Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Malawi and Switzerland rank 48th and 51st 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in Malawi 4.99% higher than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 596 |
| 2025 | 610 | 594 |
| 2024 | 595 | 590 |
| 2023 | 580 | 583 |
| 2022 | 565 | 575 |
| 2021 | 551 | 571 |
| 2020 | 537 | 566 |
| 2019 | 523 | 562 |
| 2018 | 509 | 558 |
| 2017 | 496 | 554 |
| 2016 | 482 | 549 |
| 2015 | 469 | 543 |
| 2014 | 457 | 537 |
| 2013 | 444 | 530 |
| 2012 | 432 | 524 |
| 2011 | 419 | 519 |
| 2010 | 407 | 513 |
| 2009 | 395 | 508 |
| 2008 | 384 | 501 |
| 2007 | 373 | 495 |
| 2006 | 363 | 491 |
| 2005 | 353 | 487 |
| 2004 | 343 | 484 |
| 2003 | 335 | 481 |
| 2002 | 326 | 477 |
| 2001 | 318 | 474 |
| 2000 | 311 | 471 |
| 1999 | 303 | 468 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 466 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 464 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 463 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 461 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 458 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 455 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 450 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 440 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 436 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 432 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 429 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 426 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 424 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 422 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 421 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 419 |
| 1981 | 179 | 416 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 414 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 412 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 412 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 412 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 413 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 415 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 416 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 413 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 410 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 407 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 405 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 402 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 398 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 393 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 388 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 384 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 379 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 373 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 365 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 356 |
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/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 17% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 16% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 16% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 15% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 15% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 14% | 72% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 71% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 12% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 68% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 64% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 53% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lilongwe | 989K |
| Blantyre | 800K |
| Mzuzu | 150K |
| Zomba | 101K |
| Mangochi | 53.5K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
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/switzerland | 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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