Bulgaria has a population density of 153.7 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Bulgaria has 185,391 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, Bulgaria and Switzerland are ranked 130th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Bulgaria has 0.08% of the world's population and 0.07% 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 Bulgaria is 74% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Bulgaria
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 153.7 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 130/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
6403235
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 41,915 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 181,326 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 23% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 77% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 21.8% | 0% |
Bulgaria vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Bulgaria decreased by 16.3%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Bulgaria ranked 98th for population density and is in 130th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bulgaria
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 153.7 | 592 |
| 2023 | 153.8 | 583 |
| 2022 | 154.2 | 575 |
| 2021 | 155.2 | 571 |
| 2020 | 156.3 | 566 |
| 2019 | 157.9 | 562 |
| 2018 | 160.1 | 558 |
| 2017 | 162.3 | 554 |
| 2016 | 164.5 | 549 |
| 2015 | 166.6 | 543 |
| 2014 | 168.8 | 537 |
| 2013 | 170.8 | 530 |
| 2012 | 174.3 | 524 |
| 2011 | 175.3 | 519 |
| 2010 | 176.4 | 513 |
| 2009 | 177.6 | 508 |
| 2008 | 178.7 | 501 |
| 2007 | 179.9 | 495 |
| 2006 | 181.2 | 491 |
| 2005 | 182.6 | 487 |
| 2004 | 183.8 | 484 |
| 2003 | 185.1 | 481 |
| 2002 | 186.6 | 477 |
| 2001 | 187.5 | 474 |
| 2000 | 191.3 | 471 |
| 1999 | 192.2 | 468 |
| 1998 | 193.3 | 466 |
| 1997 | 194.6 | 464 |
| 1996 | 195.8 | 463 |
| 1995 | 196.8 | 461 |
| 1994 | 197.7 | 458 |
| 1993 | 198.3 | 455 |
| 1992 | 199.9 | 450 |
| 1991 | 202.1 | 446 |
| 1990 | 204.1 | 440 |
| 1989 | 207.8 | 436 |
| 1988 | 210.3 | 432 |
| 1987 | 210 | 429 |
| 1986 | 209.7 | 426 |
| 1985 | 209.8 | 424 |
| 1984 | 209.8 | 422 |
| 1983 | 209.3 | 421 |
| 1982 | 208.8 | 419 |
| 1981 | 208.2 | 416 |
| 1980 | 207.5 | 414 |
| 1979 | 206.6 | 412 |
| 1978 | 206.3 | 412 |
| 1977 | 206.1 | 412 |
| 1976 | 205 | 413 |
| 1975 | 204.2 | 415 |
| 1974 | 203.2 | 416 |
| 1973 | 201.8 | 413 |
| 1972 | 200.8 | 410 |
| 1971 | 199.8 | 407 |
| 1970 | 198.8 | 405 |
| 1969 | 197.5 | 402 |
| 1968 | 195.9 | 398 |
| 1967 | 194.6 | 393 |
| 1966 | 193.3 | 388 |
| 1965 | 192.1 | 384 |
| 1964 | 190.7 | 379 |
| 1963 | 189.1 | 373 |
| 1962 | 187.6 | 365 |
| 1961 | 186 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Bulgaria
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 77% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 76.7% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 76.4% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 76% | 74% |
| 2020 | 75.7% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 75.3% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 75% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 74.7% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 74.3% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 74% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 73.7% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 73.3% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 73% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 72.6% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 72.3% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 72% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 71.6% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 71.3% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 70.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 70.6% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 70.2% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 69.9% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 69.5% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 69.2% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 68.9% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 68.7% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 68.5% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 68.2% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 68% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 67.8% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 67.6% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 67.3% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 67.1% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 66.7% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 66.4% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 66% | 74% |
| 1988 | 65.7% | 74% |
| 1987 | 65.3% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 65% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 64.6% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 64.1% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 63.6% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 63.1% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 62.6% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 62.1% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 61.2% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 60.3% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 59.4% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 58.5% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 57.6% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 56.5% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 55.5% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 54.4% | 74% |
| 1971 | 53.4% | 74% |
| 1970 | 52.3% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 51% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 49.8% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 48.5% | 73% |
| 1966 | 47.2% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 45.8% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 44% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 42.2% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 40.5% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 38.8% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 37.1% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 70.2% to 77% in Bulgaria and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Bulgaria
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Sofia | 1.4M |
| Plovdiv | 387K |
| Varna | 371K |
| Burgas | 226K |
| Stara Zagora | 154K |
| Ruse | 121K |
| Dobrich | 99.7K |
| Pleven | 99.2K |
| Shumen | 94.1K |
| Haskovo | 90.8K |
|
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
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
