Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 372 people in Tonga. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 77,340 sq ft in Tonga. Malawi and Tonga rank 48th and 69th 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 0.001% of the population and 0.0005% of the land area for Tonga, making the population density in Malawi 68.5% higher than in Tonga.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malawi
|
Tonga
|
|
| 2026 | 626 | 372 |
| 2025 | 610 | 373 |
| 2024 | 595 | 375 |
| 2023 | 580 | 376 |
| 2022 | 565 | 378 |
| 2021 | 551 | 379 |
| 2020 | 537 | 380 |
| 2019 | 523 | 380 |
| 2018 | 509 | 380 |
| 2017 | 496 | 379 |
| 2016 | 482 | 380 |
| 2015 | 469 | 382 |
| 2014 | 457 | 383 |
| 2013 | 444 | 385 |
| 2012 | 432 | 387 |
| 2011 | 419 | 387 |
| 2010 | 407 | 386 |
| 2009 | 395 | 386 |
| 2008 | 384 | 385 |
| 2007 | 373 | 384 |
| 2006 | 363 | 382 |
| 2005 | 353 | 380 |
| 2004 | 343 | 378 |
| 2003 | 335 | 376 |
| 2002 | 326 | 374 |
| 2001 | 318 | 372 |
| 2000 | 311 | 369 |
| 1999 | 303 | 367 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 365 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 362 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 361 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 361 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 360 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 360 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 360 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 359 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 359 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 358 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 356 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 354 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 353 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 352 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 352 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 353 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 352 |
| 1981 | 179 | 352 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 352 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 351 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 350 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 348 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 343 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 335 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 326 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 319 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 314 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 309 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 304 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 298.2 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 292.6 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 287.1 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 280.6 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 273.1 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 265.8 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 258.6 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 251.6 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 244.7 |
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/tonga | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 2.77% decline in Tonga.
In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Tonga was 54th in 2006 and ranks 69th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malawi
|
Tonga
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 626 ppl/mi² | 372 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 48/197 | 69/197 |
| Population |
22949294
|
103309
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 278 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 74,394 sq ft |
| Rural population | 82.7% | 78.8% |
| Urban population | 17.3% | 21.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Tonga
|
|
| 2024 | 17.3% | 21.2% |
| 2023 | 17% | 21.1% |
| 2022 | 16.7% | 21.1% |
| 2021 | 16.5% | 21.3% |
| 2020 | 16.3% | 21.9% |
| 2019 | 16.1% | 22.3% |
| 2018 | 16% | 22.7% |
| 2017 | 16% | 23% |
| 2016 | 15.9% | 23.1% |
| 2015 | 15.8% | 23.2% |
| 2014 | 15.8% | 23.3% |
| 2013 | 15.7% | 23.4% |
| 2012 | 15.6% | 23.5% |
| 2011 | 15.6% | 23.5% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 23.4% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 23.4% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 23.3% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 23.2% |
| 2006 | 15.2% | 23.2% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 23.1% |
| 2004 | 15% | 23.1% |
| 2003 | 15% | 23.1% |
| 2002 | 14.9% | 23.1% |
| 2001 | 14.8% | 23% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 23% |
| 1999 | 14.6% | 23% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 23% |
| 1997 | 14.2% | 22.9% |
| 1996 | 14% | 22.9% |
| 1995 | 13.6% | 22.8% |
| 1994 | 13.3% | 22.7% |
| 1993 | 12.9% | 22.6% |
| 1992 | 12.4% | 22.5% |
| 1991 | 12% | 22.4% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 22.2% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 22% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 21.9% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 21.7% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 21.5% |
| 1985 | 10.1% | 21.4% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 21.2% |
| 1983 | 9.73% | 21% |
| 1982 | 9.54% | 20.9% |
| 1981 | 9.34% | 20.7% |
| 1980 | 9.13% | 20.6% |
| 1979 | 8.92% | 20.5% |
| 1978 | 8.68% | 20.4% |
| 1977 | 8.42% | 20.4% |
| 1976 | 8.11% | 20.3% |
| 1975 | 7.76% | 20.3% |
| 1974 | 7.36% | 20.3% |
| 1973 | 6.95% | 20.2% |
| 1972 | 6.53% | 20.2% |
| 1971 | 6.12% | 20.2% |
| 1970 | 5.73% | 20.2% |
| 1969 | 5.38% | 20.2% |
| 1968 | 5.08% | 20.1% |
| 1967 | 4.84% | 20.1% |
| 1966 | 4.69% | 20% |
| 1965 | 4.57% | 19.9% |
| 1964 | 4.45% | 19.7% |
| 1963 | 4.34% | 19.4% |
| 1962 | 4.24% | 19.1% |
| 1961 | 4.14% | 18.7% |
| 1960 | 4.04% | 18.3% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/tonga | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 23.1% to 21.2% in Tonga.
Densely populated cities
|
Malawi
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lilongwe | 989K |
| Blantyre | 800K |
| Mzuzu | 150K |
| Zomba | 101K |
| Mangochi | 53.5K |
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/tonga | 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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