Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 260.6 people in Senegal. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 114,447 sq ft in Senegal. Malawi and Senegal rank 48th and 95th 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 0.23% of the population and 0.13% of the land area for Senegal, making the population density in Malawi 140.3% higher than in Senegal.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
Senegal
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 260.6 |
| 2025 | 610 | 254.7 |
| 2024 | 595 | 248.9 |
| 2023 | 580 | 243.2 |
| 2022 | 565 | 237.4 |
| 2021 | 551 | 231.7 |
| 2020 | 537 | 225.9 |
| 2019 | 523 | 220 |
| 2018 | 509 | 214.1 |
| 2017 | 496 | 208.2 |
| 2016 | 482 | 202.3 |
| 2015 | 469 | 196.3 |
| 2014 | 457 | 190.4 |
| 2013 | 444 | 184.4 |
| 2012 | 432 | 179.1 |
| 2011 | 419 | 174.3 |
| 2010 | 407 | 170 |
| 2009 | 395 | 166 |
| 2008 | 384 | 162.1 |
| 2007 | 373 | 158.3 |
| 2006 | 363 | 154.7 |
| 2005 | 353 | 151.1 |
| 2004 | 343 | 147.6 |
| 2003 | 335 | 144.2 |
| 2002 | 326 | 140.8 |
| 2001 | 318 | 137.4 |
| 2000 | 311 | 134.1 |
| 1999 | 303 | 130.9 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 127.8 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 124.9 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 122 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 119 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 116 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 113 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 109.9 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 106.9 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 103.9 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 100.9 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 98.1 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 95.3 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 92.5 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 89.9 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 87.4 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 85.1 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 82.8 |
| 1981 | 179 | 80.7 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 76.7 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 74.9 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 73.2 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 71.4 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 69.6 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 67.7 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 65.7 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 63.8 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 61.9 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 60.1 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 58.3 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 56.6 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 54.9 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 53.3 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 51.8 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 50.3 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 48.9 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 47.5 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 46.2 |
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/senegal | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 68.5% growth in Senegal.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Senegal was 117th in 2006 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
Senegal
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 260.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
19491599
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 74,336 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 112,008 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 44.8% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 55.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 7.38% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Senegal
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 55.2% |
| 2023 | 17% | 54.7% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 53.4% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 52.2% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 51.1% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 49.9% |
| 2018 | 16% | 48.9% |
| 2017 | 16% | 47.9% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 47.1% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 46.3% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 45.6% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 45% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 44.5% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 44.1% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 43.6% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 43.2% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 42.9% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 42.5% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 42.2% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 41.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 41.6% |
| 2003 | 15% | 41.4% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 41.1% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 40.9% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 40.7% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 40.5% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 40.3% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 40.1% |
| 1996 | 14% | 40% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 39.8% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 39.7% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 39.5% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 39.3% |
| 1991 | 12% | 39.1% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 38.9% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 38.7% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 38.5% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 38.2% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 38% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 37.7% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 37.4% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 37% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 36.7% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 36.3% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 36% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 35.6% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 35.2% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 34.8% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 34.4% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 33.9% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 33.5% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 33% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 32.5% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 31.9% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 31.3% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 30.4% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 29.4% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 28.3% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 27.2% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 26.1% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 25% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 24.1% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 23.3% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 22.8% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 22.6% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/senegal | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 41.6% to 55.2% in Senegal.
Densely populated cities
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/senegal | CC BY
Help us show the world through your eyes
Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.
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 (2002–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.