Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi
Malawi: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 38 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
38 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 4.2%
World rank
127th
of 215 countries
All-time high
38 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
1.63 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi is 38 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 4.2% on the previous year and up 41.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi peaked at 38 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 1.63 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
Malawi ranks 127th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.63 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 1.71 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1963 | 1.8 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1964 | 1.89 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1965 | 1.98 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1966 | 2.09 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 1967 | 2.21 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1968 | 2.38 people per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1969 | 2.58 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1970 | 2.82 people per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 1971 | 3.08 people per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1972 | 3.38 people per square kilometre | +9.5% |
| 1973 | 3.69 people per square kilometre | +9.2% |
| 1974 | 4.02 people per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1975 | 4.35 people per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1976 | 4.68 people per square kilometre | +7.7% |
| 1977 | 5.02 people per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1978 | 5.35 people per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1979 | 5.7 people per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1980 | 6.07 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1981 | 6.45 people per square kilometre | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 6.86 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 7.28 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 7.73 people per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1985 | 8.2 people per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1986 | 8.7 people per square kilometre | +6.1% |
| 1987 | 9.34 people per square kilometre | +7.4% |
| 1988 | 10.12 people per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1989 | 10.94 people per square kilometre | +8.1% |
| 1990 | 11.77 people per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1991 | 12.56 people per square kilometre | +6.7% |
| 1992 | 13.38 people per square kilometre | +6.5% |
| 1993 | 14.03 people per square kilometre | +4.9% |
| 1994 | 14.3 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 1995 | 14.68 people per square kilometre | +2.6% |
| 1996 | 15.33 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 15.94 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 1998 | 16.51 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 1999 | 17.06 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 17.62 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 18.17 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2002 | 18.74 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 19.32 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2004 | 19.93 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2005 | 20.57 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2006 | 21.24 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2007 | 21.96 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 22.72 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2009 | 23.52 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2010 | 24.34 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 25.18 people per square kilometre | +3.5% |
| 2012 | 26.04 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2013 | 26.91 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2014 | 27.8 people per square kilometre | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 28.69 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2016 | 29.61 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 30.54 people per square kilometre | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 31.49 people per square kilometre | +3.1% |
| 2019 | 32.57 people per square kilometre | +3.4% |
| 2020 | 33.76 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 35.06 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2022 | 36.47 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2023 | 38 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
Malawi compared with similar countries
- Malawi's 38 people per square kilometre is above the median for low income countries, which is 23.39 people per square kilometre, 1.6× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Malawi's 38 people per square kilometre is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 28.41 people per square kilometre, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.03 people per square kilometre | 1.63 people per square kilometre | 2.58 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 4.21 people per square kilometre | 2.82 people per square kilometre | 5.7 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.17 people per square kilometre | 6.07 people per square kilometre | 10.94 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 14.56 people per square kilometre | 11.77 people per square kilometre | 17.06 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.38 people per square kilometre | 17.62 people per square kilometre | 23.52 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 28.32 people per square kilometre | 24.34 people per square kilometre | 32.57 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.82 people per square kilometre | 33.76 people per square kilometre | 38 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 124 Moldova 40.05 people per square kilometre compare
- 125 Croatia 39.85 people per square kilometre compare
- 126 Panama 39.59 people per square kilometre compare
- 128 Colombia 36.91 people per square kilometre compare
- 129 Liechtenstein 36.33 people per square kilometre compare
- 130 Djibouti 36.23 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Malawi
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 37,159 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3622 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.1183 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4293 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.4% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 3.85 million people (2100)
- Population density 627.29 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.4% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.2289 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Malawi was 38 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 38 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.63 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Malawi rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Malawi ranks 127th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.