |
| 2002 | 326 | 882 |
| 2001 | 318 | 870 |
| 2000 | 311 | 862 |
| 1999 | 303 | 855 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 848 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 814 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 704 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 596 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 713 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 838 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 807 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 790 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 774 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 754 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 732 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 709 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 686 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 663 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 641 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 620 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 600 |
| 1981 | 179 | 580 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 562 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 545 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 529 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 513 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 498 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 484 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 470 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 456 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 443 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 430 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 418 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 405 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 393 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 381 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 370 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 359 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 350 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 342 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 334 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 326 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 18.1% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 17.9% |
| 2022 | 18% | 17.7% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 17.6% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 17.4% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 17.3% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 17.2% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 17.1% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 17.1% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 17% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 17% |
| 2013 | 16% | 16.9% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 16.9% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 16.9% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 16.9% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 16.9% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 16.9% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 16.9% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 16.9% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 16.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 16.9% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 16.8% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 15.8% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 14.9% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 14.1% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 13.2% |
| 1997 | 14% | 12.5% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 11.4% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 9.84% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 8.49% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 7.31% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 6.29% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 5.49% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 5.42% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 5.34% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 5.27% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 5.2% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 5.13% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 5.06% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 4.99% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 4.92% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 4.85% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 4.79% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 4.72% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 4.66% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 4.57% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 4.37% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 4.18% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 4% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 3.82% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 3.65% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 3.49% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 3.34% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 3.19% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 3.13% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 3.07% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 3% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 2.94% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 2.88% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 2.82% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 2.77% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 2.71% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 2.65% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 2.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 16.9% to 18.1% in Rwanda.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
