Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 918 people in Sri Lanka. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Sri Lanka are ranked 50th and 25th, 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, hence the population density in Malawi is 35.2% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density comparison
Malawi
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 918 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
22125995
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 80.6% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 19.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Malawi vs Sri Lanka:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 10.6% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Sri Lanka was 24th in 2004 and ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 918 |
| 2023 | 580 | 923 |
| 2022 | 565 | 929 |
| 2021 | 551 | 928 |
| 2020 | 537 | 918 |
| 2019 | 523 | 913 |
| 2018 | 509 | 907 |
| 2017 | 496 | 898 |
| 2016 | 482 | 888 |
| 2015 | 469 | 878 |
| 2014 | 457 | 858 |
| 2013 | 444 | 850 |
| 2012 | 432 | 874 |
| 2011 | 419 | 868 |
| 2010 | 407 | 862 |
| 2009 | 395 | 857 |
| 2008 | 384 | 852 |
| 2007 | 373 | 846 |
| 2006 | 363 | 841 |
| 2005 | 353 | 835 |
| 2004 | 343 | 830 |
| 2003 | 335 | 824 |
| 2002 | 326 | 818 |
| 2001 | 318 | 810 |
| 2000 | 311 | 797 |
| 1999 | 303 | 782 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 768 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 754 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 739 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 725 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 714 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 703 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 691 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 680 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 675 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 671 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 664 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 657 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 650 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 642 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 638 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 636 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 631 |
| 1981 | 179 | 624 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 613 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 602 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 591 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 580 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 570 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 560 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 550 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 539 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 529 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 518 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 507 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 496 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 485 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 473 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 462 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 451 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 440 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 429 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 419 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 409 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 18% | 19% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 18.9% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 18.7% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 18.6% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 18.5% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 18.3% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 18.3% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 18.2% |
| 2013 | 16% | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 18.2% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 18.2% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 18.2% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 18.3% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 18.3% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 15% | 18.3% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 18.3% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 18.3% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 18.4% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 18.4% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 18.4% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 18.4% |
| 1997 | 14% | 18.4% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 18.4% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 18.5% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 18.5% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 18.5% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 18.5% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 18.5% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 18.6% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 18.6% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 18.6% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 18.6% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 18.6% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 18.6% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 18.7% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 18.6% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 18.5% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 18.4% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 18.3% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 18.2% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 18.1% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 18% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 17.9% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 17.8% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 17.6% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 17.3% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 17.2% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 17% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 16.9% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 16.8% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 16.6% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 16.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 18.3% to 19.4% in Sri Lanka.
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
