Malaysia has a population density of 287 people per square mile compared to 1,371 people in South Korea. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 20,861 sq ft in South Korea. Malaysia and South Korea rank 85th and 18th 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 0.64% of the population and 0.07% of the land area for South Korea, making the population density in Malaysia 79.1% lower than in South Korea.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2026 | 287 | 1,371 |
| 2025 | 283.7 | 1,372 |
| 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 |
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/south-korea | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malaysia increased by 37.8%, compared to a 5.84% growth in South Korea.
In 2006, Malaysia ranked 92nd by population density and is 85th now. South Korea was 14th in 2006 and ranks 18th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 287 ppl/mi² | 1,371 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 18/197 |
| Population |
36512221
|
51649918
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 37,684 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 20,300 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23.1% | 18.8% |
| Urban population | 76.9% | 81.2% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 24.7% | 54.1% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
South Korea
|
|
| 2024 | 76.9% | 81.2% |
| 2023 | 76.4% | 81.2% |
| 2022 | 76% | 81.2% |
| 2021 | 75.5% | 81.2% |
| 2020 | 75.1% | 81.2% |
| 2019 | 74.8% | 81.3% |
| 2018 | 74.6% | 81.4% |
| 2017 | 74.2% | 81.5% |
| 2016 | 73.9% | 81.6% |
| 2015 | 73.4% | 81.6% |
| 2014 | 73% | 81.7% |
| 2013 | 72.5% | 81.8% |
| 2012 | 72% | 81.9% |
| 2011 | 71.4% | 82% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 82% |
| 2009 | 70.2% | 81.9% |
| 2008 | 69.5% | 81.8% |
| 2007 | 68.8% | 81.7% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | 81.6% |
| 2005 | 67% | 81.4% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | 81.1% |
| 2003 | 65.1% | 80.7% |
| 2002 | 64.1% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 63% | 79.9% |
| 2000 | 62% | 79.6% |
| 1999 | 60.9% | 79.4% |
| 1998 | 59.7% | 79.2% |
| 1997 | 58.5% | 79% |
| 1996 | 57.2% | 78.8% |
| 1995 | 55.9% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 54.6% | 77.9% |
| 1993 | 53.2% | 77.1% |
| 1992 | 51.9% | 76.2% |
| 1991 | 50.5% | 75.2% |
| 1990 | 49% | 74% |
| 1989 | 47.4% | 72.5% |
| 1988 | 45.8% | 70.6% |
| 1987 | 44% | 68.6% |
| 1986 | 42.3% | 66.6% |
| 1985 | 40.6% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 39% | 63.1% |
| 1983 | 37.5% | 61.5% |
| 1982 | 36.2% | 60% |
| 1981 | 35.1% | 58.3% |
| 1980 | 34.2% | 56.7% |
| 1979 | 33.6% | 54.9% |
| 1978 | 33% | 53.1% |
| 1977 | 32.4% | 51.3% |
| 1976 | 31.9% | 49.6% |
| 1975 | 31.4% | 48% |
| 1974 | 30.9% | 46.5% |
| 1973 | 30.5% | 45.1% |
| 1972 | 30.1% | 43.8% |
| 1971 | 29.8% | 42.3% |
| 1970 | 29.4% | 40.7% |
| 1969 | 29.1% | 38.7% |
| 1968 | 28.8% | 36.5% |
| 1967 | 28.5% | 34.6% |
| 1966 | 28.1% | 33.1% |
| 1965 | 27.8% | 32% |
| 1964 | 27.5% | 31% |
| 1963 | 27.2% | 30.1% |
| 1962 | 26.8% | 29.2% |
| 1961 | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 1960 | 26.1% | 27.7% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/malaysia/south-korea | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 66.1% to 76.9% in Malaysia and from 81.1% to 81.2% in South Korea.
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 |
|
South Korea
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Seoul | 9.67M |
| Busan | 3.45M |
| Incheon | 3.05M |
| Daegu | 2.38M |
| Daejeon | 1.48M |
| Gwangju | 1.41M |
| Suwon | 1.23M |
| Ulsan | 1.13M |
| Yongin | 1.08M |
| Goyang | 1.06M |
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/south-korea | 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)
- Wikidata (2010–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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