Australia has a population density of 9.16 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Australia has 3,043,442 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Australia and Switzerland are ranked 196th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Australia has 0.33% of the world's population and 5.16% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, hence the population density in Australia is 98.5% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Australia
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 9.16 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 196/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
27677455
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 2,969,906 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 3,043,440 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 13.2% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 86.8% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 62.6% | 0% |
Australia vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Australia increased by 36.3%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Australia ranked 190th for population density and is in 196th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Australia
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 9.16 | 592 |
| 2023 | 8.97 | 583 |
| 2022 | 8.76 | 575 |
| 2021 | 8.65 | 571 |
| 2020 | 8.64 | 566 |
| 2019 | 8.53 | 562 |
| 2018 | 8.41 | 558 |
| 2017 | 8.28 | 554 |
| 2016 | 8.15 | 549 |
| 2015 | 8.03 | 543 |
| 2014 | 7.91 | 537 |
| 2013 | 7.8 | 530 |
| 2012 | 7.66 | 524 |
| 2011 | 7.53 | 519 |
| 2010 | 7.43 | 513 |
| 2009 | 7.31 | 508 |
| 2008 | 7.16 | 501 |
| 2007 | 7.02 | 495 |
| 2006 | 6.89 | 491 |
| 2005 | 6.8 | 487 |
| 2004 | 6.72 | 484 |
| 2003 | 6.65 | 481 |
| 2002 | 6.57 | 477 |
| 2001 | 6.5 | 474 |
| 2000 | 6.42 | 471 |
| 1999 | 6.34 | 468 |
| 1998 | 6.27 | 466 |
| 1997 | 6.21 | 464 |
| 1996 | 6.14 | 463 |
| 1995 | 6.07 | 461 |
| 1994 | 6 | 458 |
| 1993 | 5.95 | 455 |
| 1992 | 5.89 | 450 |
| 1991 | 5.83 | 446 |
| 1990 | 5.75 | 440 |
| 1989 | 5.67 | 436 |
| 1988 | 5.57 | 432 |
| 1987 | 5.48 | 429 |
| 1986 | 5.4 | 426 |
| 1985 | 5.32 | 424 |
| 1984 | 5.25 | 422 |
| 1983 | 5.19 | 421 |
| 1982 | 5.12 | 419 |
| 1981 | 5.03 | 416 |
| 1980 | 4.95 | 414 |
| 1979 | 4.89 | 412 |
| 1978 | 4.84 | 412 |
| 1977 | 4.78 | 412 |
| 1976 | 4.73 | 413 |
| 1975 | 4.68 | 415 |
| 1974 | 4.63 | 416 |
| 1973 | 4.51 | 413 |
| 1972 | 4.44 | 410 |
| 1971 | 4.36 | 407 |
| 1970 | 4.22 | 405 |
| 1969 | 4.13 | 402 |
| 1968 | 4.05 | 398 |
| 1967 | 3.98 | 393 |
| 1966 | 3.93 | 388 |
| 1965 | 3.84 | 384 |
| 1964 | 3.76 | 379 |
| 1963 | 3.69 | 373 |
| 1962 | 3.62 | 365 |
| 1961 | 3.53 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Australia
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 86.8% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 86.6% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 86.5% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 86.4% | 74% |
| 2020 | 86.2% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 86.1% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 86% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 85.9% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 85.8% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 85.7% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 85.6% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 85.5% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 85.4% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 85.3% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 85.2% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 85.1% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 84.9% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 84.8% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 84.7% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 84.6% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 84.5% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 84.3% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 84.2% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 84.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 84.2% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 84.4% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 84.5% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 84.6% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 84.8% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 84.9% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 85% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 85.2% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 85.3% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 85.4% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 85.4% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 85.5% | 74% |
| 1988 | 85.5% | 74% |
| 1987 | 85.5% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 85.6% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 85.6% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 85.6% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 85.6% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 85.7% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 85.7% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 85.6% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 85.4% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 85.3% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 85.1% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 84.9% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 84.8% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 84.6% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 84.5% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 84.3% | 74% |
| 1971 | 84.2% | 74% |
| 1970 | 84% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 83.8% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 83.7% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 83.5% | 73% |
| 1966 | 83.3% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 83.1% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 82.8% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 82.5% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 82.2% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 81.9% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 81.5% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 84.5% to 86.8% in Australia and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Australia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Sydney | 5.45M |
| Melbourne | 5.35M |
| Brisbane | 2.71M |
| Perth | 2.14M |
| Adelaide | 1.39M |
| Gold Coast | 608K |
| Canberra | 381K |
| Sunshine Coast | 284K |
| Wollongong | 262K |
| Ipswich | 233K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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