Italy has a population density of 517 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Italy has 55,122 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Italy and Switzerland are ranked 56th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Italy has 0.72% of the world's population and 0.2% 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 Italy is 12.8% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 517 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 56/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
58790597
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 114,178 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 53,964 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 27.7% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 72.3% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 6.95% | 0% |
Italy vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Italy increased by 2%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Italy ranked 41st for population density and is in 56th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 517 | 592 |
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Italy
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 72.3% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 72% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 71.7% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 71.3% | 74% |
| 2020 | 71% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 70.7% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 70.4% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 70.1% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 69.9% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 69.6% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 69.3% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 69% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 68.7% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 68.4% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 68.3% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 68.2% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 68.1% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 68% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 67.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 67.7% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 67.6% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 67.5% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 67.4% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 67.3% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 67.2% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 67.2% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 67.1% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 67% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 67% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 66.9% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 66.9% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 66.8% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 66.7% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 66.7% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 66.7% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 66.7% | 74% |
| 1988 | 66.8% | 74% |
| 1987 | 66.8% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 66.8% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 66.8% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 66.8% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 66.9% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 66.9% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 66.8% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 66.6% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 66.4% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 66.2% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 66% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 65.8% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 65.6% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 65.4% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 65.2% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 65% | 74% |
| 1971 | 64.8% | 74% |
| 1970 | 64.3% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 63.8% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 63.3% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 62.8% | 73% |
| 1966 | 62.3% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 61.8% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 61.3% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 60.9% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 60.4% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 59.9% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 59.4% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 67.6% to 72.3% in Italy and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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