Norway has a population density of 39.6 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Norway has 744,101 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, Norway and Switzerland are ranked 182nd and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Norway has 0.07% of the world's population and 0.24% 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 Norway is 93.3% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Norway
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 39.6 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 182/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
5642662
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 140,645 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 703,657 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 15.7% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 84.3% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Norway vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Norway increased by 21.7%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Norway ranked 169th for population density and is in 182nd place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Norway
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 39.6 | 592 |
| 2023 | 39.2 | 583 |
| 2022 | 38.8 | 575 |
| 2021 | 38.5 | 571 |
| 2020 | 38.2 | 566 |
| 2019 | 37.9 | 562 |
| 2018 | 37.7 | 558 |
| 2017 | 37.4 | 554 |
| 2016 | 37.1 | 549 |
| 2015 | 36.8 | 543 |
| 2014 | 36.4 | 537 |
| 2013 | 36 | 530 |
| 2012 | 35.6 | 524 |
| 2011 | 35.1 | 519 |
| 2010 | 34.7 | 513 |
| 2009 | 34.2 | 508 |
| 2008 | 33.8 | 501 |
| 2007 | 33.4 | 495 |
| 2006 | 33 | 491 |
| 2005 | 32.8 | 487 |
| 2004 | 32.6 | 484 |
| 2003 | 32.4 | 481 |
| 2002 | 32.2 | 477 |
| 2001 | 32 | 474 |
| 2000 | 31.8 | 471 |
| 1999 | 31.6 | 468 |
| 1998 | 31.4 | 466 |
| 1997 | 31.2 | 464 |
| 1996 | 31.1 | 463 |
| 1995 | 30.9 | 461 |
| 1994 | 30.8 | 458 |
| 1993 | 30.6 | 455 |
| 1992 | 30.4 | 450 |
| 1991 | 30.2 | 446 |
| 1990 | 30.1 | 440 |
| 1989 | 30 | 436 |
| 1988 | 29.8 | 432 |
| 1987 | 29.7 | 429 |
| 1986 | 29.6 | 426 |
| 1985 | 29.4 | 424 |
| 1984 | 29.4 | 422 |
| 1983 | 29.3 | 421 |
| 1982 | 29.2 | 419 |
| 1981 | 29.1 | 416 |
| 1980 | 29 | 414 |
| 1979 | 28.9 | 412 |
| 1978 | 28.8 | 412 |
| 1977 | 28.7 | 412 |
| 1976 | 28.5 | 413 |
| 1975 | 28.4 | 415 |
| 1974 | 28.3 | 416 |
| 1973 | 28.1 | 413 |
| 1972 | 27.9 | 410 |
| 1971 | 27.7 | 407 |
| 1970 | 27.5 | 405 |
| 1969 | 27.3 | 402 |
| 1968 | 27.1 | 398 |
| 1967 | 26.8 | 393 |
| 1966 | 26.6 | 388 |
| 1965 | 26.4 | 384 |
| 1964 | 26.2 | 379 |
| 1963 | 26 | 373 |
| 1962 | 25.8 | 365 |
| 1961 | 25.6 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Norway
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 84.3% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 84% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 83.7% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 83.3% | 74% |
| 2020 | 83% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 82.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 82.2% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 81.9% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 81.5% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 81.1% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 80.7% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 80.3% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 79.9% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 79.5% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 79.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 78.8% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 78.5% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 78.2% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 78% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 77.7% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 77.4% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 77.1% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 76.7% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 76.4% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 76% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 75.6% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 75% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 74.5% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 74.1% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 73.8% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 73.5% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 73.1% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 72.7% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 72.3% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 72% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 71.8% | 74% |
| 1988 | 71.7% | 74% |
| 1987 | 71.6% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 71.4% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 71.3% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 71.2% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 71% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 70.9% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 70.8% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 70.5% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 70.1% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 69.6% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 69.1% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 68.7% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 68.2% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 67.7% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 67.2% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 66.7% | 74% |
| 1971 | 66.2% | 74% |
| 1970 | 65.4% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 63.9% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 62.3% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 60.8% | 73% |
| 1966 | 59.2% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 57.6% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 55.9% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 54.3% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 52.7% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 51% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 49.9% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 77.4% to 84.3% in Norway and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Norway
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Oslo | 709K |
| Bergen | 291K |
| Trondheim | 192K |
| Baerum | 132K |
| Drammen | 105K |
| Asker | 100K |
| Lillestrom | 95.8K |
| Sandnes | 84.9K |
| Tromso | 79.4K |
| Kristiansand | 64.9K |
|
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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