Italy has a population density of 513 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Italy has 55,153 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Italy and Switzerland rank 55th and 51st 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in Italy 14% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 513 | 596 |
| 2025 | 515 | 594 |
| 2024 | 516 | 590 |
| 2023 | 517 | 583 |
| 2022 | 517 | 575 |
| 2021 | 518 | 571 |
| 2020 | 521 | 566 |
| 2019 | 523 | 562 |
| 2018 | 527 | 558 |
| 2017 | 526 | 554 |
| 2016 | 527 | 549 |
| 2015 | 528 | 543 |
| 2014 | 528 | 537 |
| 2013 | 528 | 530 |
| 2012 | 527 | 524 |
| 2011 | 526 | 519 |
| 2010 | 524 | 513 |
| 2009 | 522 | 508 |
| 2008 | 519 | 501 |
| 2007 | 515 | 495 |
| 2006 | 511 | 491 |
| 2005 | 509 | 487 |
| 2004 | 506 | 484 |
| 2003 | 503 | 481 |
| 2002 | 500 | 477 |
| 2001 | 499 | 474 |
| 2000 | 499 | 471 |
| 1999 | 501 | 468 |
| 1998 | 501 | 466 |
| 1997 | 501 | 464 |
| 1996 | 501 | 463 |
| 1995 | 501 | 461 |
| 1994 | 501 | 458 |
| 1993 | 500 | 455 |
| 1992 | 500 | 450 |
| 1991 | 500 | 446 |
| 1990 | 499 | 440 |
| 1989 | 499 | 436 |
| 1988 | 499 | 432 |
| 1987 | 498 | 429 |
| 1986 | 498 | 426 |
| 1985 | 498 | 424 |
| 1984 | 498 | 422 |
| 1983 | 498 | 421 |
| 1982 | 498 | 419 |
| 1981 | 498 | 416 |
| 1980 | 497 | 414 |
| 1979 | 496 | 412 |
| 1978 | 495 | 412 |
| 1977 | 493 | 412 |
| 1976 | 491 | 413 |
| 1975 | 488 | 415 |
| 1974 | 485 | 416 |
| 1973 | 482 | 413 |
| 1972 | 479 | 410 |
| 1971 | 476 | 407 |
| 1970 | 474 | 405 |
| 1969 | 471 | 402 |
| 1968 | 469 | 398 |
| 1967 | 466 | 393 |
| 1966 | 462 | 388 |
| 1965 | 459 | 384 |
| 1964 | 455 | 379 |
| 1963 | 451 | 373 |
| 1962 | 448 | 365 |
| 1961 | 445 | 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/italy/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Italy increased by 0.28%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Italy ranked 42nd by population density and is 55th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 513 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 55/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
58562681
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 114,178 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 53,994 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 30.4% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 69.6% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 69.6% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 69.5% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 69.5% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 69.5% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 69.5% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 69.5% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 69.5% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 69.5% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 69.6% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 69.6% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 69.6% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 69.3% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 68.8% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 68.4% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 68.2% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 68% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 67.9% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 67.8% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 67.7% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 67.6% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 67.5% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 67.4% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 67.4% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 67.3% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 67.2% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 67.1% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 67% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 67% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 66.9% | 72% |
| 1995 | 66.8% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 66.8% | 71% |
| 1993 | 66.7% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 66.7% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 66.7% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 66.7% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 66.7% | 68% |
| 1988 | 66.8% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 66.8% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 66.8% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 66.8% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 66.9% | 64% |
| 1983 | 66.9% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 66.9% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 66.9% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 66.8% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 66.7% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 66.6% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 66.4% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 66.2% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 65.9% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 65.7% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 65.4% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 65.1% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 64.8% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 64.5% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 64% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 63.6% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 63.1% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 62.5% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 62% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 61.4% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 60.9% | 53% |
| 1962 | 60.3% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 59.8% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 59.3% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/italy/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 67.5% to 69.6% in Italy and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
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 |
|
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/italy/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 (2016–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
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