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Population density: Italy vs Sweden compared

Updated on by Georank team

Italy has a population density of 513 people per square mile compared to 67.8 people in Sweden. Italy has 55,153 sq ft of land per person vs 455,646 sq ft in Sweden. Italy and Sweden rank 55th and 163rd by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Italy has 0.73% of the world's population and 0.2% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.13% of the population and 0.27% of the land area for Sweden, making the population density in Italy 656% higher than in Sweden.

Population density by year

Italy
Sweden

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Italy Sweden
2026 513 67.8
2025 515 67.5
2024 516 67.2
2023 517 67
2022 517 66.7
2021 518 66.2
2020 521 65.8
2019 523 65.4
2018 527 64.7
2017 526 64
2016 527 63.1
2015 528 62.3
2014 528 61.7
2013 528 61
2012 527 60.5
2011 526 60.1
2010 524 59.6
2009 522 59.1
2008 519 58.6
2007 515 58.2
2006 511 57.7
2005 509 57.4
2004 506 57.2
2003 503 57
2002 500 56.7
2001 499 56.6
2000 499 56.4
1999 501 56.3
1998 501 56.3
1997 501 56.2
1996 501 56.2
1995 501 56.1
1994 501 55.8
1993 500 55.4
1992 500 55.1
1991 500 54.8
1990 499 54.4
1989 499 54
1988 499 53.6
1987 498 53.4
1986 498 53.2
1985 498 53.1
1984 498 53
1983 498 53
1982 498 52.9
1981 498 52.9
1980 497 52.8
1979 496 52.7
1978 495 52.6
1977 493 52.5
1976 491 52.3
1975 488 52.1
1974 485 51.9
1973 482 51.7
1972 479 51.6
1971 476 51.5
1970 474 51.1
1969 471 50.7
1968 469 50.3
1967 466 50
1966 462 49.6
1965 459 49.2
1964 455 48.7
1963 451 48.4
1962 448 48.1
1961 445 47.8

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/italy/sweden | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Italy increased by 0.28%, compared to a 17.5% growth in Sweden.

In 2006, Italy ranked 42nd by population density and is 55th now. Sweden was 155th in 2006 and ranks 163rd out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Italy
Sweden
1x
Year Urban population
Italy Sweden
2024 69.6% 88.9%
2023 69.5% 88.6%
2022 69.5% 88.4%
2021 69.5% 88.2%
2020 69.5% 87.9%
2019 69.5% 87.7%
2018 69.5% 87.5%
2017 69.5% 87.2%
2016 69.6% 87%
2015 69.6% 86.6%
2014 69.6% 86.3%
2013 69.3% 85.9%
2012 68.8% 85.6%
2011 68.4% 85.4%
2010 68.2% 85.1%
2009 68% 84.9%
2008 67.9% 84.8%
2007 67.8% 84.6%
2006 67.7% 84.5%
2005 67.6% 84.4%
2004 67.5% 84.3%
2003 67.4% 84.2%
2002 67.4% 84.1%
2001 67.3% 84.1%
2000 67.2% 84%
1999 67.1% 84%
1998 67% 84%
1997 67% 84%
1996 66.9% 83.9%
1995 66.8% 83.9%
1994 66.8% 83.8%
1993 66.7% 83.7%
1992 66.7% 83.6%
1991 66.7% 83.5%
1990 66.7% 83.4%
1989 66.7% 83.3%
1988 66.8% 83.2%
1987 66.8% 83.2%
1986 66.8% 83.1%
1985 66.8% 83.1%
1984 66.9% 83.1%
1983 66.9% 83.1%
1982 66.9% 83.1%
1981 66.9% 83.1%
1980 66.8% 83.1%
1979 66.7% 83.1%
1978 66.6% 83%
1977 66.4% 82.9%
1976 66.2% 82.8%
1975 65.9% 82.7%
1974 65.7% 82.5%
1973 65.4% 82.3%
1972 65.1% 82%
1971 64.8% 81.7%
1970 64.5% 81.2%
1969 64% 80.6%
1968 63.6% 79.8%
1967 63.1% 78.9%
1966 62.5% 78%
1965 62% 77.1%
1964 61.4% 76.2%
1963 60.9% 75.3%
1962 60.3% 74.3%
1961 59.8% 73.4%
1960 59.3% 72.5%

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

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

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy and from 84.3% to 88.9% in Sweden.

Densely populated cities

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
Sweden
City Population
Stockholm 985K
Gothenburg 675K
Malmo 339K
Uppsala 175K
Vasteras 132K
Orebro 129K
Linkoping 117K
Helsingborg 116K
Jonkoping 103K
Lund 98.3K

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/italy/sweden | 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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