Malaysia has a population density of 280.3 people per square mile compared to 96.3 people in the United States. Malaysia has 100,140 sq ft of land per person vs 310,997 sq ft in the United States. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Malaysia and the United States are ranked 85th and 149th, 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 4.18% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, hence the population density in Malaysia is 191.1% higher than in the United States.
Population density comparison
Malaysia
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 280.3 ppl/mi² | 96.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 85/197 | 149/197 |
| Population |
36304998
|
343323530
|
| Land area | 126,854 sq mi | 3,531,839 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 99,458 sq ft | 289,500 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 16.5% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 83.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 5.57% | 7.68% |
Malaysia vs the United States:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Malaysia increased by 40.8%, compared to a 16.3% growth in the United States.
In 2004, Malaysia ranked 93rd for population density and is in 85th place now. The United States was 145th in 2004 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 280.3 | 96.3 |
| 2023 | 276.9 | 94.8 |
| 2022 | 273.5 | 94.4 |
| 2021 | 270.3 | 94 |
| 2020 | 267.2 | 93.9 |
| 2019 | 263.6 | 93 |
| 2018 | 259.4 | 92.5 |
| 2017 | 255.1 | 92.1 |
| 2016 | 250.6 | 91.5 |
| 2015 | 246.2 | 90.8 |
| 2014 | 242 | 90.1 |
| 2013 | 237.9 | 89.5 |
| 2012 | 233.8 | 88.9 |
| 2011 | 229.9 | 88.2 |
| 2010 | 225.9 | 87.6 |
| 2009 | 221.7 | 86.9 |
| 2008 | 217.3 | 86.1 |
| 2007 | 212.8 | 85.2 |
| 2006 | 208.3 | 84.3 |
| 2005 | 203.7 | 83.5 |
| 2004 | 199.1 | 82.8 |
| 2003 | 194.6 | 82 |
| 2002 | 190 | 81.3 |
| 2001 | 185.5 | 80.6 |
| 2000 | 181.1 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 176.9 | 79 |
| 1998 | 172.7 | 78.1 |
| 1997 | 168.5 | 77.2 |
| 1996 | 164.4 | 76.3 |
| 1995 | 160.3 | 75.4 |
| 1994 | 156.2 | 74.5 |
| 1993 | 152.3 | 73.6 |
| 1992 | 148.5 | 72.6 |
| 1991 | 144.6 | 71.7 |
| 1990 | 140.6 | 70.7 |
| 1989 | 136.5 | 69.8 |
| 1988 | 132.4 | 69.1 |
| 1987 | 128.3 | 68.5 |
| 1986 | 124.2 | 67.9 |
| 1985 | 120.2 | 67.3 |
| 1984 | 116.3 | 66.7 |
| 1983 | 112.6 | 66.1 |
| 1982 | 109 | 65.5 |
| 1981 | 105.6 | 64.9 |
| 1980 | 102.3 | 64.1 |
| 1979 | 99.5 | 63.6 |
| 1978 | 97.2 | 62.9 |
| 1977 | 94.9 | 62.3 |
| 1976 | 92.6 | 61.7 |
| 1975 | 90.4 | 61.1 |
| 1974 | 88.3 | 60.5 |
| 1973 | 86.2 | 59.9 |
| 1972 | 84.2 | 59.4 |
| 1971 | 82.2 | 58.7 |
| 1970 | 80.2 | 58 |
| 1969 | 78.4 | 57.3 |
| 1968 | 76.7 | 56.8 |
| 1967 | 74.9 | 56.2 |
| 1966 | 73.2 | 55.6 |
| 1965 | 71.4 | 54.9 |
| 1964 | 69.6 | 54.3 |
| 1963 | 67.8 | 53.5 |
| 1962 | 66.1 | 52.7 |
| 1961 | 64.4 | 51.9 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Malaysia
|
United States
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 83.5% |
| 2023 | 78.7% | 83.3% |
| 2022 | 78.2% | 83.1% |
| 2021 | 77.7% | 82.9% |
| 2020 | 77.2% | 82.7% |
| 2019 | 76.6% | 82.5% |
| 2018 | 76% | 82.3% |
| 2017 | 75.4% | 82.1% |
| 2016 | 74.8% | 81.9% |
| 2015 | 74.2% | 81.7% |
| 2014 | 73.6% | 81.5% |
| 2013 | 72.9% | 81.3% |
| 2012 | 72.3% | 81.1% |
| 2011 | 71.6% | 80.9% |
| 2010 | 70.9% | 80.8% |
| 2009 | 70.1% | 80.6% |
| 2008 | 69.2% | 80.4% |
| 2007 | 68.4% | 80.3% |
| 2006 | 67.5% | 80.1% |
| 2005 | 66.6% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 65.7% | 79.8% |
| 2003 | 64.8% | 79.6% |
| 2002 | 63.9% | 79.4% |
| 2001 | 62.9% | 79.2% |
| 2000 | 62% | 79.1% |
| 1999 | 60.7% | 78.7% |
| 1998 | 59.5% | 78.4% |
| 1997 | 58.2% | 78% |
| 1996 | 57% | 77.6% |
| 1995 | 55.7% | 77.3% |
| 1994 | 54.4% | 76.9% |
| 1993 | 53.1% | 76.5% |
| 1992 | 51.8% | 76.1% |
| 1991 | 50.6% | 75.7% |
| 1990 | 49.8% | 75.3% |
| 1989 | 49% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 48.2% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 47.5% | 74.8% |
| 1986 | 46.7% | 74.6% |
| 1985 | 45.9% | 74.5% |
| 1984 | 45.1% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 74.2% |
| 1982 | 43.6% | 74% |
| 1981 | 42.8% | 73.9% |
| 1980 | 42% | 73.7% |
| 1979 | 41.2% | 73.7% |
| 1978 | 40.3% | 73.7% |
| 1977 | 39.4% | 73.7% |
| 1976 | 38.5% | 73.7% |
| 1975 | 37.7% | 73.7% |
| 1974 | 36.8% | 73.6% |
| 1973 | 35.9% | 73.6% |
| 1972 | 35.1% | 73.6% |
| 1971 | 34.3% | 73.6% |
| 1970 | 33.5% | 73.6% |
| 1969 | 32.7% | 73.3% |
| 1968 | 32% | 73% |
| 1967 | 31.3% | 72.6% |
| 1966 | 30.6% | 72.2% |
| 1965 | 29.9% | 71.9% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | 71.5% |
| 1963 | 28.6% | 71.1% |
| 1962 | 27.9% | 70.8% |
| 1961 | 27.2% | 70.4% |
| 1960 | 26.6% | 70% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 65.7% to 79.2% in Malaysia and from 79.8% to 83.5% in the United States.
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 |
|
United States
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| New York | 8.8M |
| Los Angeles | 3.9M |
| Chicago | 2.75M |
| Houston | 2.3M |
| Phoenix | 1.61M |
| Philadelphia | 1.6M |
| San Antonio | 1.43M |
| San Diego | 1.39M |
| Dallas | 1.3M |
| San Jose | 1.01M |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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