Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Malawi and Rwanda rank 48th and 13th 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 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Malawi 59.9% lower than in Rwanda.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 1,563 |
| 2025 | 610 | 1,529 |
| 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 |
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/rwanda | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 1,563 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 13/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
14975051
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 9,525 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 18,626 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 70.1% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 29.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 11.7% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Rwanda
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 29.9% |
| 2023 | 17% | 28.9% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 27.8% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 26.1% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 24.5% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 23% |
| 2018 | 16% | 21.5% |
| 2017 | 16% | 20.2% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 18.2% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 17.5% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 17.1% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 16.9% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 16.9% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 16.9% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 16.9% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 16.9% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 16.9% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 16.9% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 16.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 16.9% |
| 2003 | 15% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 16.9% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 16.5% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 15.8% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 14.7% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 13.3% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 11.8% |
| 1996 | 14% | 10.3% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 8.82% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 7.48% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 6.4% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 5.66% |
| 1991 | 12% | 5.36% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 5.27% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 5.2% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 5.14% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 5.09% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 5.05% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 5.01% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 4.98% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 4.95% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 4.91% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 4.87% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 4.82% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 4.75% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 4.67% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 4.55% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 4.39% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 4.19% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 3.97% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 3.75% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 3.55% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 3.37% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 3.24% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 3.14% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 3.06% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 3% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 2.94% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 2.88% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 2.83% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 2.78% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 2.72% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 2.67% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 2.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/rwanda | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.
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Population density in other countries
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/rwanda | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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