Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to 918 people in Sri Lanka. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 32,224 sq ft in Sri Lanka. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia and Sri Lanka are ranked 85th and 25th, 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 0.27% of the population and 0.04% of the land area for Sri Lanka, hence the population density in Malaysia is 69.5% lower than in Sri Lanka.
Population density comparison
Malaysia
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 918 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 25/197 |
| Population |
36304998
|
22125995
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 23,884 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 30,382 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 80.6% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 19.4% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 0% |
Malaysia vs Sri Lanka:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malaysia increased by 40.8%, compared to a 10.6% growth in Sri Lanka.
In 2004, Malaysia ranked 93rd for population density and is in 85th place now. Sri Lanka was 24th in 2004 and ranks 25th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 918 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 923 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 929 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 928 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 918 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 913 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 907 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 898 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 888 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 878 |
| 2014 | 242 | 858 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 850 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 874 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 868 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 862 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 857 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 852 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 846 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 841 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 835 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 830 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 824 |
| 2002 | 190 | 818 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 810 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 797 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 782 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 768 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 754 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 739 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 725 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 714 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 703 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 691 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 680 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 675 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 671 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 664 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 657 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 650 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 642 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 638 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 636 |
| 1982 | 109 | 631 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 624 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 613 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 602 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 591 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 580 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 570 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 560 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 550 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 539 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 529 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 518 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 507 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 496 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 485 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 473 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 462 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 451 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 440 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 429 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 419 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 409 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 19.2% |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 19% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 18.9% |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 18.7% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 18.6% |
| 2018 | 76% | 18.5% |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 18.4% |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 18.3% |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 18.3% |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 18.2% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 18.2% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 18.2% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 18.2% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 18.2% |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 18.3% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 18.3% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 18.3% |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 18.3% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 18.3% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 18.3% |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 18.3% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 18.4% |
| 2000 | 62% | 18.4% |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 18.4% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 18.4% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 18.4% |
| 1996 | 57% | 18.4% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 18.5% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 18.5% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 18.5% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 18.5% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 18.5% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 18.5% |
| 1989 | 49% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 18.6% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 18.6% |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 18.6% |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 18.6% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 18.6% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 18.6% |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 18.7% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 18.7% |
| 1980 | 42% | 18.6% |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 18.5% |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 18.4% |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 18.3% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 18.2% |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 18.1% |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 18% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 17.9% |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 17.8% |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 17.7% |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 17.6% |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 17.5% |
| 1968 | 32% | 17.4% |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 17.3% |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 17.2% |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 17.1% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 17% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 16.9% |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 16.8% |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 16.6% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 16.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 65.7% to 79.2% in Malaysia and from 18.3% to 19.4% in Sri Lanka.
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 |
|
Sri Lanka
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Colombo | 753K |
| Gampaha | 191K |
| Beruwala | 165K |
| Negombo | 142K |
| Kandy | 120K |
| Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte | 116K |
| Trincomalee | 99.1K |
| Galle | 93.1K |
| Matara | 68.2K |
| Anuradhapura | 63.2K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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