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Population density: France vs Italy compared

Updated on by Georank team

France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 513 people in Italy. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 55,153 sq ft in Italy. France and Italy rank 75th and 55th by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. France has 0.84% of the world's population and 0.36% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.73% of the population and 0.2% of the land area for Italy, making the population density in France 35.6% lower than in Italy.

Population density by year

France
Italy

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
France Italy
2026 330 513
2025 330 515
2024 329 516
2023 329 517
2022 328 517
2021 326 518
2020 325 521
2019 324 523
2018 323 527
2017 322 526
2016 321 527
2015 320 528
2014 319 528
2013 317 528
2012 316 527
2011 314 526
2010 312 524
2009 311 522
2008 309 519
2007 308 515
2006 306 511
2005 304 509
2004 301 506
2003 299.1 503
2002 297 500
2001 294.9 499
2000 292.8 499
1999 290.7 501
1998 289.3 501
1997 288.2 501
1996 287.2 501
1995 286.1 501
1994 285.1 501
1993 284 500
1992 282.8 500
1991 281.4 500
1990 280 499
1989 278.5 499
1988 276.8 499
1987 275.2 498
1986 273.7 498
1985 272.3 498
1984 271 498
1983 269.6 498
1982 268.2 498
1981 267.2 498
1980 265.6 497
1979 264.2 496
1978 263 495
1977 261.8 493
1976 260.6 491
1975 259.5 488
1974 258.3 485
1973 256.6 482
1972 254.5 479
1971 252.3 476
1970 249.9 474
1969 247.7 471
1968 245.6 469
1967 243.8 466
1966 241.8 462
1965 239.7 459
1964 237.4 455
1963 234.9 451
1962 232.5 448
1961 230.2 445

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/france/italy | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 0.28% growth in Italy.

In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. Italy was 42nd in 2006 and ranks 55th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

France
Italy
1x
Year Urban population
France Italy
2024 78.8% 69.6%
2023 78.8% 69.5%
2022 78.8% 69.5%
2021 78.7% 69.5%
2020 78.7% 69.5%
2019 78.7% 69.5%
2018 78.7% 69.5%
2017 78.6% 69.5%
2016 78.6% 69.6%
2015 77.8% 69.6%
2014 77.4% 69.6%
2013 77.2% 69.3%
2012 77.2% 68.8%
2011 77.1% 68.4%
2010 77.1% 68.2%
2009 77.1% 68%
2008 77.2% 67.9%
2007 77.2% 67.8%
2006 77.3% 67.7%
2005 77.4% 67.6%
2004 77.5% 67.5%
2003 77.5% 67.4%
2002 77.3% 67.4%
2001 76.9% 67.3%
2000 76.5% 67.2%
1999 76.2% 67.1%
1998 75.9% 67%
1997 75.6% 67%
1996 75.4% 66.9%
1995 75.1% 66.8%
1994 74.8% 66.8%
1993 74.6% 66.7%
1992 74.4% 66.7%
1991 74.2% 66.7%
1990 74.1% 66.7%
1989 73.9% 66.7%
1988 73.8% 66.8%
1987 73.7% 66.8%
1986 73.6% 66.8%
1985 73.6% 66.8%
1984 73.5% 66.9%
1983 73.4% 66.9%
1982 73.4% 66.9%
1981 73.3% 66.9%
1980 73.2% 66.8%
1979 73.2% 66.7%
1978 73.2% 66.6%
1977 73.1% 66.4%
1976 73.1% 66.2%
1975 73% 65.9%
1974 72.9% 65.7%
1973 72.7% 65.4%
1972 72.3% 65.1%
1971 71.9% 64.8%
1970 71.4% 64.5%
1969 70.8% 64%
1968 70.2% 63.6%
1967 69.5% 63.1%
1966 68.4% 62.5%
1965 67.2% 62%
1964 65.9% 61.4%
1963 64.6% 60.9%
1962 63.5% 60.3%
1961 62.5% 59.8%
1960 61.7% 59.3%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/france/italy | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy.

Densely populated cities

France
City Population
Paris 2.11M
Marseille 886K
Lyon 519K
Toulouse 515K
Nice 358K
Nantes 328K
Montpellier 310K
Strasbourg 294K
Bordeaux 268K
Lille 238K
Italy
City Population
Rome 2.75M
Milan 1.35M
Naples 913K
Turin 842K
Palermo 630K
Genoa 559K
Bologna 388K
Florence 361K
Bari 315K
Catania 312K

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/france/italy | 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 (2019–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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