Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 200.5 people in Tanzania. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 148,726 sq ft in Tanzania. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Tanzania are ranked 50th and 113th, 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 0.84% of the population and 0.59% of the land area for Tanzania, hence the population density in Malawi is 196.8% higher than in Tanzania.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 200.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 113/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
72166806
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 342,009 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 139,070 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 61.9% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 38.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 6.88% |
Malawi vs Tanzania:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 79.9% growth in Tanzania.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Tanzania was 130th in 2004 and ranks 113th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 200.5 |
| 2023 | 580 | 194.8 |
| 2022 | 565 | 189.2 |
| 2021 | 551 | 183.7 |
| 2020 | 537 | 178.3 |
| 2019 | 523 | 173 |
| 2018 | 509 | 167.9 |
| 2017 | 496 | 162.7 |
| 2016 | 482 | 157.4 |
| 2015 | 469 | 152.1 |
| 2014 | 457 | 147.2 |
| 2013 | 444 | 142.8 |
| 2012 | 432 | 138.5 |
| 2011 | 419 | 134.6 |
| 2010 | 407 | 130.9 |
| 2009 | 395 | 127.6 |
| 2008 | 384 | 124.5 |
| 2007 | 373 | 121.2 |
| 2006 | 363 | 117.8 |
| 2005 | 353 | 114.6 |
| 2004 | 343 | 111.4 |
| 2003 | 335 | 108.4 |
| 2002 | 326 | 105.6 |
| 2001 | 318 | 102.9 |
| 2000 | 311 | 100.2 |
| 1999 | 303 | 97.4 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 94.8 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 92.3 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 90.5 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 86.1 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 82.8 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 80.3 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 78.3 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 76.3 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 74.4 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 72.4 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 70.3 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 68 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 65.8 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 63.7 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 61.6 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 59.6 |
| 1981 | 179 | 57.8 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 56.1 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 54.4 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 52.6 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 50.7 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 48.9 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 47.2 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 45.5 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 43.9 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 42.3 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 40.9 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 39.5 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 38.1 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 36.8 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 35.7 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 34.6 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 33.5 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 32.5 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 31.6 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 30.7 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 29.8 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 38.1% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 37.4% |
| 2022 | 18% | 36.7% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 36% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 35.2% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 34.5% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 33.8% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 33.1% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 32.3% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 31.6% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 30.9% |
| 2013 | 16% | 30.2% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 29.5% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 28.8% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 28.1% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 27.4% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 26.8% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 26.1% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 25.5% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 24.8% |
| 2004 | 15% | 24.2% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 23.6% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 23% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 22.7% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 22.3% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 21.9% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 21.6% |
| 1997 | 14% | 21.2% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 20.9% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 20.5% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 20.2% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 19.9% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 19.5% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 19.2% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 18.9% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 18.2% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 17.7% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 17.2% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 16.8% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 16.3% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 15.9% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 15.4% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 15% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 14.6% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 14.1% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 13.7% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 12.8% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 11.9% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 11.1% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 10.4% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 9.7% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 9.05% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 8.43% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 7.85% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 7.31% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 6.8% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 6.37% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 6.2% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 6.03% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 5.87% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 5.7% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 5.55% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 5.39% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 5.25% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 24.2% to 38.1% in Tanzania.
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