Rural population density in Malawi
Malawi: Rural population density was 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011. ▲ Rising
Latest (2011)
360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land
Change on year
up 3.0%
World rank
21st
of 53 countries
All-time high
405.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1994
All-time low
220.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1966
Years of data
51
1961–2011
Rural population density in Malawi, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Measured in rural population per sq. km of arable land.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population density in Malawi is 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land, measured in 2011.
That represents a change of up 3.0% on the previous year and up 4.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population density in Malawi peaked at 405.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1994 and was at its lowest, 220.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land, in 1966.
Malawi ranks 21st of 53 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 51 years of available data.
Rural population density in Malawi, year by year
| Year | rural population per sq. km of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 265.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 251.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -5.0% |
| 1963 | 248.71 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.2% |
| 1964 | 246.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 222.33 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -9.7% |
| 1966 | 220.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.7% |
| 1967 | 232.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.3% |
| 1968 | 224.87 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.3% |
| 1969 | 224.23 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 236.5 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.5% |
| 1971 | 224.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -5.2% |
| 1972 | 224.59 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 225.4 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1974 | 231.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 244.81 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.5% |
| 1976 | 252.32 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 260.23 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 261.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.6% |
| 1979 | 269.46 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.9% |
| 1980 | 298.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +10.8% |
| 1981 | 290.74 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.7% |
| 1982 | 283.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.7% |
| 1983 | 304.31 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +7.5% |
| 1984 | 306.09 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 318.52 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +4.1% |
| 1986 | 319.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 337.53 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 356.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +5.7% |
| 1989 | 365.01 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.3% |
| 1990 | 368.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 359.28 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.6% |
| 1992 | 369.42 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.8% |
| 1993 | 369.5 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 405.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +9.7% |
| 1995 | 372.72 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -8.0% |
| 1996 | 362.82 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.7% |
| 1997 | 363.06 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 350.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.4% |
| 1999 | 346.52 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.2% |
| 2000 | 348.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 345.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 353.8 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.5% |
| 2003 | 344.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 353.54 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 340.38 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 339.27 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 383.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +13.2% |
| 2008 | 348.7 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -9.2% |
| 2009 | 348.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 349.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +3.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 237.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 220.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 265.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 243.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 224.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 269.46 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 317.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 283.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 365.01 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 366.8 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 346.52 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 405.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 350.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 339.27 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 383.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 354.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 349.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 2 |
Countries ranked near Malawi
- 18 Uganda 431.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 19 Madagascar 410.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 20 Cape Verde 398.57 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 22 Cote d'Ivoire 338.57 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 23 Equatorial Guinea 335.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 24 Sierra Leone 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
More environment data for Malawi
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -0.9153 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -0.8098 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.254 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.07 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate 18.16 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.001 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate 8.35 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population density in Malawi?
- Rural population density in Malawi was 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.
- What is the highest rural population density recorded in Malawi?
- The highest recorded value was 405.21 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1994.
- What is the lowest rural population density recorded in Malawi?
- The lowest recorded value was 220.88 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1966.
- How does Malawi rank for rural population density?
- Malawi ranks 21st out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is rural population density rising or falling in Malawi?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Malawi data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as part of Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.