Malaysia has a population density of 287 people per square mile compared to 1,662 people in Taiwan. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 16,697 sq ft in Taiwan. Malaysia and Taiwan rank 85th and 10th 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 0.29% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Taiwan, making the population density in Malaysia 82.7% lower than in Taiwan.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Malaysia
|
Taiwan
|
|
| 2026 | 287 | 1,662 |
| 2025 | 283.7 | 1,669 |
| 2024 | 280.3 | 1,675 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 1,670 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 1,669 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 1,679 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 1,687 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 1,688 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 1,687 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 1,685 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 1,683 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 1,679 |
| 2014 | 242 | 1,675 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 1,670 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 1,665 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 1,660 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 1,656 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 1,651 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 1,646 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 1,640 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 1,633 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 1,626 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 1,620 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 1,614 |
| 2002 | 190 | 1,607 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 1,599 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 1,587 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 1,575 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 1,562 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 1,548 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 1,534 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 1,522 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 1,509 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 1,495 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 1,481 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 1,467 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 1,451 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 1,435 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 1,420 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 1,404 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 1,389 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 1,373 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 1,354 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 1,335 |
| 1982 | 109 | 1,313 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 1,290 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 1,267 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 1,243 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 1,219 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 1,197 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 1,174 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 1,150 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 1,129 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 1,109 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 1,089 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 1,067 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 1,043 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 1,007 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 969 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 945 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 921 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 895 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 868 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 842 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 815 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 789 |
| 1960 | - | 763 |
Data sources: National Statistics, Taiwan (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-02-09); 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/taiwan | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Malaysia increased by 37.8%, compared to a 1.78% growth in Taiwan.
In 2006, Malaysia ranked 92nd by population density and is 85th now. Taiwan was 8th in 2006 and ranks 10th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Malaysia
|
Taiwan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 287 ppl/mi² | 1,662 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 10/197 |
| Population |
36512221
|
23229461
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 13,976 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 16,699 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23.1% | n/a |
| Urban population | 76.9% | n/a |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 24.7% | 70.1% |
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 |
|
Taiwan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New Taipei | 4.05M |
| Taichung | 2.87M |
| Kaohsiung | 2.72M |
| Taipei | 2.44M |
| Taoyuan | 2.35M |
| Tainan | 1.85M |
| Hsinchu | 455K |
| Keelung | 360K |
| Chiayi | 261K |
| Changhua | 221K |
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); National Statistics, Taiwan (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-02-09); 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/taiwan | 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)
- National Statistics, Taiwan (1960–2026, retrieved 2026-02-09)
- 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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