Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Madagascar
Madagascar: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 53.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
53.62 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
150th
of 216 countries
All-time high
53.62 people per sq. km of land area
in 2023
All-time low
48.5 people per sq. km of land area
in 2019
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Population density in Madagascar, 1961–2023
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in Madagascar is 53.62 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 10.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, population density in Madagascar peaked at 53.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023 and was at its lowest, 48.5 people per sq. km of land area, in 2019.
That places Madagascar 150th out of 216 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Madagascar, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 9.02 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 9.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 9.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1964 | 9.75 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 10.01 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 10.27 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1967 | 10.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 1968 | 10.84 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1969 | 11.15 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 1970 | 11.47 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1971 | 11.81 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1972 | 12.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 12.53 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 12.91 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 13.31 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 13.72 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1977 | 14.14 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1978 | 14.57 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 15.02 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1980 | 15.49 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1981 | 15.96 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1982 | 16.44 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 16.93 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1984 | 17.43 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1985 | 17.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1986 | 18.46 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1987 | 19 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 19.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 20.13 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1990 | 20.73 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1991 | 21.36 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 1992 | 22.01 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1993 | 22.69 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 1994 | 23.41 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 24.16 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 1996 | 24.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1997 | 25.78 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 26.64 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 1999 | 27.51 people per sq. km of land area | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 28.4 people per sq. km of land area | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 29.29 people per sq. km of land area | +3.1% |
| 2002 | 30.18 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 31.08 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2004 | 32 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2005 | 32.95 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 33.93 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2007 | 34.94 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2008 | 35.98 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2009 | 37.05 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 38.15 people per sq. km of land area | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 39.23 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2012 | 40.33 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2013 | 41.44 people per sq. km of land area | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 42.57 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 43.7 people per sq. km of land area | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 44.86 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 46.04 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 47.26 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 48.5 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 49.77 people per sq. km of land area | +2.6% |
| 2021 | 51.03 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2022 | 52.32 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
| 2023 | 53.62 people per sq. km of land area | +2.5% |
Madagascar compared with similar countries
- Madagascar's 53.62 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for low income countries, which is 63.56 people per sq. km of land area, 84% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Madagascar's 53.62 people per sq. km of land area is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 68.7 people per sq. km of land area, 78% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 10.04 people per sq. km of land area | 9.02 people per sq. km of land area | 11.15 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 13.17 people per sq. km of land area | 11.47 people per sq. km of land area | 15.02 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.73 people per sq. km of land area | 15.49 people per sq. km of land area | 20.13 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 23.92 people per sq. km of land area | 20.73 people per sq. km of land area | 27.51 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 32.58 people per sq. km of land area | 28.4 people per sq. km of land area | 37.05 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.21 people per sq. km of land area | 38.15 people per sq. km of land area | 48.5 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 51.68 people per sq. km of land area | 49.77 people per sq. km of land area | 53.62 people per sq. km of land area | 4 |
Countries ranked near Madagascar
- 147 Liberia 57.03 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 148 Nicaragua 56.7 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 149 Iran 55.85 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 151 South Africa 52.11 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 152 Fiji 50.58 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 153 Djibouti 49.74 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Madagascar
- Population in the largest city 39.3% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 12.39 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1292 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 4.23 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 4.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 6.66 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 4.23 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
- Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen 2.63 million (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Madagascar?
- Population density in Madagascar was 53.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Madagascar?
- The highest recorded value was 53.62 people per sq. km of land area in 2023.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Madagascar?
- The lowest recorded value was 48.5 people per sq. km of land area in 2019.
- How does Madagascar rank for population density?
- Madagascar ranks 150th out of 216 countries with data for 2023.
- Where does this Madagascar data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.