Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to 1,373 people in South Korea. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia and South Korea are ranked 85th and 18th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, hence the population density in Malaysia is 79.6% lower than in South Korea.
Population density comparison
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 1,373 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
36304998
|
51700480
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 18.5% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 81.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 52% |
Malaysia vs South Korea:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malaysia increased by 40.8%, compared to a 6.77% growth in South Korea.
In 2004, Malaysia ranked 93rd for population density and is in 85th place now. South Korea was 13th in 2004 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 1,373 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 1,372 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 1,371 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 1,374 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 1,376 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 1,374 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 1,370 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 1,364 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 1,361 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 1,356 |
| 2014 | 242 | 1,349 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 1,341 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 1,336 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 1,331 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 1,320 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 1,316 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 1,310 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 1,301 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 1,295 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 1,289 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 1,286 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 1,281 |
| 2002 | 190 | 1,275 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 1,268 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 1,262 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 1,252 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 1,243 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 1,234 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 1,222 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 1,211 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 1,199 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 1,187 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 1,175 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 1,163 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 1,151 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 1,140 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 1,129 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 1,118 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 1,107 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 1,096 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 1,085 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 1,072 |
| 1982 | 109 | 1,056 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 1,040 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 1,024 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 1,008 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 993 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 978 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 963 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 947 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 932 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 916 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 900 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 883 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 866 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 847 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 828 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 809 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 790 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 771 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 751 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 732 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 712 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 692 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 81.5% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 81.5% |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 81.4% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 81.4% |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 81.4% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 81.4% |
| 2018 | 76% | 81.5% |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 81.9% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 81.9% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 81.8% |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 81.7% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 81.6% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 81.5% |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 81.3% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 81% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 62% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 79.1% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 78.9% |
| 1996 | 57% | 78.7% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 78.2% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 77.5% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 76.6% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 75.8% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 75% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 73.8% |
| 1989 | 49% | 72.1% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 70.4% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 66.7% |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 64.9% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 63.3% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 61.7% |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 60.1% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 58.4% |
| 1980 | 42% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 55% |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 53.2% |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 51.5% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 49.7% |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 48% |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 46.6% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 43.7% |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 38.8% |
| 1968 | 32% | 36.8% |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 35% |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 32.4% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 31.4% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 30.4% |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 29.5% |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 28.5% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 27.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 65.7% to 79.2% in Malaysia and from 81% to 81.5% in South Korea.
Densely populated cities
|
Malaysia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kuala Lumpur | 1.98M |
| 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
people per square mile
Population density
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