Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 310 people in Sierra Leone. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 89,354 sq ft in Sierra Leone. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Sierra Leone are ranked 50th and 77th, 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 0.11% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Sierra Leone, hence the population density in Malawi is 91.8% higher than in Sierra Leone.
Population density comparison
Malawi
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 310 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 77/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
8961932
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 27,869 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 89,902 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 55.2% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 44.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Malawi vs Sierra Leone:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 61.4% growth in Sierra Leone.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Sierra Leone was 95th in 2004 and ranks 77th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 310 |
| 2023 | 580 | 304 |
| 2022 | 565 | 297 |
| 2021 | 551 | 290.5 |
| 2020 | 537 | 283.9 |
| 2019 | 523 | 277.4 |
| 2018 | 509 | 271.1 |
| 2017 | 496 | 264.8 |
| 2016 | 482 | 258.5 |
| 2015 | 469 | 252.5 |
| 2014 | 457 | 246.7 |
| 2013 | 444 | 240.9 |
| 2012 | 432 | 235.1 |
| 2011 | 419 | 229.2 |
| 2010 | 407 | 223.3 |
| 2009 | 395 | 217.3 |
| 2008 | 384 | 211.5 |
| 2007 | 373 | 206.3 |
| 2006 | 363 | 201.8 |
| 2005 | 353 | 197.4 |
| 2004 | 343 | 192.2 |
| 2003 | 335 | 185.8 |
| 2002 | 326 | 178.4 |
| 2001 | 318 | 168.4 |
| 2000 | 311 | 158.7 |
| 1999 | 303 | 154.9 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 154.1 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 152.6 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 150.7 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 150 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 149.7 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 149.2 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 149.5 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 152.4 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 150.6 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 144.8 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 141.2 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 137.4 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 133.8 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 130.6 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 127.7 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 124.9 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 122.3 |
| 1981 | 179 | 119.8 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 117.4 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 115.1 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 112.9 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 110.7 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 108.7 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 106.7 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 104.8 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 102.9 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 101 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 99.2 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 97.3 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 95.5 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 93.7 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 91.9 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 90.2 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 88.6 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 87 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 85.5 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 84 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 82.7 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 44.8% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 44.3% |
| 2022 | 18% | 43.8% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 43.4% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 42.9% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 42.5% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 42.1% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 41.6% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 41.2% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 40.8% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 40.4% |
| 2013 | 16% | 40% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 39.6% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 39.2% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 38.9% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 38.5% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 38.1% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 37.7% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 37.3% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 36.6% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 36.4% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 36.1% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 35.9% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 35.6% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 35.4% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 35.1% |
| 1997 | 14% | 34.9% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 34.7% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 34.4% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 34.2% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 34% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 33.7% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 33.5% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 33.3% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 33% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 32.8% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 32.6% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 32.3% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 32% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 31.6% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 31.1% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 30.7% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 30.2% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 29.8% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 29.4% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 29% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 28.6% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 28.1% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 27.7% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 27.1% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 26.3% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 25.5% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 24.7% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 24% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 23.2% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 22.5% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 21.8% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 21.1% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 20.4% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 19.7% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 19.1% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 18.5% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 17.9% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 17.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone.
Densely populated cities
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