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Population density: Maldives vs Sierra Leone compared

Updated on by Georank team

Maldives has a population density of 4,620 people per square mile compared to 323 people in Sierra Leone. Maldives has 6,077 sq ft of land per person vs 89,354 sq ft in Sierra Leone. Maldives and Sierra Leone rank 6th and 77th 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 0.11% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for Sierra Leone, making the population density in Maldives 1,330% higher than in Sierra Leone.

Population density by year

Maldives
Sierra Leone

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Maldives Sierra Leone
2026 4,620 323
2025 4,604 317
2024 4,587 310
2023 4,572 304
2022 4,525 297
2021 4,456 290.5
2020 4,335 283.9
2019 4,211 277.4
2018 4,084 271.1
2017 3,957 264.8
2016 3,827 258.5
2015 3,696 252.5
2014 3,571 246.7
2013 3,454 240.9
2012 3,340 235.1
2011 3,226 229.2
2010 3,115 223.3
2009 3,007 217.3
2008 2,902 211.5
2007 2,801 206.3
2006 2,710 201.8
2005 2,645 197.4
2004 2,602 192.2
2003 2,560 185.8
2002 2,518 178.4
2001 2,476 168.4
2000 2,435 158.7
1999 2,395 154.9
1998 2,354 154.1
1997 2,311 152.6
1996 2,265 150.7
1995 2,216 150
1994 2,165 149.7
1993 2,114 149.2
1992 2,059 149.5
1991 2,001 152.4
1990 1,940 150.6
1989 1,880 144.8
1988 1,821 141.2
1987 1,761 137.4
1986 1,700 133.8
1985 1,642 130.6
1984 1,590 127.7
1983 1,546 124.9
1982 1,505 122.3
1981 1,464 119.8
1980 1,423 117.4
1979 1,384 115.1
1978 1,348 112.9
1977 1,312 110.7
1976 1,274 108.7
1975 1,236 106.7
1974 1,200 104.8
1973 1,165 102.9
1972 1,131 101
1971 1,097 99.2
1970 1,064 97.3
1969 1,032 95.5
1968 1,002 93.7
1967 971 91.9
1966 937 90.2
1965 899 88.6
1964 869 87
1963 848 85.5
1962 827 84
1961 807 82.7

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/sierra-leone | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Maldives increased by 70.5%, compared to a 60% growth in Sierra Leone.

In 2006, Maldives ranked 7th by population density and is 6th now. Sierra Leone was 95th in 2006 and ranks 77th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Maldives
Sierra Leone
1x
Year Urban population
Maldives Sierra Leone
2024 42% 45.4%
2023 41.5% 44.8%
2022 41.1% 44.3%
2021 40.7% 43.7%
2020 40.4% 43.2%
2019 40% 42.7%
2018 39.7% 42.2%
2017 39.3% 41.7%
2016 39% 41.2%
2015 38.6% 40.8%
2014 38.2% 40.3%
2013 37.8% 39.9%
2012 37.5% 39.5%
2011 37.1% 39%
2010 36.8% 38.6%
2009 36.4% 38.2%
2008 35.9% 37.9%
2007 35.4% 37.5%
2006 34.9% 37.2%
2005 34.1% 36.8%
2004 32.9% 36.5%
2003 31.4% 36.3%
2002 29.9% 36%
2001 28.6% 35.8%
2000 27.6% 35.5%
1999 27% 35.3%
1998 26.5% 35.1%
1997 26% 34.9%
1996 25.7% 34.7%
1995 25.5% 34.5%
1994 25.6% 34.3%
1993 25.6% 34.1%
1992 25.7% 33.9%
1991 25.8% 33.7%
1990 25.9% 33.5%
1989 25.8% 33.2%
1988 25.8% 33%
1987 25.7% 32.7%
1986 25.6% 32.4%
1985 25.5% 32.1%
1984 25.3% 31.8%
1983 24.9% 31.4%
1982 24.3% 31%
1981 23.6% 30.6%
1980 22.8% 30.2%
1979 22% 29.8%
1978 21.1% 29.3%
1977 20.2% 28.8%
1976 19% 28.3%
1975 17.6% 27.8%
1974 16.2% 27.2%
1973 14.7% 26.6%
1972 13.5% 25.9%
1971 12.5% 25.2%
1970 11.9% 24.4%
1969 11.6% 23.5%
1968 11.4% 22.7%
1967 11.3% 21.9%
1966 11.4% 21.1%
1965 11.5% 20.3%
1964 11.5% 19.7%
1963 11.4% 19%
1962 11.4% 18.5%
1961 11.4% 18%
1960 11.4% 17.4%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/maldives/sierra-leone | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives and from 36.5% to 45.4% in Sierra Leone.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K
Sierra Leone
City Population
Freetown 951K
Bo 234K
Kenema 188K

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/sierra-leone | 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 (2013–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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