Lesotho has a population density of 199.4 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Lesotho has 139,786 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, Lesotho and Switzerland are ranked 114th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Lesotho has 0.03% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Lesotho is 66.3% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Lesotho
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 199.4 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 114/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
2384217
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 11,722 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 139,809 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 69.1% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 30.9% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Lesotho vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Lesotho increased by 18.6%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Lesotho ranked 107th for population density and is in 114th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 199.4 | 592 |
| 2023 | 197.2 | 583 |
| 2022 | 195 | 575 |
| 2021 | 192.9 | 571 |
| 2020 | 190.7 | 566 |
| 2019 | 188.5 | 562 |
| 2018 | 186.3 | 558 |
| 2017 | 184 | 554 |
| 2016 | 181.7 | 549 |
| 2015 | 179.5 | 543 |
| 2014 | 177.5 | 537 |
| 2013 | 175.4 | 530 |
| 2012 | 173.5 | 524 |
| 2011 | 171.8 | 519 |
| 2010 | 170.3 | 513 |
| 2009 | 169 | 508 |
| 2008 | 167.8 | 501 |
| 2007 | 166.6 | 495 |
| 2006 | 165.9 | 491 |
| 2005 | 166.6 | 487 |
| 2004 | 168.2 | 484 |
| 2003 | 169.3 | 481 |
| 2002 | 170.2 | 477 |
| 2001 | 170.7 | 474 |
| 2000 | 171 | 471 |
| 1999 | 170.9 | 468 |
| 1998 | 170.5 | 466 |
| 1997 | 169.6 | 464 |
| 1996 | 168.3 | 463 |
| 1995 | 166.5 | 461 |
| 1994 | 164.5 | 458 |
| 1993 | 162.2 | 455 |
| 1992 | 159.8 | 450 |
| 1991 | 157.2 | 446 |
| 1990 | 154.4 | 440 |
| 1989 | 151.5 | 436 |
| 1988 | 148.4 | 432 |
| 1987 | 145.3 | 429 |
| 1986 | 142.1 | 426 |
| 1985 | 138.6 | 424 |
| 1984 | 134.7 | 422 |
| 1983 | 130.9 | 421 |
| 1982 | 127.2 | 419 |
| 1981 | 123.5 | 416 |
| 1980 | 120 | 414 |
| 1979 | 116.5 | 412 |
| 1978 | 113.2 | 412 |
| 1977 | 110 | 412 |
| 1976 | 106.9 | 413 |
| 1975 | 103.5 | 415 |
| 1974 | 100 | 416 |
| 1973 | 96.6 | 413 |
| 1972 | 93.3 | 410 |
| 1971 | 90.1 | 407 |
| 1970 | 87 | 405 |
| 1969 | 83.9 | 402 |
| 1968 | 80.9 | 398 |
| 1967 | 78 | 393 |
| 1966 | 75.2 | 388 |
| 1965 | 72.9 | 384 |
| 1964 | 70.8 | 379 |
| 1963 | 68.7 | 373 |
| 1962 | 66.7 | 365 |
| 1961 | 64.7 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Lesotho
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 30.9% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 29.9% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 29.5% | 74% |
| 2020 | 29% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 28.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 28.2% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 27.7% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 27.3% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 26.9% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 26.5% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 26.1% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 25.7% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 25.3% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 24.8% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 24.3% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 23.8% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 23.3% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 22.8% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 22.2% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 21.7% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 21.1% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 20.6% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 20.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 19.5% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 19% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 18.5% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 18% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 17.6% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 17% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 16.3% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 15.7% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 15.1% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 14.5% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 14% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 13.4% | 74% |
| 1988 | 12.9% | 74% |
| 1987 | 12.4% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 11.9% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 11.8% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 11.7% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 11.6% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 11.6% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 11.5% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 11.5% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 11.4% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 11.3% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 11.3% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 11.2% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 10.8% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 10.4% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 9.91% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 9.47% | 74% |
| 1971 | 9.04% | 74% |
| 1970 | 8.61% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 8.2% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 7.8% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 7.42% | 73% |
| 1966 | 7.06% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 6.37% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 5.66% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 5.03% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 4.46% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 3.96% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 3.51% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 21.7% to 30.9% in Lesotho and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Lesotho
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Maseru | 344K |
| Teyateyaneng | 75.1K |
| Mafeteng | 57.1K |
|
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
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
