France has a population density of 330 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. France has 101,089 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. France and Switzerland rank 75th and 51st 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in France 44.6% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
France
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 330 | 596 |
| 2025 | 330 | 594 |
| 2024 | 329 | 590 |
| 2023 | 329 | 583 |
| 2022 | 328 | 575 |
| 2021 | 326 | 571 |
| 2020 | 325 | 566 |
| 2019 | 324 | 562 |
| 2018 | 323 | 558 |
| 2017 | 322 | 554 |
| 2016 | 321 | 549 |
| 2015 | 320 | 543 |
| 2014 | 319 | 537 |
| 2013 | 317 | 530 |
| 2012 | 316 | 524 |
| 2011 | 314 | 519 |
| 2010 | 312 | 513 |
| 2009 | 311 | 508 |
| 2008 | 309 | 501 |
| 2007 | 308 | 495 |
| 2006 | 306 | 491 |
| 2005 | 304 | 487 |
| 2004 | 301 | 484 |
| 2003 | 299.1 | 481 |
| 2002 | 297 | 477 |
| 2001 | 294.9 | 474 |
| 2000 | 292.8 | 471 |
| 1999 | 290.7 | 468 |
| 1998 | 289.3 | 466 |
| 1997 | 288.2 | 464 |
| 1996 | 287.2 | 463 |
| 1995 | 286.1 | 461 |
| 1994 | 285.1 | 458 |
| 1993 | 284 | 455 |
| 1992 | 282.8 | 450 |
| 1991 | 281.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 280 | 440 |
| 1989 | 278.5 | 436 |
| 1988 | 276.8 | 432 |
| 1987 | 275.2 | 429 |
| 1986 | 273.7 | 426 |
| 1985 | 272.3 | 424 |
| 1984 | 271 | 422 |
| 1983 | 269.6 | 421 |
| 1982 | 268.2 | 419 |
| 1981 | 267.2 | 416 |
| 1980 | 265.6 | 414 |
| 1979 | 264.2 | 412 |
| 1978 | 263 | 412 |
| 1977 | 261.8 | 412 |
| 1976 | 260.6 | 413 |
| 1975 | 259.5 | 415 |
| 1974 | 258.3 | 416 |
| 1973 | 256.6 | 413 |
| 1972 | 254.5 | 410 |
| 1971 | 252.3 | 407 |
| 1970 | 249.9 | 405 |
| 1969 | 247.7 | 402 |
| 1968 | 245.6 | 398 |
| 1967 | 243.8 | 393 |
| 1966 | 241.8 | 388 |
| 1965 | 239.7 | 384 |
| 1964 | 237.4 | 379 |
| 1963 | 234.9 | 373 |
| 1962 | 232.5 | 365 |
| 1961 | 230.2 | 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/france/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in France increased by 8.08%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, France ranked 67th by population density and is 75th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
France
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 330 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 75/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
68788006
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 208,090 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 84,625 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 21.2% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 78.8% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 3.07% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
France
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 78.8% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 78.8% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 78.8% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 78.7% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 78.7% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 78.7% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 78.7% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 78.6% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 78.6% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 77.8% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 77.4% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 77.2% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 77.2% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 77.1% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 77.1% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 77.2% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 77.2% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 77.3% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 77.4% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 77.5% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 77.5% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 77.3% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 76.9% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 76.5% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 75.9% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 75.6% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 75.4% | 72% |
| 1995 | 75.1% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 74.8% | 71% |
| 1993 | 74.6% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 74.4% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 74.2% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 74.1% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 73.9% | 68% |
| 1988 | 73.8% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 73.7% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 73.6% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 73.6% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 73.5% | 64% |
| 1983 | 73.4% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 73.4% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 73.3% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 73.2% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 73.2% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 73.2% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 73.1% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 73.1% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 73% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 72.9% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 72.7% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 72.3% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 71.9% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 71.4% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 70.8% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 70.2% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 69.5% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 68.4% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 67.2% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 65.9% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 64.6% | 53% |
| 1962 | 63.5% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 62.5% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 61.7% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/france/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77.5% to 78.8% in France and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
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 |
|
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
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/switzerland | CC BY
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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)
- Wikidata (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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