Portugal has a population density of 302 people per square mile compared to 590 people in Switzerland. Portugal has 92,822 sq ft of land per person vs 49,346 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Portugal and Switzerland are ranked 81st and 51st, 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, hence the population density in Portugal is 48.8% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Portugal
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 302 ppl/mi² | 590 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 81/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
10663982
|
9092598
|
| Land area | 35,369 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 92,199 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 38.7% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 61.3% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Portugal vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Portugal increased by 1.89%, compared to a 21.9% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Portugal ranked 68th for population density and is in 81st place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Portugal
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 302 | 590 |
| 2023 | 299.1 | 583 |
| 2022 | 295 | 575 |
| 2021 | 293 | 571 |
| 2020 | 291.1 | 566 |
| 2019 | 290.8 | 562 |
| 2018 | 290.8 | 558 |
| 2017 | 291.2 | 554 |
| 2016 | 291.9 | 549 |
| 2015 | 292.9 | 543 |
| 2014 | 294.1 | 537 |
| 2013 | 295.7 | 530 |
| 2012 | 297.3 | 524 |
| 2011 | 298.5 | 519 |
| 2010 | 299 | 513 |
| 2009 | 298.8 | 508 |
| 2008 | 299 | 501 |
| 2007 | 298.5 | 495 |
| 2006 | 297.9 | 491 |
| 2005 | 297.4 | 487 |
| 2004 | 296.8 | 484 |
| 2003 | 296 | 481 |
| 2002 | 294.9 | 477 |
| 2001 | 293.3 | 474 |
| 2000 | 291.3 | 471 |
| 1999 | 289.2 | 468 |
| 1998 | 287.6 | 466 |
| 1997 | 286.1 | 464 |
| 1996 | 284.9 | 463 |
| 1995 | 283.8 | 461 |
| 1994 | 282.8 | 458 |
| 1993 | 282.1 | 455 |
| 1992 | 281.7 | 450 |
| 1991 | 281.9 | 446 |
| 1990 | 282.6 | 440 |
| 1989 | 283.2 | 436 |
| 1988 | 283.6 | 432 |
| 1987 | 283.9 | 429 |
| 1986 | 284 | 426 |
| 1985 | 283.7 | 424 |
| 1984 | 283 | 422 |
| 1983 | 281.9 | 421 |
| 1982 | 280.6 | 419 |
| 1981 | 278.9 | 416 |
| 1980 | 276.4 | 414 |
| 1979 | 273.5 | 412 |
| 1978 | 270.6 | 412 |
| 1977 | 267.7 | 412 |
| 1976 | 264.8 | 413 |
| 1975 | 257.4 | 415 |
| 1974 | 247.8 | 416 |
| 1973 | 244.4 | 413 |
| 1972 | 244.3 | 410 |
| 1971 | 244.7 | 407 |
| 1970 | 245.7 | 405 |
| 1969 | 247.9 | 402 |
| 1968 | 250.1 | 398 |
| 1967 | 251.2 | 393 |
| 1966 | 252.8 | 388 |
| 1965 | 254.7 | 384 |
| 1964 | 255.8 | 379 |
| 1963 | 255.6 | 373 |
| 1962 | 254.6 | 365 |
| 1961 | 252.8 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Portugal
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 61.3% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 61.2% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 61.1% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 61.1% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 61.1% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 61.1% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 61.1% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 61.1% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 61.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 61.1% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 61.1% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 61.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 60.8% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 60.4% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 59.7% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 59% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 58.2% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 57.4% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 56.6% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 55.8% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 55.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 54.4% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 53.7% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 53.1% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 52.4% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 51.7% | 72% |
| 1995 | 51% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | 71% |
| 1993 | 49.7% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 49% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 48.4% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 47.7% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 47.1% | 68% |
| 1988 | 46.5% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 45.8% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 45.2% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 44.5% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 43.9% | 64% |
| 1983 | 43.2% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 42.6% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 41.9% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 41.3% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 40.6% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 40% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 39.3% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 38.7% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 38.1% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 37.5% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 36.9% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 36.3% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 35.8% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 35.2% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 34.7% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 34.2% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 33.7% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 33.2% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 32.7% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 32.3% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 31.9% | 53% |
| 1962 | 31.5% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 31.2% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 30.8% | 51% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 57.4% to 61.3% in Portugal and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Portugal
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lisbon | 546K |
| Sintra | 386K |
| Vila Nova de Gaia | 304K |
| Cascais | 214K |
| Loures | 202K |
| Braga | 193K |
| Oeiras | 172K |
| Amadora | 171K |
| Seixal | 167K |
| Odivelas | 148K |
|
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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