Iceland has a population density of 9.93 people per square mile compared to 590 people in Switzerland. Iceland has 2,868,586 sq ft of land per person vs 49,346 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Iceland and Switzerland are ranked 194th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Iceland has 0.005% 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 Iceland is 98.3% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Iceland
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 9.93 ppl/mi² | 590 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 194/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
395314
|
9092598
|
| Land area | 38,931 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 2,808,042 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 5.82% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 94.2% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Iceland vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Iceland increased by 31.6%, compared to a 21.9% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Iceland ranked 188th for population density and is in 194th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iceland
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 9.93 | 590 |
| 2023 | 9.91 | 583 |
| 2022 | 9.81 | 575 |
| 2021 | 9.57 | 571 |
| 2020 | 9.41 | 566 |
| 2019 | 9.26 | 562 |
| 2018 | 9.06 | 558 |
| 2017 | 8.87 | 554 |
| 2016 | 8.67 | 549 |
| 2015 | 8.55 | 543 |
| 2014 | 8.46 | 537 |
| 2013 | 8.36 | 530 |
| 2012 | 8.29 | 524 |
| 2011 | 8.24 | 519 |
| 2010 | 8.22 | 513 |
| 2009 | 8.23 | 508 |
| 2008 | 8.2 | 501 |
| 2007 | 8.05 | 495 |
| 2006 | 7.85 | 491 |
| 2005 | 7.67 | 487 |
| 2004 | 7.55 | 484 |
| 2003 | 7.48 | 481 |
| 2002 | 7.43 | 477 |
| 2001 | 7.36 | 474 |
| 2000 | 7.27 | 471 |
| 1999 | 7.17 | 468 |
| 1998 | 7.08 | 466 |
| 1997 | 7 | 464 |
| 1996 | 6.95 | 463 |
| 1995 | 6.91 | 461 |
| 1994 | 6.87 | 458 |
| 1993 | 6.81 | 455 |
| 1992 | 6.74 | 450 |
| 1991 | 6.66 | 446 |
| 1990 | 6.58 | 440 |
| 1989 | 6.53 | 436 |
| 1988 | 6.45 | 432 |
| 1987 | 6.35 | 429 |
| 1986 | 6.28 | 426 |
| 1985 | 6.24 | 424 |
| 1984 | 6.19 | 422 |
| 1983 | 6.12 | 421 |
| 1982 | 6.04 | 419 |
| 1981 | 5.96 | 416 |
| 1980 | 5.89 | 414 |
| 1979 | 5.83 | 412 |
| 1978 | 5.78 | 412 |
| 1977 | 5.73 | 412 |
| 1976 | 5.69 | 413 |
| 1975 | 5.63 | 415 |
| 1974 | 5.56 | 416 |
| 1973 | 5.49 | 413 |
| 1972 | 5.4 | 410 |
| 1971 | 5.32 | 407 |
| 1970 | 5.28 | 405 |
| 1969 | 5.25 | 402 |
| 1968 | 5.21 | 398 |
| 1967 | 5.13 | 393 |
| 1966 | 5.05 | 388 |
| 1965 | 4.97 | 384 |
| 1964 | 4.88 | 379 |
| 1963 | 4.8 | 373 |
| 1962 | 4.71 | 365 |
| 1961 | 4.63 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Iceland
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 94.2% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 94.2% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 94.2% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 94.2% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 94.1% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 94% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 93.9% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 93.8% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 93.8% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 93.7% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 93.6% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 93.6% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 93.5% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 93.4% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 93.5% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 93.4% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 93.1% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 92.4% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 92.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 92.4% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 92.4% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 92.3% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 92.2% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 92% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 92% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 91.8% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 91.7% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 92% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 91.8% | 72% |
| 1995 | 91.6% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 91.4% | 71% |
| 1993 | 91.3% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 91.1% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 90.9% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 90.6% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 90.4% | 68% |
| 1988 | 90.1% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 89.8% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 89.6% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 89.3% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 89.1% | 64% |
| 1983 | 88.9% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 88.6% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 88.3% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 88.1% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 87.9% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 87.7% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 87.4% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 87.2% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 86.9% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 86.5% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 86.2% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 85.7% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 85.3% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 85% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 84.8% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 84.4% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 83.9% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 83.5% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 83.2% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 82.7% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 82% | 53% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 81% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 80.4% | 51% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 92.4% to 94.2% in Iceland and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
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people per square mile
Population density
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