Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia and the United Kingdom are ranked 85th and 35th, 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in Malaysia is 62.2% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
36304998
|
69945462
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 15.1% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 84.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 14.4% |
Malaysia vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malaysia increased by 40.8%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, Malaysia ranked 93rd for population density and is in 85th place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 741 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 733 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 724 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 717 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 715 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 713 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 710 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 706 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 702 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 697 |
| 2014 | 242 | 692 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 687 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 682 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 677 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 672 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 667 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 662 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 656 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 651 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 647 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 642 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 639 |
| 2002 | 190 | 636 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 633 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 630 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 628 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 626 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 624 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 623 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 621 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 619 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 618 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 616 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 615 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 613 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 611 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 609 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 608 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 607 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 605 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 604 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 603 |
| 1982 | 109 | 603 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 603 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 603 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 602 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 602 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 602 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 602 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 602 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 602 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 602 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 600 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 598 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 596 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 594 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 591 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 588 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 585 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 582 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 578 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 574 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 570 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 84.9% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 84.6% |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 84.4% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 83.7% |
| 2018 | 76% | 83.4% |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 83.1% |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 82.6% |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 82.4% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 82.1% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 81.8% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 81.6% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 81.3% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 81% |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 80.2% |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 79.6% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 79.3% |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 79% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 78.8% |
| 2000 | 62% | 78.7% |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 78.6% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 78.5% |
| 1996 | 57% | 78.4% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 49% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 78.4% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 78.5% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 42% | 78.5% |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 78.3% |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 78.2% |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 78% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 77.7% |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 77.5% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 77.4% |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 77.2% |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 77% |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 77.1% |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 77.3% |
| 1968 | 32% | 77.4% |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 77.5% |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 77.7% |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 78% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 78.1% |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 78.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 65.7% to 79.2% in Malaysia and from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
|
|
|---|---|
| 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 |
|
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
Population density comparisons