Belgium has a population density of 1,011 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Belgium has 27,855 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Belgium and Switzerland rank 24th and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Belgium has 0.15% of the world's population and 0.02% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in Belgium 69.5% higher than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 1,011 | 596 |
| 2025 | 1,009 | 594 |
| 2024 | 1,007 | 590 |
| 2023 | 1,001 | 583 |
| 2022 | 992 | 575 |
| 2021 | 984 | 571 |
| 2020 | 980 | 566 |
| 2019 | 976 | 562 |
| 2018 | 971 | 558 |
| 2017 | 971 | 554 |
| 2016 | 968 | 549 |
| 2015 | 963 | 543 |
| 2014 | 957 | 537 |
| 2013 | 953 | 530 |
| 2012 | 948 | 524 |
| 2011 | 943 | 519 |
| 2010 | 930 | 513 |
| 2009 | 922 | 508 |
| 2008 | 914 | 501 |
| 2007 | 907 | 495 |
| 2006 | 901 | 491 |
| 2005 | 895 | 487 |
| 2004 | 890 | 484 |
| 2003 | 886 | 481 |
| 2002 | 882 | 477 |
| 2001 | 878 | 474 |
| 2000 | 875 | 471 |
| 1999 | - | 468 |
| 1998 | - | 466 |
| 1997 | - | 464 |
| 1996 | - | 463 |
| 1995 | - | 461 |
| 1994 | - | 458 |
| 1993 | - | 455 |
| 1992 | - | 450 |
| 1991 | - | 446 |
| 1990 | - | 440 |
| 1989 | - | 436 |
| 1988 | - | 432 |
| 1987 | - | 429 |
| 1986 | - | 426 |
| 1985 | - | 424 |
| 1984 | - | 422 |
| 1983 | - | 421 |
| 1982 | - | 419 |
| 1981 | - | 416 |
| 1980 | - | 414 |
| 1979 | - | 412 |
| 1978 | - | 412 |
| 1977 | - | 412 |
| 1976 | - | 413 |
| 1975 | - | 415 |
| 1974 | - | 416 |
| 1973 | - | 413 |
| 1972 | - | 410 |
| 1971 | - | 407 |
| 1970 | - | 405 |
| 1969 | - | 402 |
| 1968 | - | 398 |
| 1967 | - | 393 |
| 1966 | - | 388 |
| 1965 | - | 384 |
| 1964 | - | 379 |
| 1963 | - | 373 |
| 1962 | - | 365 |
| 1961 | - | 356 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Belgium increased by 12.2%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Belgium ranked 20th by population density and is 24th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,011 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 24/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
11902714
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 11,774 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 27,679 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 12.4% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 87.6% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 87.6% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 87.6% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 87.5% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 87.4% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 87.3% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 87.1% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 86.9% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 86.7% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 86.5% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 86.2% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 86% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 85.7% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 85.5% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 85.2% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 85% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 84.7% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 84.4% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 84.1% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 83.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 83.6% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 83.3% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 83% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 82.7% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 82.3% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 82% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 81.7% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 81.4% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 81% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 80.7% | 72% |
| 1995 | 80.3% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 80% | 71% |
| 1993 | 79.6% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 79.3% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 78.9% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 78.6% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 78.2% | 68% |
| 1988 | 77.8% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 77.4% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 77.1% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 76.7% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 76.3% | 64% |
| 1983 | 75.9% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 75.5% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 75.1% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 74.7% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 74.3% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 73.9% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 73.5% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 73.1% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 72.7% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 72.3% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 71.9% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 71.5% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 71.1% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 70.6% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 70.2% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 69.6% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 69.1% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 68.6% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 68% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 67.5% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 67% | 53% |
| 1962 | 66.6% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 66.2% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 65.9% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 83.3% to 87.6% in Belgium and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Brussels | 1.25M |
| Antwerp | 529K |
| Ghent | 273K |
| Charleroi | 204K |
| Liege | 195K |
| Schaerbeek | 133K |
| Anderlecht | 121K |
| Bruges | 119K |
| Namur | 115K |
| Leuven | 101K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/belgium/switzerland | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Wikidata (2016–2026, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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