Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to 363 people in Thailand. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 77,066 sq ft in Thailand. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia and Thailand are ranked 85th and 70th, 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 0.88% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Thailand, hence the population density in Malaysia is 22.9% lower than in Thailand.
Population density comparison
Malaysia
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 363 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 70/197 |
| Population |
36304998
|
71619867
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 197,256 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 76,731 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 45.7% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 54.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 9.59% |
Malaysia vs Thailand:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malaysia increased by 40.8%, compared to a 9.5% growth in Thailand.
In 2004, Malaysia ranked 93rd for population density and is in 85th place now. Thailand was 60th in 2004 and ranks 70th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 363 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 363 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 364 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 364 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 363 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 363 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 362 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 361 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 359 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 358 |
| 2014 | 242 | 356 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 354 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 352 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 350 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 348 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 345 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 343 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 340 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 337 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 335 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 332 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 329 |
| 2002 | 190 | 326 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 323 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 319 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 316 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 312 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 308 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 304 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 299.6 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 295.4 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 291 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 286.6 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 282.1 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 277.5 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 273 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 268.5 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 264 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 259.4 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 254.9 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 250.2 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 245.5 |
| 1982 | 109 | 240.8 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 236.1 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 231.4 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 226.7 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 222 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 217.2 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 212.4 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 207.5 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 202.5 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 197.4 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 192.3 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 187.3 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 182.3 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 177.3 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 172.4 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 167.5 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 162.7 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 157.9 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 153.3 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 148.8 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 144.4 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 140.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
Thailand
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 54.3% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 53.6% |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 52.9% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 52.2% |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 51.4% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 50.7% |
| 2018 | 76% | 49.9% |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 49.2% |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 48.4% |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 47.7% |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 46.9% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 46.2% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 45.4% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 44.7% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 43.9% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 42.5% |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 41.2% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 39.9% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 38.7% |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 37.4% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 36.2% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 34.9% |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 33.7% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 32.5% |
| 2000 | 62% | 31.4% |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 31% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 30.8% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 30.6% |
| 1996 | 57% | 30.4% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 30.3% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 30.1% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 29.9% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 29.8% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 29.6% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 29.4% |
| 1989 | 49% | 29.2% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 28.9% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 28.4% |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 27.6% |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 27% |
| 1980 | 42% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 26.2% |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 25.6% |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 25% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 24.4% |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 23.8% |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 23.2% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 22.6% |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 22% |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 21.4% |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 20.9% |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 20.7% |
| 1968 | 32% | 20.6% |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 20.4% |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 20.3% |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 20.2% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 20.1% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 20% |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 19.9% |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 19.8% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 19.7% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 65.7% to 79.2% in Malaysia and from 36.2% to 54.3% in Thailand.
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 |
|
Thailand
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Bangkok | 5.68M |
| Chiang Mai | 1.2M |
| Nonthaburi | 256K |
| Pak Kret | 185K |
| Hat Yai | 159K |
| Nakhon Ratchasima | 134K |
| Chaophraya Surasak | 133K |
| Surat Thani | 131K |
| Udon Thani | 130K |
| Klaeng | 130K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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