Canada has a population density of 12.2 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Canada has 2,602,997 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, Canada and Switzerland are ranked 189th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Canada has 0.51% of the world's population and 5.9% 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 Canada is 97.9% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Canada
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 12.2 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 189/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
41972421
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 3,393,336 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,291,208 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 82% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 19.2% | 0% |
Canada vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Canada increased by 31.9%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Canada ranked 184th for population density and is in 189th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Canada
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 12.2 | 592 |
| 2023 | 11.8 | 583 |
| 2022 | 11.5 | 575 |
| 2021 | 11.3 | 571 |
| 2020 | 11 | 566 |
| 2019 | 10.9 | 562 |
| 2018 | 10.7 | 558 |
| 2017 | 10.6 | 554 |
| 2016 | 10.4 | 549 |
| 2015 | 10.3 | 543 |
| 2014 | 10.2 | 537 |
| 2013 | 10.1 | 530 |
| 2012 | 10 | 524 |
| 2011 | 9.92 | 519 |
| 2010 | 9.82 | 513 |
| 2009 | 9.72 | 508 |
| 2008 | 9.6 | 501 |
| 2007 | 9.5 | 495 |
| 2006 | 9.41 | 491 |
| 2005 | 9.31 | 487 |
| 2004 | 9.23 | 484 |
| 2003 | 9.14 | 481 |
| 2002 | 9.06 | 477 |
| 2001 | 8.96 | 474 |
| 2000 | 8.86 | 471 |
| 1999 | 8.78 | 468 |
| 1998 | 8.71 | 466 |
| 1997 | 8.64 | 464 |
| 1996 | 8.55 | 463 |
| 1995 | 8.46 | 461 |
| 1994 | 8.38 | 458 |
| 1993 | 8.29 | 455 |
| 1992 | 8.2 | 450 |
| 1991 | 8.1 | 446 |
| 1990 | 8 | 440 |
| 1989 | 7.88 | 436 |
| 1988 | 7.74 | 432 |
| 1987 | 7.64 | 429 |
| 1986 | 7.54 | 426 |
| 1985 | 7.47 | 424 |
| 1984 | 7.4 | 422 |
| 1983 | 7.33 | 421 |
| 1982 | 7.26 | 419 |
| 1981 | 7.17 | 416 |
| 1980 | 7.08 | 414 |
| 1979 | 6.99 | 412 |
| 1978 | 6.92 | 412 |
| 1977 | 6.85 | 412 |
| 1976 | 6.77 | 413 |
| 1975 | 6.69 | 415 |
| 1974 | 6.59 | 416 |
| 1973 | 6.5 | 413 |
| 1972 | 6.42 | 410 |
| 1971 | 6.34 | 407 |
| 1970 | 6.16 | 405 |
| 1969 | 6.07 | 402 |
| 1968 | 5.99 | 398 |
| 1967 | 5.9 | 393 |
| 1966 | 5.79 | 388 |
| 1965 | 5.68 | 384 |
| 1964 | 5.58 | 379 |
| 1963 | 5.48 | 373 |
| 1962 | 5.38 | 365 |
| 1961 | 5.28 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Canada
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 82% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 81.9% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 81.8% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 81.7% | 74% |
| 2020 | 81.6% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 81.5% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 81.4% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 81.4% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 81.3% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 81.3% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 81.2% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 81.2% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 81.1% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 81.1% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 80.9% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 80.8% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 80.6% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 80.4% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 80.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 80.1% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 80% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 80% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 79.9% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 79.8% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 79.5% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 79.1% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 78.7% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 78.3% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 78% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 77.7% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 77.4% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 77.2% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 76.9% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 76.6% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 76.6% | 74% |
| 1988 | 76.5% | 74% |
| 1987 | 76.5% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 76.5% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 76.4% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 76.2% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 76% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 75.9% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 75.7% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 75.7% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 75.6% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 75.6% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 75.5% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 75.5% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 75.6% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 75.7% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 75.9% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 76% | 74% |
| 1971 | 76.1% | 74% |
| 1970 | 75.7% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 75.2% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 74.7% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 74.2% | 73% |
| 1966 | 73.6% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 72.9% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 72.1% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 71.3% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 70.5% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 69.7% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 69.1% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 80% to 82% in Canada and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Canada
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Toronto | 2.79M |
| Montreal | 1.8M |
| Calgary | 1.31M |
| Ottawa | 1.02M |
| Edmonton | 1.01M |
| Winnipeg | 750K |
| Mississauga | 718K |
| Vancouver | 662K |
| Brampton | 656K |
| Hamilton | 569K |
|
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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