Rwanda has a population density of 1,563 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Rwanda has 19,886 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Rwanda and Switzerland rank 13th and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Rwanda has 0.18% of the world's population and 0.02% 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 Rwanda 162.1% higher than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Rwanda
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 1,563 | 596 |
| 2025 | 1,529 | 594 |
| 2024 | 1,497 | 590 |
| 2023 | 1,465 | 583 |
| 2022 | 1,433 | 575 |
| 2021 | 1,402 | 571 |
| 2020 | 1,372 | 566 |
| 2019 | 1,341 | 562 |
| 2018 | 1,311 | 558 |
| 2017 | 1,281 | 554 |
| 2016 | 1,251 | 549 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 543 |
| 2014 | 1,193 | 537 |
| 2013 | 1,165 | 530 |
| 2012 | 1,137 | 524 |
| 2011 | 1,110 | 519 |
| 2010 | 1,083 | 513 |
| 2009 | 1,056 | 508 |
| 2008 | 1,029 | 501 |
| 2007 | 1,003 | 495 |
| 2006 | 976 | 491 |
| 2005 | 951 | 487 |
| 2004 | 926 | 484 |
| 2003 | 901 | 481 |
| 2002 | 882 | 477 |
| 2001 | 870 | 474 |
| 2000 | 862 | 471 |
| 1999 | 855 | 468 |
| 1998 | 848 | 466 |
| 1997 | 814 | 464 |
| 1996 | 704 | 463 |
| 1995 | 596 | 461 |
| 1994 | 713 | 458 |
| 1993 | 838 | 455 |
| 1992 | 807 | 450 |
| 1991 | 790 | 446 |
| 1990 | 774 | 440 |
| 1989 | 754 | 436 |
| 1988 | 732 | 432 |
| 1987 | 709 | 429 |
| 1986 | 686 | 426 |
| 1985 | 663 | 424 |
| 1984 | 641 | 422 |
| 1983 | 620 | 421 |
| 1982 | 600 | 419 |
| 1981 | 580 | 416 |
| 1980 | 562 | 414 |
| 1979 | 545 | 412 |
| 1978 | 529 | 412 |
| 1977 | 513 | 412 |
| 1976 | 498 | 413 |
| 1975 | 484 | 415 |
| 1974 | 470 | 416 |
| 1973 | 456 | 413 |
| 1972 | 443 | 410 |
| 1971 | 430 | 407 |
| 1970 | 418 | 405 |
| 1969 | 405 | 402 |
| 1968 | 393 | 398 |
| 1967 | 381 | 393 |
| 1966 | 370 | 388 |
| 1965 | 359 | 384 |
| 1964 | 350 | 379 |
| 1963 | 342 | 373 |
| 1962 | 334 | 365 |
| 1961 | 326 | 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/rwanda/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Rwanda increased by 60.1%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Rwanda ranked 18th by population density and is 13th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Rwanda
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,563 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 13/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
14975051
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 9,525 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 18,626 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 70.1% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 29.9% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 11.7% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 29.9% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 28.9% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 27.8% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 26.1% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 24.5% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 23% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 21.5% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 20.2% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 18.2% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 17.5% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 17.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 16.9% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 16.9% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 16.9% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 16.9% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 16.5% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 14.7% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 13.3% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 11.8% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 10.3% | 72% |
| 1995 | 8.82% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 7.48% | 71% |
| 1993 | 6.4% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 5.66% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 5.36% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 5.27% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 5.2% | 68% |
| 1988 | 5.14% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 5.09% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 5.05% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 5.01% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 4.98% | 64% |
| 1983 | 4.95% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 4.91% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 4.87% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 4.82% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 4.75% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 4.67% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 4.55% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 4.39% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 4.19% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 3.97% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 3.75% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 3.55% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 3.37% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 3.24% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 3.14% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 3.06% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 3% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 2.94% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 2.88% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 2.83% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 2.78% | 53% |
| 1962 | 2.72% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 2.67% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 2.6% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/rwanda/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.9% to 29.9% in Rwanda and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Rwanda
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Kigali | 1.75M |
| Ruhengeri | 153K |
| Gisenyi | 53.6K |
|
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/rwanda/switzerland | CC BY
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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 (2012–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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