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Population density: Maldives vs United States compared

Updated on by Georank team

Maldives has a population density of 4,620 people per square mile compared to 97.3 people in the United States. Maldives has 6,077 sq ft of land per person vs 309,474 sq ft in the United States. Maldives and the United States rank 6th and 149th 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 4.21% of the population and 6.14% of the land area for the United States, making the population density in Maldives 4,649% higher than in the United States.

Population density by year

Maldives
United States

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Maldives United States
2026 4,620 97.3
2025 4,604 96.8
2024 4,587 96.3
2023 4,572 94.8
2022 4,525 94.4
2021 4,456 94
2020 4,335 93.9
2019 4,211 93
2018 4,084 92.5
2017 3,957 92.1
2016 3,827 91.5
2015 3,696 90.8
2014 3,571 90.1
2013 3,454 89.5
2012 3,340 88.9
2011 3,226 88.2
2010 3,115 87.6
2009 3,007 86.9
2008 2,902 86.1
2007 2,801 85.2
2006 2,710 84.3
2005 2,645 83.5
2004 2,602 82.8
2003 2,560 82
2002 2,518 81.3
2001 2,476 80.6
2000 2,435 79.8
1999 2,395 79
1998 2,354 78.1
1997 2,311 77.2
1996 2,265 76.3
1995 2,216 75.4
1994 2,165 74.5
1993 2,114 73.6
1992 2,059 72.6
1991 2,001 71.7
1990 1,940 70.7
1989 1,880 69.8
1988 1,821 69.1
1987 1,761 68.5
1986 1,700 67.9
1985 1,642 67.3
1984 1,590 66.7
1983 1,546 66.1
1982 1,505 65.5
1981 1,464 64.9
1980 1,423 64.1
1979 1,384 63.6
1978 1,348 62.9
1977 1,312 62.3
1976 1,274 61.7
1975 1,236 61.1
1974 1,200 60.5
1973 1,165 59.9
1972 1,131 59.4
1971 1,097 58.7
1970 1,064 58
1969 1,032 57.3
1968 1,002 56.8
1967 971 56.2
1966 937 55.6
1965 899 54.9
1964 869 54.3
1963 848 53.5
1962 827 52.7
1961 807 51.9

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/maldives/united-states | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Maldives increased by 70.5%, compared to a 15.3% growth in the United States.

In 2006, Maldives ranked 7th by population density and is 6th now. The United States was 146th in 2006 and ranks 149th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Maldives
United States
1x
Year Urban population
Maldives United States
2024 42% 80.1%
2023 41.5% 80.1%
2022 41.1% 80%
2021 40.7% 80%
2020 40.4% 80%
2019 40% 80.1%
2018 39.7% 80.3%
2017 39.3% 80.4%
2016 39% 80.5%
2015 38.6% 80.6%
2014 38.2% 80.6%
2013 37.8% 80.7%
2012 37.5% 80.7%
2011 37.1% 80.7%
2010 36.8% 80.7%
2009 36.4% 80.7%
2008 35.9% 80.6%
2007 35.4% 80.5%
2006 34.9% 80.4%
2005 34.1% 80.2%
2004 32.9% 80%
2003 31.4% 79.8%
2002 29.9% 79.5%
2001 28.6% 79.3%
2000 27.6% 79.1%
1999 27% 78.8%
1998 26.5% 78.5%
1997 26% 78.1%
1996 25.7% 77.7%
1995 25.5% 77.2%
1994 25.6% 76.7%
1993 25.6% 76.3%
1992 25.7% 75.9%
1991 25.8% 75.5%
1990 25.9% 75.3%
1989 25.8% 75.1%
1988 25.8% 74.8%
1987 25.7% 74.7%
1986 25.6% 74.5%
1985 25.5% 74.3%
1984 25.3% 74.2%
1983 24.9% 74%
1982 24.3% 73.9%
1981 23.6% 73.8%
1980 22.8% 73.8%
1979 22% 73.7%
1978 21.1% 73.7%
1977 20.2% 73.7%
1976 19% 73.6%
1975 17.6% 73.6%
1974 16.2% 73.6%
1973 14.7% 73.6%
1972 13.5% 73.6%
1971 12.5% 73.5%
1970 11.9% 73.5%
1969 11.6% 73.4%
1968 11.4% 73.2%
1967 11.3% 73%
1966 11.4% 72.7%
1965 11.5% 72.3%
1964 11.5% 71.9%
1963 11.4% 71.4%
1962 11.4% 70.9%
1961 11.4% 70.4%
1960 11.4% 70%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/maldives/united-states | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives and from 80% to 80.1% in the United States.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K
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

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/united-states | 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 (2014–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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