Belgium has a population density of 1,009 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Belgium has 27,812 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, Belgium and Switzerland are ranked 23rd and 51st, 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 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 Belgium is 70.3% higher than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,009 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 23/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
11909960
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 11,774 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 27,637 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 1.78% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 98.2% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 0% |
Belgium vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Belgium increased by 13.4%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Belgium ranked 20th for population density and is in 23rd place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 1,009 | 592 |
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Belgium
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 98.2% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 98.2% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 98.2% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 98.1% | 74% |
| 2020 | 98.1% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 98% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 98% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 98% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 97.9% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 97.9% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 97.8% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 97.8% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 97.7% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 97.7% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 97.7% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 97.6% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 97.6% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 97.5% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 97.5% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 97.4% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 97.4% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 97.3% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 97.2% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 97.2% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 97.1% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 97.1% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 97% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 96.9% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 96.9% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 96.8% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 96.7% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 96.6% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 96.5% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 96.5% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 96.4% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 96.3% | 74% |
| 1988 | 96.2% | 74% |
| 1987 | 96.1% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 96% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 95.9% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 95.8% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 95.7% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 95.6% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 95.5% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 95.4% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 95.2% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 95% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 94.8% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 94.6% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 94.5% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 94.4% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 94.2% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 94.1% | 74% |
| 1971 | 94% | 74% |
| 1970 | 93.8% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 93.7% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 93.6% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 93.4% | 73% |
| 1966 | 93.3% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 93.1% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 93% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 92.8% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 92.7% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 92.6% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 92.5% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 97.4% to 98.2% in Belgium and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Belgium
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Brussels | 1.25M |
| Antwerp | 529K |
| Liege | 195K |
| Schaerbeek | 133K |
| Anderlecht | 121K |
| Mechelen | 86.9K |
| Hasselt | 77.7K |
| Genk | 66.1K |
| Seraing | 64.3K |
| Beveren | 50.3K |
|
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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