Palau has a population density of 99.3 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Palau has 283,195 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Palau and Switzerland rank 148th and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Palau has 0.0002% of the world's population and 0.0003% 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 Palau 83.4% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Palau
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 99.3 | 596 |
| 2025 | 99.5 | 594 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 590 |
| 2023 | 99.8 | 583 |
| 2022 | 100 | 575 |
| 2021 | 100.1 | 571 |
| 2020 | 100.2 | 566 |
| 2019 | 100.2 | 562 |
| 2018 | 100.3 | 558 |
| 2017 | 100.3 | 554 |
| 2016 | 100.2 | 549 |
| 2015 | 100.1 | 543 |
| 2014 | 99.7 | 537 |
| 2013 | 99.4 | 530 |
| 2012 | 100 | 524 |
| 2011 | 101.8 | 519 |
| 2010 | 103.6 | 513 |
| 2009 | 105.3 | 508 |
| 2008 | 107 | 501 |
| 2007 | 108.7 | 495 |
| 2006 | 110.3 | 491 |
| 2005 | 111.6 | 487 |
| 2004 | 111.6 | 484 |
| 2003 | 110.7 | 481 |
| 2002 | 109.8 | 477 |
| 2001 | 109 | 474 |
| 2000 | 108 | 471 |
| 1999 | 106.4 | 468 |
| 1998 | 104.3 | 466 |
| 1997 | 102 | 464 |
| 1996 | 99.4 | 463 |
| 1995 | 96.8 | 461 |
| 1994 | 94.4 | 458 |
| 1993 | 92.2 | 455 |
| 1992 | 90 | 450 |
| 1991 | 87.9 | 446 |
| 1990 | - | 440 |
| 1989 | - | 436 |
| 1988 | - | 432 |
| 1987 | - | 429 |
| 1986 | - | 426 |
| 1985 | - | 424 |
| 1984 | - | 422 |
| 1983 | - | 421 |
| 1982 | - | 419 |
| 1981 | - | 416 |
| 1980 | - | 414 |
| 1979 | - | 412 |
| 1978 | - | 412 |
| 1977 | - | 412 |
| 1976 | - | 413 |
| 1975 | - | 415 |
| 1974 | - | 416 |
| 1973 | - | 413 |
| 1972 | - | 410 |
| 1971 | - | 407 |
| 1970 | - | 405 |
| 1969 | - | 402 |
| 1968 | - | 398 |
| 1967 | - | 393 |
| 1966 | - | 388 |
| 1965 | - | 384 |
| 1964 | - | 379 |
| 1963 | - | 373 |
| 1962 | - | 365 |
| 1961 | - | 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/palau/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Palau decreased by 10%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Palau ranked 133rd by population density and is 148th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Palau
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 99.3 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 148/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
17629
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 177.6 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 279,819 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 20.8% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 79.2% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Palau
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 79.2% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 79.2% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 79.1% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 79.1% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 79.1% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 79.3% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 79.5% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 79.8% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 80.1% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 80.4% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 80.7% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 81.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 81.1% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 81% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 80.7% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 80.2% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 79.7% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 79% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 78.3% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 77.6% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 76.4% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 74.5% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 72.4% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 70.5% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 69.6% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 69.7% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 70.2% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 70.8% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 71.2% | 72% |
| 1995 | 71.4% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 71.2% | 71% |
| 1993 | 70.9% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 70.4% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 70% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 69.5% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 69.2% | 68% |
| 1988 | 68.9% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 68.7% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 68.3% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 67.8% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 66.8% | 64% |
| 1983 | 65.5% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 64.3% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 63.2% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 62.5% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 62.1% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 61.8% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 61.6% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 61.4% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 61.1% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 60.8% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 60.4% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 59.8% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 59.2% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 58.3% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 57.4% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 56.3% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 55.1% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 53.8% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 52.4% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 50.9% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 49.3% | 53% |
| 1962 | 47.6% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 45.8% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 43.9% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/palau/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 76.4% to 79.2% in Palau and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
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
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/palau/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:
- 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)
- Wikidata (2016–2024, 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.