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Population density: Maldives vs Zambia compared

Updated on by Georank team

Maldives has a population density of 4,620 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Zambia. Maldives has 6,077 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. Maldives and Zambia rank 6th and 157th 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, making the population density in Maldives 5,786% higher than in Zambia.

Population density by year

Maldives
Zambia

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Maldives Zambia
2026 4,620 78.5
2025 4,604 76.4
2024 4,587 74.3
2023 4,572 72.2
2022 4,525 70.2
2021 4,456 68.3
2020 4,335 66.4
2019 4,211 64.5
2018 4,084 62.6
2017 3,957 60.8
2016 3,827 58.9
2015 3,696 57.1
2014 3,571 55.4
2013 3,454 53.7
2012 3,340 52
2011 3,226 50.3
2010 3,115 48.7
2009 3,007 47
2008 2,902 45.4
2007 2,801 43.8
2006 2,710 42.3
2005 2,645 40.8
2004 2,602 39.5
2003 2,560 38.3
2002 2,518 37.1
2001 2,476 36
2000 2,435 34.9
1999 2,395 33.9
1998 2,354 33
1997 2,311 32.2
1996 2,265 31.4
1995 2,216 30.6
1994 2,165 29.9
1993 2,114 29.2
1992 2,059 28.5
1991 2,001 27.8
1990 1,940 27.1
1989 1,880 26.4
1988 1,821 25.8
1987 1,761 25.1
1986 1,700 24.3
1985 1,642 23.6
1984 1,590 22.9
1983 1,546 22.2
1982 1,505 21.5
1981 1,464 20.8
1980 1,423 20.2
1979 1,384 19.6
1978 1,348 19
1977 1,312 18.5
1976 1,274 17.9
1975 1,236 17.4
1974 1,200 16.9
1973 1,165 16.4
1972 1,131 15.9
1971 1,097 15.5
1970 1,064 15.1
1969 1,032 14.6
1968 1,002 14.2
1967 971 13.7
1966 937 13.3
1965 899 12.9
1964 869 12.5
1963 848 12.1
1962 827 11.7
1961 807 11.3

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/zambia | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Maldives increased by 70.5%, compared to a 85.7% growth in Zambia.

In 2006, Maldives ranked 7th by population density and is 6th now. Zambia was 164th in 2006 and ranks 157th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Maldives
Zambia
1x
Year Urban population
Maldives Zambia
2024 42% 45.5%
2023 41.5% 45%
2022 41.1% 44.6%
2021 40.7% 44.2%
2020 40.4% 43.9%
2019 40% 43.5%
2018 39.7% 43.1%
2017 39.3% 42.7%
2016 39% 42.3%
2015 38.6% 42%
2014 38.2% 41.6%
2013 37.8% 41.2%
2012 37.5% 40.8%
2011 37.1% 40.4%
2010 36.8% 40%
2009 36.4% 39.5%
2008 35.9% 39%
2007 35.4% 38.4%
2006 34.9% 37.8%
2005 34.1% 37.3%
2004 32.9% 36.8%
2003 31.4% 36.4%
2002 29.9% 36.1%
2001 28.6% 35.9%
2000 27.6% 35.9%
1999 27% 36.2%
1998 26.5% 36.7%
1997 26% 37.4%
1996 25.7% 38%
1995 25.5% 38.4%
1994 25.6% 38.7%
1993 25.6% 38.9%
1992 25.7% 39.1%
1991 25.8% 39.3%
1990 25.9% 39.4%
1989 25.8% 39.5%
1988 25.8% 39.5%
1987 25.7% 39.6%
1986 25.6% 39.7%
1985 25.5% 39.7%
1984 25.3% 39.8%
1983 24.9% 39.8%
1982 24.3% 39.9%
1981 23.6% 39.9%
1980 22.8% 39.9%
1979 22% 39.7%
1978 21.1% 39.3%
1977 20.2% 38.6%
1976 19% 37.8%
1975 17.6% 36.8%
1974 16.2% 35.6%
1973 14.7% 34.4%
1972 13.5% 33.2%
1971 12.5% 31.9%
1970 11.9% 30.7%
1969 11.6% 29.4%
1968 11.4% 28%
1967 11.3% 26.4%
1966 11.4% 24.6%
1965 11.5% 22.9%
1964 11.5% 21.3%
1963 11.4% 20.1%
1962 11.4% 19.1%
1961 11.4% 18.1%
1960 11.4% 17.2%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 32.9% to 42% in Maldives and from 36.8% to 45.5% in Zambia.

Densely populated cities

Maldives
City Population
Male 133K
Hulhumale 50K
Zambia
City Population
Lusaka 2.47M
Kitwe 625K
Ndola 528K
Chingola 255K
Mufulira 182K
Livingstone 177K
Kasama 158K
Kapiri Mposhi 65.2K
Choma 51.8K

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/zambia | 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 (2010–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)

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