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Population density: Maldives vs Rwanda compared

Updated on by Georank team

Maldives has a population density of 4,620 people per square mile compared to 1,563 people in Rwanda. Maldives has 6,077 sq ft of land per person vs 19,886 sq ft in Rwanda. Maldives and Rwanda rank 6th and 13th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Maldives has 0.006% of the world's population and 0.0002% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.18% of the population and 0.02% of the land area for Rwanda, making the population density in Maldives 195.6% higher than in Rwanda.

Population density by year

Maldives
Rwanda

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Maldives Rwanda
2026 4,620 1,563
2025 4,604 1,529
2024 4,587 1,497
2023 4,572 1,465
2022 4,525 1,433
2021 4,456 1,402
2020 4,335 1,372
2019 4,211 1,341
2018 4,084 1,311
2017 3,957 1,281
2016 3,827 1,251
2015 3,696 1,222
2014 3,571 1,193
2013 3,454 1,165
2012 3,340 1,137
2011 3,226 1,110
2010 3,115 1,083
2009 3,007 1,056
2008 2,902 1,029
2007 2,801 1,003
2006 2,710 976
2005 2,645 951
2004 2,602 926
2003 2,560 901
2002 2,518 882
2001 2,476 870
2000 2,435 862
1999 2,395 855
1998 2,354 848
1997 2,311 814
1996 2,265 704
1995 2,216 596
1994 2,165 713
1993 2,114 838
1992 2,059 807
1991 2,001 790
1990 1,940 774
1989 1,880 754
1988 1,821 732
1987 1,761 709
1986 1,700 686
1985 1,642 663
1984 1,590 641
1983 1,546 620
1982 1,505 600
1981 1,464 580
1980 1,423 562
1979 1,384 545
1978 1,348 529
1977 1,312 513
1976 1,274 498
1975 1,236 484
1974 1,200 470
1973 1,165 456
1972 1,131 443
1971 1,097 430
1970 1,064 418
1969 1,032 405
1968 1,002 393
1967 971 381
1966 937 370
1965 899 359
1964 869 350
1963 848 342
1962 827 334
1961 807 326

Data sources: 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/maldives/rwanda | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Maldives increased by 70.5%, compared to a 60.1% growth in Rwanda.

In 2006, Maldives ranked 7th by population density and is 6th now. Rwanda was 18th in 2006 and ranks 13th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Maldives
Rwanda
1x
Year Urban population
Maldives Rwanda
2024 42% 29.9%
2023 41.5% 28.9%
2022 41.1% 27.8%
2021 40.7% 26.1%
2020 40.4% 24.5%
2019 40% 23%
2018 39.7% 21.5%
2017 39.3% 20.2%
2016 39% 19.1%
2015 38.6% 18.2%
2014 38.2% 17.5%
2013 37.8% 17.1%
2012 37.5% 16.9%
2011 37.1% 16.9%
2010 36.8% 16.9%
2009 36.4% 16.9%
2008 35.9% 16.9%
2007 35.4% 16.9%
2006 34.9% 16.9%
2005 34.1% 16.9%
2004 32.9% 16.9%
2003 31.4% 16.9%
2002 29.9% 16.9%
2001 28.6% 16.5%
2000 27.6% 15.8%
1999 27% 14.7%
1998 26.5% 13.3%
1997 26% 11.8%
1996 25.7% 10.3%
1995 25.5% 8.82%
1994 25.6% 7.48%
1993 25.6% 6.4%
1992 25.7% 5.66%
1991 25.8% 5.36%
1990 25.9% 5.27%
1989 25.8% 5.2%
1988 25.8% 5.14%
1987 25.7% 5.09%
1986 25.6% 5.05%
1985 25.5% 5.01%
1984 25.3% 4.98%
1983 24.9% 4.95%
1982 24.3% 4.91%
1981 23.6% 4.87%
1980 22.8% 4.82%
1979 22% 4.75%
1978 21.1% 4.67%
1977 20.2% 4.55%
1976 19% 4.39%
1975 17.6% 4.19%
1974 16.2% 3.97%
1973 14.7% 3.75%
1972 13.5% 3.55%
1971 12.5% 3.37%
1970 11.9% 3.24%
1969 11.6% 3.14%
1968 11.4% 3.06%
1967 11.3% 3%
1966 11.4% 2.94%
1965 11.5% 2.88%
1964 11.5% 2.83%
1963 11.4% 2.78%
1962 11.4% 2.72%
1961 11.4% 2.67%
1960 11.4% 2.6%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/maldives/rwanda | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives and from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K
Rwanda
City Population
Kigali 1.75M
Ruhengeri 153K
Gisenyi 53.6K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).

GeoRank.org/population-density/maldives/rwanda | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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