Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 44.1 people in Saudi Arabia. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 686,079 sq ft in Saudi Arabia. Malawi and Saudi Arabia rank 48th and 179th 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 0.43% of the population and 1.44% of the land area for Saudi Arabia, making the population density in Malawi 1,321% higher than in Saudi Arabia.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 44.1 |
| 2025 | 610 | 43.3 |
| 2024 | 595 | 42.5 |
| 2023 | 580 | 40.6 |
| 2022 | 565 | 38.8 |
| 2021 | 551 | 37.1 |
| 2020 | 537 | 38 |
| 2019 | 523 | 36.2 |
| 2018 | 509 | 36.4 |
| 2017 | 496 | 37.3 |
| 2016 | 482 | 37.3 |
| 2015 | 469 | 35.9 |
| 2014 | 457 | 34.1 |
| 2013 | 444 | 33.3 |
| 2012 | 432 | 31.5 |
| 2011 | 419 | 30.2 |
| 2010 | 407 | 28.9 |
| 2009 | 395 | 29.2 |
| 2008 | 384 | 28.1 |
| 2007 | 373 | 26.9 |
| 2006 | 363 | 25.9 |
| 2005 | 353 | 24.8 |
| 2004 | 343 | 23.7 |
| 2003 | 335 | 22.6 |
| 2002 | 326 | 21.6 |
| 2001 | 318 | 20.5 |
| 2000 | 311 | 19.5 |
| 1999 | 303 | 18.6 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 18 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 17.3 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 16.7 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 16 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 15.4 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 14.7 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 14.1 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 13.4 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 12.8 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 12.2 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 11.6 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 11 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 10.4 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 9.82 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 9.27 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 8.74 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 8.22 |
| 1981 | 179 | 7.74 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 7.29 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 6.87 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 6.48 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 6.12 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 5.79 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 5.49 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 5.21 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 4.95 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 4.71 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 4.49 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 4.29 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 4.12 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 3.96 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 3.8 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 3.66 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 3.53 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 3.4 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 3.28 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 3.16 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 3.04 |
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/saudi-arabia | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 70.4% growth in Saudi Arabia.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Saudi Arabia was 177th in 2006 and ranks 179th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 44.1 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 179/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
36734925
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 830,000 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 655,493 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 15.5% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 84.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 42.3% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 84.5% |
| 2023 | 17% | 84.3% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 84.1% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 84% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 83.8% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 83.6% |
| 2018 | 16% | 83.5% |
| 2017 | 16% | 83.3% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 83.1% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 83% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 82.8% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 82.6% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 82.4% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 82.3% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 81.6% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 81.4% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 81.2% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 81% |
| 2004 | 15% | 80.8% |
| 2003 | 15% | 80.5% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 80.2% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 80% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 79.8% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 79.6% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 79.4% |
| 1996 | 14% | 79.2% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 78.9% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 78.6% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 78.3% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 78% |
| 1991 | 12% | 77.6% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 77% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 76.3% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 75.6% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 73.9% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 72.9% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 71.8% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 70.6% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 69.3% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 67.9% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 66.4% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 64.9% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 63.3% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 61.7% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 60.1% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 58.4% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 56.8% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 55.1% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 53.2% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 51.2% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 49.2% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 47.1% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 45% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 42.9% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 40.9% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 39% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 37.2% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 35.6% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 34.1% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 32.8% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 31.4% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/saudi-arabia | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 80.8% to 84.5% in Saudi Arabia.
Densely populated cities
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lilongwe | 989K |
| Blantyre | 800K |
| Mzuzu | 150K |
| Zomba | 101K |
| Mangochi | 53.5K |
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Riyadh | 7.01M |
| Jeddah | 4.7M |
| Mecca | 2.43M |
| Medina | 1.41M |
| Dammam | 903K |
| Tabuk | 886K |
| Qatif | 625K |
| Jubail | 379K |
| Ha'il | 311K |
| Yanbu | 299K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
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/saudi-arabia | 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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