Laos has a population density of 87.2 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Laos has 328,051 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, Laos and Switzerland are ranked 150th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Laos has 0.1% of the world's population and 0.15% 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 Laos is 85.3% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Laos
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 87.2 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 150/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
7954155
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 89,112 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 319,739 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 61.1% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 38.9% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Laos vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Laos increased by 34.4%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Laos ranked 150th for population density and is in 150th place still. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 87.2 | 592 |
| 2023 | 86 | 583 |
| 2022 | 84.8 | 575 |
| 2021 | 83.6 | 571 |
| 2020 | 82.4 | 566 |
| 2019 | 81.2 | 562 |
| 2018 | 80 | 558 |
| 2017 | 78.8 | 554 |
| 2016 | 77.5 | 549 |
| 2015 | 76.3 | 543 |
| 2014 | 75.2 | 537 |
| 2013 | 74.2 | 530 |
| 2012 | 73.2 | 524 |
| 2011 | 72.1 | 519 |
| 2010 | 71.1 | 513 |
| 2009 | 70 | 508 |
| 2008 | 69 | 501 |
| 2007 | 68 | 495 |
| 2006 | 66.9 | 491 |
| 2005 | 65.9 | 487 |
| 2004 | 64.9 | 484 |
| 2003 | 63.9 | 481 |
| 2002 | 63 | 477 |
| 2001 | 62 | 474 |
| 2000 | 60.9 | 471 |
| 1999 | 59.9 | 468 |
| 1998 | 58.9 | 466 |
| 1997 | 57.8 | 464 |
| 1996 | 56.6 | 463 |
| 1995 | 55.3 | 461 |
| 1994 | 54 | 458 |
| 1993 | 52.6 | 455 |
| 1992 | 51.2 | 450 |
| 1991 | 49.8 | 446 |
| 1990 | 48.4 | 440 |
| 1989 | 47 | 436 |
| 1988 | 45.7 | 432 |
| 1987 | 44.4 | 429 |
| 1986 | 43.2 | 426 |
| 1985 | 42 | 424 |
| 1984 | 40.8 | 422 |
| 1983 | 39.7 | 421 |
| 1982 | 38.7 | 419 |
| 1981 | 37.8 | 416 |
| 1980 | 36.9 | 414 |
| 1979 | 36.2 | 412 |
| 1978 | 35.6 | 412 |
| 1977 | 35 | 412 |
| 1976 | 34.4 | 413 |
| 1975 | 33.7 | 415 |
| 1974 | 33 | 416 |
| 1973 | 32.2 | 413 |
| 1972 | 31.4 | 410 |
| 1971 | 30.7 | 407 |
| 1970 | 30 | 405 |
| 1969 | 29.3 | 402 |
| 1968 | 28.6 | 398 |
| 1967 | 27.9 | 393 |
| 1966 | 27.3 | 388 |
| 1965 | 26.7 | 384 |
| 1964 | 26.1 | 379 |
| 1963 | 25.5 | 373 |
| 1962 | 24.9 | 365 |
| 1961 | 24.3 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Laos
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 38.9% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 38.2% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 37.6% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 36.9% | 74% |
| 2020 | 36.3% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 35.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 35% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 34.4% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 33.7% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 33.1% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 32.5% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 31.9% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 31.3% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 30.7% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 30.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 29.5% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 28.3% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 27.7% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 27.2% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 26.2% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 25.1% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 24% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 23% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 22% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 21% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 20% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 19.1% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 18.2% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 17.4% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 16.5% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 16.1% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 15.8% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 15.4% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 15.1% | 74% |
| 1988 | 14.8% | 74% |
| 1987 | 14.4% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 14.1% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 13.8% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 13.5% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 13.2% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 12.9% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 12.7% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 12.4% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 12.1% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 11.8% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 11.6% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 11.3% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 11.1% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 10.8% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 10.6% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 10.3% | 74% |
| 1971 | 9.95% | 74% |
| 1970 | 9.63% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 9.3% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 8.99% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 8.69% | 73% |
| 1966 | 8.4% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 8.32% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 8.25% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 8.17% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 8.1% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 8.02% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 7.95% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 26.2% to 38.9% in Laos and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Laos
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Vientiane | 948K |
| Thakhek | 90.8K |
| Luang Prabang | 53.8K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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