Portugal has a population density of 303 people per square mile compared to 253 people in Spain. Portugal has 92,762 sq ft of land per person vs 111,591 sq ft in Spain. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Portugal and Spain are ranked 81st and 95th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Portugal has 0.13% of the world's population and 0.06% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.6% of the population and 0.34% of the land area for Spain, hence the population density in Portugal is 19.6% higher than in Spain.
Population density comparison
Portugal
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 303 ppl/mi² | 253 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 81/197 | 95/197 |
| Population |
10687819
|
48786181
|
| Land area | 35,369 sq mi | 192,934 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 92,139 sq ft | 110,203 sq ft |
| Rural population | 31.6% | 18.2% |
| Urban population | 68.4% | 81.8% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 10.5% |
Portugal vs Spain:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Portugal increased by 1.96%, compared to a 13.6% growth in Spain.
In 2004, Portugal ranked 68th for population density and is in 81st place now. Spain was 85th in 2004 and ranks 95th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Portugal
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 303 | 253 |
| 2023 | 299.1 | 250.6 |
| 2022 | 295 | 247.7 |
| 2021 | 293 | 245.9 |
| 2020 | 291.1 | 245.5 |
| 2019 | 290.8 | 244.3 |
| 2018 | 290.8 | 242.5 |
| 2017 | 291.2 | 241.5 |
| 2016 | 291.9 | 240.9 |
| 2015 | 292.9 | 240.6 |
| 2014 | 294.1 | 240.6 |
| 2013 | 295.7 | 241.3 |
| 2012 | 297.3 | 242.2 |
| 2011 | 298.5 | 242.2 |
| 2010 | 299 | 241.3 |
| 2009 | 298.8 | 240.8 |
| 2008 | 299 | 238.6 |
| 2007 | 298.5 | 234.7 |
| 2006 | 297.9 | 230.4 |
| 2005 | 297.4 | 226.5 |
| 2004 | 296.8 | 222.7 |
| 2003 | 296 | 218.9 |
| 2002 | 294.9 | 215 |
| 2001 | 293.3 | 212.2 |
| 2000 | 291.3 | 210.6 |
| 1999 | 289.2 | 209.4 |
| 1998 | 287.6 | 208.6 |
| 1997 | 286.1 | 207.7 |
| 1996 | 284.9 | 206.9 |
| 1995 | 283.8 | 206 |
| 1994 | 282.8 | 205.1 |
| 1993 | 282.1 | 204.1 |
| 1992 | 281.7 | 203.1 |
| 1991 | 281.9 | 202.1 |
| 1990 | 282.6 | 201.6 |
| 1989 | 283.2 | 201.4 |
| 1988 | 283.6 | 201 |
| 1987 | 283.9 | 200.6 |
| 1986 | 284 | 200.1 |
| 1985 | 283.7 | 199.5 |
| 1984 | 283 | 198.8 |
| 1983 | 281.9 | 198 |
| 1982 | 280.6 | 197 |
| 1981 | 278.9 | 195.8 |
| 1980 | 276.4 | 194.4 |
| 1979 | 273.5 | 192.8 |
| 1978 | 270.6 | 191.1 |
| 1977 | 267.7 | 189.3 |
| 1976 | 264.8 | 187.4 |
| 1975 | 257.4 | 185.4 |
| 1974 | 247.8 | 183.3 |
| 1973 | 244.4 | 181.3 |
| 1972 | 244.3 | 179.3 |
| 1971 | 244.7 | 177.4 |
| 1970 | 245.7 | 175.2 |
| 1969 | 247.9 | 173.3 |
| 1968 | 250.1 | 171.6 |
| 1967 | 251.2 | 169.4 |
| 1966 | 252.8 | 167.3 |
| 1965 | 254.7 | 165.6 |
| 1964 | 255.8 | 163.8 |
| 1963 | 255.6 | 162.2 |
| 1962 | 254.6 | 160.8 |
| 1961 | 252.8 | 159.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Portugal
|
Spain
|
|
| 2024 | 68.4% | 81.8% |
| 2023 | 67.9% | 81.6% |
| 2022 | 67.4% | 81.3% |
| 2021 | 66.8% | 81.1% |
| 2020 | 66.3% | 80.8% |
| 2019 | 65.8% | 80.6% |
| 2018 | 65.2% | 80.3% |
| 2017 | 64.7% | 80.1% |
| 2016 | 64.1% | 79.8% |
| 2015 | 63.5% | 79.6% |
| 2014 | 62.9% | 79.4% |
| 2013 | 62.4% | 79.1% |
| 2012 | 61.8% | 78.9% |
| 2011 | 61.2% | 78.7% |
| 2010 | 60.6% | 78.4% |
| 2009 | 60% | 78.2% |
| 2008 | 59.4% | 78% |
| 2007 | 58.7% | 77.7% |
| 2006 | 58.1% | 77.5% |
| 2005 | 57.5% | 77.3% |
| 2004 | 56.9% | 77% |
| 2003 | 56.3% | 76.8% |
| 2002 | 55.7% | 76.5% |
| 2001 | 55% | 76.3% |
| 2000 | 54.4% | 76.3% |
| 1999 | 53.7% | 76.2% |
| 1998 | 53.1% | 76.1% |
| 1997 | 52.4% | 76% |
| 1996 | 51.8% | 75.9% |
| 1995 | 51.1% | 75.9% |
| 1994 | 50.4% | 75.8% |
| 1993 | 49.8% | 75.7% |
| 1992 | 49.1% | 75.6% |
| 1991 | 48.5% | 75.5% |
| 1990 | 47.9% | 75.4% |
| 1989 | 47.4% | 75.1% |
| 1988 | 46.9% | 74.9% |
| 1987 | 46.3% | 74.7% |
| 1986 | 45.8% | 74.4% |
| 1985 | 45.3% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 44.8% | 74% |
| 1983 | 44.3% | 73.7% |
| 1982 | 43.7% | 73.5% |
| 1981 | 43.2% | 73.3% |
| 1980 | 42.8% | 72.8% |
| 1979 | 42.4% | 72.2% |
| 1978 | 42% | 71.5% |
| 1977 | 41.6% | 70.9% |
| 1976 | 41.2% | 70.2% |
| 1975 | 40.8% | 69.6% |
| 1974 | 40.4% | 68.9% |
| 1973 | 40% | 68.2% |
| 1972 | 39.6% | 67.5% |
| 1971 | 39.2% | 66.8% |
| 1970 | 38.8% | 66% |
| 1969 | 38.4% | 65.1% |
| 1968 | 38% | 64.2% |
| 1967 | 37.6% | 63.2% |
| 1966 | 37.3% | 62.3% |
| 1965 | 36.9% | 61.3% |
| 1964 | 36.5% | 60.3% |
| 1963 | 36.1% | 59.3% |
| 1962 | 35.7% | 58.3% |
| 1961 | 35.3% | 57.3% |
| 1960 | 35% | 56.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 56.9% to 68.4% in Portugal and from 77% to 81.8% in Spain.
Densely populated cities
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
