Malaysia has a population density of 287 people per square mile compared to 1,568 people in Nauru. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 18,920 sq ft in Nauru. Malaysia and Nauru rank 85th and 12th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Malaysia has 0.44% of the world's population and 0.22% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.0001% of the population and 0.00001% of the land area for Nauru, making the population density in Malaysia 81.7% lower than in Nauru.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malaysia
|
Nauru
|
|
| 2026 | 287 | 1,568 |
| 2025 | 283.7 | 1,558 |
| 2024 | 280.3 | 1,547 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 1,538 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 1,528 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 1,516 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 1,508 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 1,501 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 1,486 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 1,466 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 1,444 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 1,419 |
| 2014 | 242 | 1,391 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 1,362 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 1,330 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 1,308 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 1,301 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 1,297 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 1,296 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 1,298 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 1,299 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 1,301 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 1,303 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 1,303 |
| 2002 | 190 | 1,306 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 1,312 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 1,317 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 1,319 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 1,321 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 1,321 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 1,319 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 1,316 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 1,313 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 1,308 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 1,298 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 1,276 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 1,246 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 1,216 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 1,187 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 1,159 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 1,132 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 1,107 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 1,064 |
| 1982 | 109 | 1,041 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 1,015 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 991 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 967 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 945 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 928 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 915 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 905 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 897 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 889 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 882 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 876 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 869 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 852 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 819 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 794 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 783 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 755 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 714 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 677 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 645 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 618 |
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/malaysia/nauru | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malaysia increased by 37.8%, compared to a 20.6% growth in Nauru.
In 2006, Malaysia ranked 92nd by population density and is 85th now. Nauru was 13th in 2006 and ranks 12th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malaysia
|
Nauru
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 287 ppl/mi² | 1,568 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 12/197 |
| Population |
36512221
|
12125
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 7.72 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 18,019 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23.1% | 0% |
| Urban population | 76.9% | 100% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 24.7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
Nauru
|
|
| 2024 | 76.9% | 100% |
| 2023 | 76.4% | 100% |
| 2022 | 76% | 100% |
| 2021 | 75.5% | 100% |
| 2020 | 75.1% | 100% |
| 2019 | 74.8% | 100% |
| 2018 | 74.6% | 100% |
| 2017 | 74.2% | 100% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | 100% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | 100% |
| 2014 | 73% | 100% |
| 2013 | 72.5% | 100% |
| 2012 | 72% | 100% |
| 2011 | 71.4% | 100% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 100% |
| 2009 | 70.2% | 100% |
| 2008 | 69.5% | 100% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | 100% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | 100% |
| 2005 | 67% | 100% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | 100% |
| 2003 | 65.1% | 100% |
| 2002 | 64.1% | 100% |
| 2001 | 63% | 100% |
| 2000 | 62% | 100% |
| 1999 | 60.9% | 100% |
| 1998 | 59.7% | 100% |
| 1997 | 58.5% | 100% |
| 1996 | 57.2% | 100% |
| 1995 | 55.9% | 100% |
| 1994 | 54.6% | 100% |
| 1993 | 53.2% | 100% |
| 1992 | 51.9% | 100% |
| 1991 | 50.5% | 100% |
| 1990 | 49% | 100% |
| 1989 | 47.4% | 100% |
| 1988 | 45.8% | 100% |
| 1987 | 44% | 100% |
| 1986 | 42.3% | 100% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | 100% |
| 1984 | 39% | 100% |
| 1983 | 37.5% | 100% |
| 1982 | 36.2% | 100% |
| 1981 | 35.1% | 100% |
| 1980 | 34.2% | 100% |
| 1979 | 33.6% | 100% |
| 1978 | 33% | 100% |
| 1977 | 32.4% | 100% |
| 1976 | 31.9% | 100% |
| 1975 | 31.4% | 100% |
| 1974 | 30.9% | 100% |
| 1973 | 30.5% | 100% |
| 1972 | 30.1% | 100% |
| 1971 | 29.8% | 100% |
| 1970 | 29.4% | 100% |
| 1969 | 29.1% | 100% |
| 1968 | 28.8% | 100% |
| 1967 | 28.5% | 100% |
| 1966 | 28.1% | 100% |
| 1965 | 27.8% | 100% |
| 1964 | 27.5% | 100% |
| 1963 | 27.2% | 100% |
| 1962 | 26.8% | 100% |
| 1961 | 26.5% | 100% |
| 1960 | 26.1% | 100% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malaysia/nauru | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 66.1% to 76.9% in Malaysia and from 100% to 100% in Nauru.
Densely populated cities
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kuala Lumpur | 9M |
| Klang | 878K |
| Ipoh | 867K |
| Johor Bahru | 798K |
| George Town | 794K |
| Shah Alam | 741K |
| Subang Jaya | 708K |
| Petaling Jaya | 639K |
| Kuantan | 608K |
| Sungai Petani | 545K |
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/malaysia/nauru | 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 (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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