Portugal has a population density of 305 people per square mile compared to 430 people in the United Arab Emirates. Portugal has 91,875 sq ft of land per person vs 78,160 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. Portugal and the United Arab Emirates rank 80th and 61st by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.14% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, making the population density in Portugal 29% lower than in the United Arab Emirates.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Portugal
|
UAE
|
|
| 2026 | 305 | 430 |
| 2025 | 305 | 420 |
| 2024 | 302 | 401 |
| 2023 | 299.1 | 382 |
| 2022 | 295 | 367 |
| 2021 | 293 | 349 |
| 2020 | 291.1 | 343 |
| 2019 | 290.8 | 344 |
| 2018 | 290.8 | 341 |
| 2017 | 291.2 | 336 |
| 2016 | 291.9 | 326 |
| 2015 | 292.9 | 310 |
| 2014 | 294.1 | 293.9 |
| 2013 | 295.7 | 280.6 |
| 2012 | 297.3 | 269.6 |
| 2011 | 298.5 | 259.1 |
| 2010 | 299 | 250.5 |
| 2009 | 298.8 | 244.6 |
| 2008 | 299 | 229.8 |
| 2007 | 298.5 | 205.1 |
| 2006 | 297.9 | 182.7 |
| 2005 | 297.4 | 170.1 |
| 2004 | 296.8 | 161.5 |
| 2003 | 296 | 152.9 |
| 2002 | 294.9 | 144.3 |
| 2001 | 293.3 | 135.8 |
| 2000 | 291.3 | 127.4 |
| 1999 | 289.2 | 119.1 |
| 1998 | 287.6 | 110.9 |
| 1997 | 286.1 | 102.7 |
| 1996 | 284.9 | 94.7 |
| 1995 | 283.8 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 282.8 | 84.9 |
| 1993 | 282.1 | 81 |
| 1992 | 281.7 | 77.1 |
| 1991 | 281.9 | 73.2 |
| 1990 | 282.6 | 69.2 |
| 1989 | 283.2 | 65.3 |
| 1988 | 283.6 | 61.3 |
| 1987 | 283.9 | 57.4 |
| 1986 | 284 | 53.5 |
| 1985 | 283.7 | 50.3 |
| 1984 | 283 | 47.6 |
| 1983 | 281.9 | 45 |
| 1982 | 280.6 | 42.5 |
| 1981 | 278.9 | 40.1 |
| 1980 | 276.4 | 37 |
| 1979 | 273.5 | 33.3 |
| 1978 | 270.6 | 29.5 |
| 1977 | 267.7 | 25.9 |
| 1976 | 264.8 | 22.5 |
| 1975 | 257.4 | 19.8 |
| 1974 | 247.8 | 17.8 |
| 1973 | 244.4 | 15.9 |
| 1972 | 244.3 | 14 |
| 1971 | 244.7 | 12.2 |
| 1970 | 245.7 | 10.4 |
| 1969 | 247.9 | 8.74 |
| 1968 | 250.1 | 7.27 |
| 1967 | 251.2 | 6.55 |
| 1966 | 252.8 | 6.34 |
| 1965 | 254.7 | 6.09 |
| 1964 | 255.8 | 5.82 |
| 1963 | 255.6 | 5.55 |
| 1962 | 254.6 | 5.29 |
| 1961 | 252.8 | 5.03 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/portugal/united-arab-emirates | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Portugal increased by 2.37%, compared to a 135.2% growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2006, Portugal ranked 68th by population density and is 80th now. The United Arab Emirates was 102nd in 2006 and ranks 61st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Portugal
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 305 ppl/mi² | 430 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 80/197 | 61/197 |
| Population |
10788071
|
11885001
|
| Land area | 35,369 sq mi | 27,421 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 91,258 sq ft | 66,398 sq ft |
| Rural population | 38.5% | 14% |
| Urban population | 61.5% | 86% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 56.9% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Portugal
|
UAE
|
|
| 2025 | 61.5% | 86% |
| 2024 | 61.3% | 85.8% |
| 2023 | 61.2% | 85.7% |
| 2022 | 61.1% | 85.5% |
| 2021 | 61.1% | 85.4% |
| 2020 | 61.1% | 85.2% |
| 2019 | 61.1% | 85% |
| 2018 | 61.1% | 84.9% |
| 2017 | 61.1% | 84.7% |
| 2016 | 61.1% | 84.5% |
| 2015 | 61.1% | 84.3% |
| 2014 | 61.1% | 84.1% |
| 2013 | 61.1% | 84% |
| 2012 | 61.1% | 83.8% |
| 2011 | 61.1% | 83.6% |
| 2010 | 61.1% | 83.4% |
| 2009 | 60.8% | 83.2% |
| 2008 | 60.4% | 83% |
| 2007 | 59.7% | 82.8% |
| 2006 | 59% | 82.6% |
| 2005 | 58.2% | 82.2% |
| 2004 | 57.4% | 81.5% |
| 2003 | 56.6% | 80.8% |
| 2002 | 55.8% | 80.3% |
| 2001 | 55.1% | 79.7% |
| 2000 | 54.4% | 79.3% |
| 1999 | 53.7% | 78.9% |
| 1998 | 53.1% | 78.6% |
| 1997 | 52.4% | 78.4% |
| 1996 | 51.7% | 78.3% |
| 1995 | 51% | 78.3% |
| 1994 | 50.3% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 49.7% | 78.4% |
| 1992 | 49% | 78.4% |
| 1991 | 48.4% | 78.6% |
| 1990 | 47.7% | 78.7% |
| 1989 | 47.1% | 78.8% |
| 1988 | 46.5% | 79% |
| 1987 | 45.8% | 79.2% |
| 1986 | 45.2% | 79.3% |
| 1985 | 44.5% | 79.5% |
| 1984 | 43.9% | 79.7% |
| 1983 | 43.2% | 80% |
| 1982 | 42.6% | 80.3% |
| 1981 | 41.9% | 80.7% |
| 1980 | 41.3% | 81.1% |
| 1979 | 40.6% | 81.8% |
| 1978 | 40% | 82.6% |
| 1977 | 39.3% | 83.4% |
| 1976 | 38.7% | 83.9% |
| 1975 | 38.1% | 83.9% |
| 1974 | 37.5% | 83.7% |
| 1973 | 36.9% | 83.2% |
| 1972 | 36.3% | 82.6% |
| 1971 | 35.8% | 82% |
| 1970 | 35.2% | 81.2% |
| 1969 | 34.7% | 80.5% |
| 1968 | 34.2% | 79.8% |
| 1967 | 33.7% | 79.2% |
| 1966 | 33.2% | 78.5% |
| 1965 | 32.7% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 32.3% | 77.1% |
| 1963 | 31.9% | 76.3% |
| 1962 | 31.5% | 75.5% |
| 1961 | 31.2% | 74.5% |
| 1960 | 30.8% | 73.5% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/portugal/united-arab-emirates | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 58.2% to 61.5% in Portugal and from 82.2% to 86% in the United Arab Emirates.
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/portugal/united-arab-emirates | 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 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2015–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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.