Skip to content

Population density: Jamaica vs Switzerland compared

Updated on by Georank team

Jamaica has a population density of 678 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Jamaica has 41,673 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Jamaica and Switzerland rank 43rd and 51st by population density, respectively.

Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Jamaica has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.007% 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 Jamaica 13.7% higher than in Switzerland.

Population density by year

Jamaica
Switzerland

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Jamaica Switzerland
2026 678 596
2025 679 594
2024 679 590
2023 679 583
2022 679 575
2021 679 571
2020 677 566
2019 675 562
2018 674 558
2017 673 554
2016 672 549
2015 670 543
2014 668 537
2013 666 530
2012 663 524
2011 660 519
2010 657 513
2009 655 508
2008 652 501
2007 649 495
2006 646 491
2005 643 487
2004 639 484
2003 635 481
2002 631 477
2001 628 474
2000 624 471
1999 619 468
1998 615 466
1997 609 464
1996 604 463
1995 598 461
1994 592 458
1993 586 455
1992 580 450
1991 574 446
1990 569 440
1989 565 436
1988 561 432
1987 557 429
1986 553 426
1985 548 424
1984 542 422
1983 534 421
1982 527 419
1981 520 416
1980 513 414
1979 507 412
1978 501 412
1977 495 412
1976 489 413
1975 483 415
1974 476 416
1973 469 413
1972 462 410
1971 455 407
1970 449 405
1969 444 402
1968 439 398
1967 434 393
1966 428 388
1965 423 384
1964 417 379
1963 412 373
1962 406 365
1961 400 356

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/jamaica/switzerland | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Jamaica increased by 4.96%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.

In 2006, Jamaica ranked 36th by population density and is 43rd now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Jamaica
Switzerland
1x
Year Urban population
Jamaica Switzerland
2024 58.9% 85.5%
2023 58.5% 85.2%
2022 58% 84.9%
2021 57.5% 84.2%
2020 57.1% 82.3%
2019 56.7% 80.8%
2018 56.3% 79.3%
2017 55.9% 77.9%
2016 55.5% 76.7%
2015 55.2% 75.6%
2014 54.9% 74.7%
2013 54.5% 74.1%
2012 54.2% 73.8%
2011 54% 73.7%
2010 53.8% 73.6%
2009 53.6% 73.6%
2008 53.4% 73.5%
2007 53.2% 73.5%
2006 53% 73.5%
2005 52.8% 73.5%
2004 52.6% 73.5%
2003 52.4% 73.5%
2002 52.1% 73.4%
2001 51.9% 73.4%
2000 51.7% 73.3%
1999 51.5% 73.1%
1998 51.3% 72.9%
1997 51% 72.5%
1996 50.8% 72%
1995 50.6% 71.5%
1994 50.3% 71%
1993 50.1% 70.4%
1992 49.9% 69.8%
1991 49.7% 69.2%
1990 49.4% 68.7%
1989 49.3% 68%
1988 49.1% 67.3%
1987 48.9% 66.5%
1986 48.7% 65.6%
1985 48.5% 64.8%
1984 48.3% 64%
1983 48.1% 63.2%
1982 47.8% 62.4%
1981 47.5% 61.8%
1980 47.2% 61.3%
1979 46.8% 60.8%
1978 46.3% 60.4%
1977 45.8% 60.1%
1976 45.3% 59.7%
1975 44.8% 59.4%
1974 44.2% 59.1%
1973 43.5% 58.7%
1972 42.9% 58.3%
1971 42.2% 57.9%
1970 41.4% 57.4%
1969 40.6% 56.9%
1968 39.6% 56.3%
1967 38.4% 55.7%
1966 37.2% 55.1%
1965 35.8% 54.4%
1964 34.5% 53.7%
1963 33.2% 53%
1962 31.9% 52.4%
1961 30.7% 51.7%
1960 29.7% 51%

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

GeoRank.org/population-density/jamaica/switzerland | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 52.6% to 58.9% in Jamaica and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.

Densely populated cities

Jamaica
City Population
Kingston 938K
Spanish Town 131K
Montego Bay 124K
Half Way Tree 96.5K
May Pen 61.5K
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

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/jamaica/switzerland | CC BY

Help us show the world through your eyes

Share a photo of your city and help others discover what it looks like to live there. Your contribution makes our data come alive.

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. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
  5. Wikidata (2001–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)

Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) — you’re free to copy, share, remix, adapt, and use even commercially as long as you give appropriate credit and clearly indicate if you made changes. Other sources may be subject to different license terms.