Malawi has a population density of 595 people per square mile compared to 74.3 people in Zambia. Malawi has 58,893 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malawi and Zambia are ranked 50th and 158th, 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, hence the population density in Malawi is 701% higher than in Zambia.
Population density comparison
Malawi
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 595 ppl/mi² | 74.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 50/197 | 158/197 |
| Population |
22673513
|
22402291
|
| Land area | 36,402 sq mi | 287,024 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,863 sq ft | 375,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 81.4% | 53.1% |
| Urban population | 18.6% | 46.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 11.6% |
Malawi vs Zambia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malawi increased by 73.2%, compared to a 88% growth in Zambia.
In 2004, Malawi ranked 58th for population density and is in 50th place now. Zambia was 163rd in 2004 and ranks 158th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 595 | 74.3 |
| 2023 | 580 | 72.2 |
| 2022 | 565 | 70.2 |
| 2021 | 551 | 68.3 |
| 2020 | 537 | 66.4 |
| 2019 | 523 | 64.5 |
| 2018 | 509 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 496 | 60.8 |
| 2016 | 482 | 58.9 |
| 2015 | 469 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 457 | 55.4 |
| 2013 | 444 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 432 | 52 |
| 2011 | 419 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 407 | 48.7 |
| 2009 | 395 | 47 |
| 2008 | 384 | 45.4 |
| 2007 | 373 | 43.8 |
| 2006 | 363 | 42.3 |
| 2005 | 353 | 40.8 |
| 2004 | 343 | 39.5 |
| 2003 | 335 | 38.3 |
| 2002 | 326 | 37.1 |
| 2001 | 318 | 36 |
| 2000 | 311 | 34.9 |
| 1999 | 303 | 33.9 |
| 1998 | 296.5 | 33 |
| 1997 | 290.2 | 32.2 |
| 1996 | 284.4 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 278.8 | 30.6 |
| 1994 | 279.2 | 29.9 |
| 1993 | 282.5 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 278.4 | 28.5 |
| 1991 | 270.4 | 27.8 |
| 1990 | 262.2 | 27.1 |
| 1989 | 252.1 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | 240.5 | 25.8 |
| 1987 | 227.8 | 25.1 |
| 1986 | 217.2 | 24.3 |
| 1985 | 209.3 | 23.6 |
| 1984 | 201.4 | 22.9 |
| 1983 | 193.7 | 22.2 |
| 1982 | 186.2 | 21.5 |
| 1981 | 179 | 20.8 |
| 1980 | 172.1 | 20.2 |
| 1979 | 165.6 | 19.6 |
| 1978 | 159.6 | 19 |
| 1977 | 154.3 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 149.5 | 17.9 |
| 1975 | 145.3 | 17.4 |
| 1974 | 141.2 | 16.9 |
| 1973 | 137.5 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | 133.9 | 15.9 |
| 1971 | 130.5 | 15.5 |
| 1970 | 127.3 | 15.1 |
| 1969 | 124.2 | 14.6 |
| 1968 | 121.2 | 14.2 |
| 1967 | 118.2 | 13.7 |
| 1966 | 115.3 | 13.3 |
| 1965 | 112.5 | 12.9 |
| 1964 | 109.8 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 107.2 | 12.1 |
| 1962 | 104.6 | 11.7 |
| 1961 | 102.1 | 11.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malawi
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 18.6% | 46.9% |
| 2023 | 18.3% | 46.3% |
| 2022 | 18% | 45.8% |
| 2021 | 17.7% | 45.2% |
| 2020 | 17.4% | 44.6% |
| 2019 | 17.2% | 44.1% |
| 2018 | 16.9% | 43.5% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | 43% |
| 2016 | 16.5% | 42.4% |
| 2015 | 16.3% | 41.9% |
| 2014 | 16.1% | 41.4% |
| 2013 | 16% | 40.9% |
| 2012 | 15.8% | 40.4% |
| 2011 | 15.7% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 15.5% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 15.4% | 38.9% |
| 2008 | 15.3% | 38.4% |
| 2007 | 15.2% | 37.9% |
| 2006 | 15.1% | 37.4% |
| 2005 | 15.1% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 15% | 36.4% |
| 2003 | 14.9% | 36% |
| 2002 | 14.8% | 35.5% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 35% |
| 2000 | 14.6% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 14.5% | 35.3% |
| 1998 | 14.4% | 35.7% |
| 1997 | 14% | 36.2% |
| 1996 | 13.6% | 36.6% |
| 1995 | 13.3% | 37.1% |
| 1994 | 12.9% | 37.6% |
| 1993 | 12.6% | 38% |
| 1992 | 12.2% | 38.5% |
| 1991 | 11.9% | 39% |
| 1990 | 11.6% | 39.4% |
| 1989 | 11.2% | 39.5% |
| 1988 | 10.9% | 39.5% |
| 1987 | 10.6% | 39.6% |
| 1986 | 10.4% | 39.6% |
| 1985 | 10.2% | 39.7% |
| 1984 | 9.93% | 39.7% |
| 1983 | 9.7% | 39.8% |
| 1982 | 9.48% | 39.8% |
| 1981 | 9.26% | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 9.05% | 39.8% |
| 1979 | 8.84% | 38.8% |
| 1978 | 8.64% | 37.8% |
| 1977 | 8.39% | 36.9% |
| 1976 | 8.01% | 35.9% |
| 1975 | 7.65% | 34.9% |
| 1974 | 7.3% | 34% |
| 1973 | 6.97% | 33.1% |
| 1972 | 6.65% | 32.1% |
| 1971 | 6.34% | 31.2% |
| 1970 | 6.05% | 30.4% |
| 1969 | 5.77% | 29.4% |
| 1968 | 5.51% | 27.8% |
| 1967 | 5.25% | 26.3% |
| 1966 | 5.02% | 24.8% |
| 1965 | 4.91% | 23.4% |
| 1964 | 4.8% | 22% |
| 1963 | 4.69% | 20.7% |
| 1962 | 4.59% | 19.8% |
| 1961 | 4.49% | 19% |
| 1960 | 4.39% | 18.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 15% to 18.6% in Malawi and from 36.4% to 46.9% in Zambia.
Densely populated cities
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