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Population density: Brazil vs Switzerland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Brazil has a population density of 66.2 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Brazil has 432,375 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Brazil and Switzerland rank 164th and 51st by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Brazil has 2.61% of the world's population and 5.61% 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 Brazil 88.9% lower than in Switzerland.

Population density by year

Brazil
Switzerland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Brazil Switzerland
2026 66.2 596
2025 66 594
2024 65.7 590
2023 65.4 583
2022 65.2 575
2021 64.9 571
2020 64.7 566
2019 64.3 562
2018 63.9 558
2017 63.4 554
2016 63 549
2015 62.5 543
2014 62 537
2013 61.5 530
2012 61 524
2011 60.5 519
2010 60 513
2009 59.5 508
2008 59 501
2007 58.4 495
2006 57.8 491
2005 57.2 487
2004 56.6 484
2003 56 481
2002 55.3 477
2001 54.6 474
2000 53.9 471
1999 53.2 468
1998 52.4 466
1997 51.6 464
1996 50.9 463
1995 50.1 461
1994 49.4 458
1993 48.6 455
1992 47.8 450
1991 47 446
1990 46.2 440
1989 45.4 436
1988 44.6 432
1987 43.7 429
1986 42.9 426
1985 42 424
1984 41.1 422
1983 40.2 421
1982 39.3 419
1981 38.4 416
1980 37.6 414
1979 36.7 412
1978 35.8 412
1977 35 412
1976 34.2 413
1975 33.3 415
1974 32.6 416
1973 31.8 413
1972 31 410
1971 30.3 407
1970 29.6 405
1969 28.8 402
1968 28.1 398
1967 27.4 393
1966 26.7 388
1965 26 384
1964 25.3 379
1963 24.5 373
1962 23.8 365
1961 23.1 356

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/brazil/switzerland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Brazil increased by 14.5%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.

In 2006, Brazil ranked 154th by population density and is 164th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Brazil
Switzerland
1x
Year Urban population
Brazil Switzerland
2024 87.9% 85.5%
2023 87.6% 85.2%
2022 87.3% 84.9%
2021 87.1% 84.2%
2020 86.9% 82.3%
2019 86.7% 80.8%
2018 86.4% 79.3%
2017 86.2% 77.9%
2016 85.9% 76.7%
2015 85.7% 75.6%
2014 85.4% 74.7%
2013 85.2% 74.1%
2012 84.9% 73.8%
2011 84.6% 73.7%
2010 84.3% 73.6%
2009 84.1% 73.6%
2008 83.8% 73.5%
2007 83.5% 73.5%
2006 83.3% 73.5%
2005 83% 73.5%
2004 82.7% 73.5%
2003 82.4% 73.5%
2002 82% 73.4%
2001 81.6% 73.4%
2000 81.1% 73.3%
1999 80.5% 73.1%
1998 79.8% 72.9%
1997 79% 72.5%
1996 78.3% 72%
1995 77.7% 71.5%
1994 77.2% 71%
1993 76.6% 70.4%
1992 76.1% 69.8%
1991 75.5% 69.2%
1990 74.9% 68.7%
1989 74.2% 68%
1988 73.6% 67.3%
1987 73% 66.5%
1986 72.3% 65.6%
1985 71.6% 64.8%
1984 70.9% 64%
1983 70.1% 63.2%
1982 69.3% 62.4%
1981 68.4% 61.8%
1980 67.4% 61.3%
1979 66.3% 60.8%
1978 65% 60.4%
1977 63.5% 60.1%
1976 61.9% 59.7%
1975 60.3% 59.4%
1974 58.7% 59.1%
1973 57.1% 58.7%
1972 55.7% 58.3%
1971 54.3% 57.9%
1970 53.2% 57.4%
1969 52.2% 56.9%
1968 51.2% 56.3%
1967 50.3% 55.7%
1966 49.5% 55.1%
1965 48.7% 54.4%
1964 47.9% 53.7%
1963 47.1% 53%
1962 46.3% 52.4%
1961 45.5% 51.7%
1960 44.7% 51%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/brazil/switzerland | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 82.7% to 87.9% in Brazil and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.

Densely populated cities

Brazil
City Population
Sao Paulo 11.5M
Rio de Janeiro 6.21M
Brasilia 3M
Fortaleza 2.58M
Salvador 2.42M
Belo Horizonte 2.32M
Manaus 2.3M
Curitiba 1.77M
Recife 1.49M
Goiania 1.44M
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

1x

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/brazil/switzerland | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2016–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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