Malawi vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population, per square kilometre

Malawi
185.85 units per square kilometre
in 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa
29.68 units per square kilometre
in 2023
Malawi rank
17th
Sub-Saharan Africa rank
20th

Rural population, per square kilometre over time

  • Malawi
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
050100150200196119922023

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 185.85 units per square kilometre against 29.68 units per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa, a difference of 156.17 units per square kilometre.

That makes Malawi's figure about 6.3 times Sub-Saharan Africa's.

Across all 63 years both countries report, Malawi has been ahead every year.

Malawi ranks 17th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 20th of 215 countries.

Malawi has averaged higher in every one of the 7 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade Malawi Sub-Saharan Africa Difference Ahead
1960s 41.52 units per square kilometre 10.73 units per square kilometre 30.78 units per square kilometre Malawi
1970s 51.57 units per square kilometre 13.13 units per square kilometre 38.44 units per square kilometre Malawi
1980s 72.12 units per square kilometre 16.49 units per square kilometre 55.63 units per square kilometre Malawi
1990s 94.56 units per square kilometre 19.6 units per square kilometre 74.96 units per square kilometre Malawi
2000s 114.81 units per square kilometre 23.51 units per square kilometre 91.3 units per square kilometre Malawi
2010s 150.75 units per square kilometre 26.12 units per square kilometre 124.63 units per square kilometre Malawi
2020s 179.64 units per square kilometre 28.97 units per square kilometre 150.66 units per square kilometre Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher rural population, per square kilometre, Malawi or Sub-Saharan Africa?
Malawi, at 185.85 units per square kilometre against 29.68 units per square kilometre in Sub-Saharan Africa as of 2023.
What is the difference in rural population, per square kilometre between Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa?
156.17 units per square kilometre, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa?
63 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2023.
How do Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa rank globally for rural population, per square kilometre?
Malawi ranks 17th and Sub-Saharan Africa ranks 20th of 215 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Statizoid (derived), published as Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Malawi vs Sub-Saharan Africa: Rural population, per square kilometre. Statizoid, drawing on Statizoid (derived). Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://agriculture.statizoid.com/compare/rural-population-per-square-kilometre/malawi/sub-saharan-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Rural population, per square kilometre
Unit
units per square kilometre
Source
Statizoid (derived)
Licence
Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page
Coverage
263 places, 15,281 data points, 1961–2023
Last refreshed

Rural population 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.