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Population density: Malawi vs Uruguay compared

Updated on by Georank team

Malawi has a population density of 626 people per square mile compared to 50.1 people in Uruguay. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 560,081 sq ft in Uruguay. Malawi and Uruguay rank 48th and 173rd 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 0.04% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Uruguay, making the population density in Malawi 1,151% higher than in Uruguay.

Population density by year

Malawi
Uruguay

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Malawi Uruguay
2026 626 50.1
2025 610 50.1
2024 595 50.1
2023 580 50.1
2022 565 50.2
2021 551 50.3
2020 537 50.3
2019 523 50.3
2018 509 50.2
2017 496 50.1
2016 482 50
2015 469 49.8
2014 457 49.7
2013 444 49.5
2012 432 49.4
2011 419 49.2
2010 407 49.1
2009 395 49
2008 384 48.9
2007 373 48.8
2006 363 48.7
2005 353 48.6
2004 343 48.6
2003 335 48.6
2002 326 48.5
2001 318 48.5
2000 311 48.3
1999 303 48.2
1998 296.5 47.9
1997 290.2 47.7
1996 284.4 47.4
1995 278.8 47.2
1994 279.2 47
1993 282.5 46.7
1992 278.4 46.5
1991 270.4 46.2
1990 262.2 45.9
1989 252.1 45.7
1988 240.5 45.4
1987 227.8 45.1
1986 217.2 44.9
1985 209.3 44.6
1984 201.4 44.4
1983 193.7 44.2
1982 186.2 44
1981 179 43.9
1980 172.1 43.7
1979 165.6 43.5
1978 159.6 43.3
1977 154.3 43.1
1976 149.5 42.8
1975 145.3 42.5
1974 141.2 42.2
1973 137.5 42
1972 133.9 41.8
1971 130.5 41.5
1970 127.3 41.3
1969 124.2 41
1968 121.2 40.8
1967 118.2 40.4
1966 115.3 40.1
1965 112.5 39.7
1964 109.8 39.3
1963 107.2 38.8
1962 104.6 38.4
1961 102.1 37.9

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/uruguay | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malawi increased by 72.7%, compared to a 2.84% growth in Uruguay.

In 2006, Malawi ranked 56th by population density and is 48th now. Uruguay was 158th in 2006 and ranks 173rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Malawi
Uruguay
1x
Year Urban population
Malawi Uruguay
2024 17.3% 95.6%
2023 17% 95.5%
2022 16.7% 95.5%
2021 16.5% 95.4%
2020 16.3% 95.4%
2019 16.1% 95.3%
2018 16% 95.3%
2017 16% 95.2%
2016 15.9% 95.2%
2015 15.8% 95.1%
2014 15.8% 95%
2013 15.7% 94.9%
2012 15.6% 94.8%
2011 15.6% 94.6%
2010 15.5% 94.3%
2009 15.4% 93.9%
2008 15.3% 93.5%
2007 15.2% 93%
2006 15.2% 92.5%
2005 15.1% 92.1%
2004 15% 91.8%
2003 15% 91.6%
2002 14.9% 91.5%
2001 14.8% 91.4%
2000 14.7% 91.3%
1999 14.6% 91.2%
1998 14.4% 91.1%
1997 14.2% 91%
1996 14% 90.8%
1995 13.6% 90.6%
1994 13.3% 90.4%
1993 12.9% 90.1%
1992 12.4% 89.8%
1991 12% 89.4%
1990 11.6% 89.1%
1989 11.2% 88.7%
1988 10.9% 88.3%
1987 10.6% 88%
1986 10.4% 87.6%
1985 10.1% 87.2%
1984 9.93% 86.8%
1983 9.73% 86.4%
1982 9.54% 85.9%
1981 9.34% 85.5%
1980 9.13% 85%
1979 8.92% 84.5%
1978 8.68% 84.1%
1977 8.42% 83.7%
1976 8.11% 83.3%
1975 7.76% 83%
1974 7.36% 82.8%
1973 6.95% 82.6%
1972 6.53% 82.3%
1971 6.12% 82.2%
1970 5.73% 82%
1969 5.38% 81.8%
1968 5.08% 81.6%
1967 4.84% 81.5%
1966 4.69% 81.3%
1965 4.57% 81.1%
1964 4.45% 81%
1963 4.34% 80.8%
1962 4.24% 80.6%
1961 4.14% 80.4%
1960 4.04% 80.2%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/malawi/uruguay | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 15% to 17.3% in Malawi and from 91.8% to 95.6% in Uruguay.

Densely populated cities

Malawi
City Population
Lilongwe 989K
Blantyre 800K
Mzuzu 150K
Zomba 101K
Mangochi 53.5K
Uruguay
City Population
Montevideo 1.3M
Salto 125K
Ciudad de la Costa 112K
Maldonado 86.8K
Rivera 84.8K
Paysandu 76.4K
Tacuarembo 54.8K
Melo 51.8K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/uruguay | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2007–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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