Sao Tome and Principe has a population density of 661 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Sao Tome and Principe has 45,745 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Sao Tome and Principe and Switzerland rank 46th and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Sao Tome and Principe has 0.003% of the world's population and 0.0006% 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 Sao Tome and Principe 10.9% higher than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Sao Tome
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 661 | 596 |
| 2025 | 648 | 594 |
| 2024 | 635 | 590 |
| 2023 | 623 | 583 |
| 2022 | 611 | 575 |
| 2021 | 599 | 571 |
| 2020 | 587 | 566 |
| 2019 | 576 | 562 |
| 2018 | 567 | 558 |
| 2017 | 558 | 554 |
| 2016 | 550 | 549 |
| 2015 | 540 | 543 |
| 2014 | 531 | 537 |
| 2013 | 521 | 530 |
| 2012 | 511 | 524 |
| 2011 | 501 | 519 |
| 2010 | 490 | 513 |
| 2009 | 480 | 508 |
| 2008 | 469 | 501 |
| 2007 | 458 | 495 |
| 2006 | 447 | 491 |
| 2005 | 436 | 487 |
| 2004 | 425 | 484 |
| 2003 | 415 | 481 |
| 2002 | 404 | 477 |
| 2001 | 395 | 474 |
| 2000 | 389 | 471 |
| 1999 | 384 | 468 |
| 1998 | 380 | 466 |
| 1997 | 375 | 464 |
| 1996 | 370 | 463 |
| 1995 | 364 | 461 |
| 1994 | 358 | 458 |
| 1993 | 352 | 455 |
| 1992 | 346 | 450 |
| 1991 | 339 | 446 |
| 1990 | 332 | 440 |
| 1989 | 324 | 436 |
| 1988 | 315 | 432 |
| 1987 | 307 | 429 |
| 1986 | 299.9 | 426 |
| 1985 | 293.1 | 424 |
| 1984 | 287 | 422 |
| 1983 | 281.6 | 421 |
| 1982 | 276.6 | 419 |
| 1981 | 271.4 | 416 |
| 1980 | 265.9 | 414 |
| 1979 | 259.7 | 412 |
| 1978 | 253 | 412 |
| 1977 | 246.3 | 412 |
| 1976 | 239.9 | 413 |
| 1975 | 233.9 | 415 |
| 1974 | 228.4 | 416 |
| 1973 | 223.4 | 413 |
| 1972 | 218.6 | 410 |
| 1971 | 214 | 407 |
| 1970 | 209.4 | 405 |
| 1969 | 205.3 | 402 |
| 1968 | 201.7 | 398 |
| 1967 | 198.6 | 393 |
| 1966 | 195.8 | 388 |
| 1965 | 193.4 | 384 |
| 1964 | 191.2 | 379 |
| 1963 | 189.2 | 373 |
| 1962 | 187.2 | 365 |
| 1961 | 185.4 | 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/sao-tome-and-principe/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sao Tome and Principe increased by 48%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Sao Tome and Principe ranked 50th by population density and is 46th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Sao Tome
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 661 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 46/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
246362
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 371 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 43,872 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 31.1% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 68.9% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sao Tome
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 68.9% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 68.6% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 68.4% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 68.2% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 68% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 67.9% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 67.8% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 67.7% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 67.5% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 67.4% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 67.3% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 67.1% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 67% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 66.7% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 66.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 65.1% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 63.9% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 62.5% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 61% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 59.4% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 57.9% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 56.4% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 55.1% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 54% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 53% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 52% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 51.1% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 50.2% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 49.4% | 72% |
| 1995 | 48.5% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 47.6% | 71% |
| 1993 | 46.7% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 45.8% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 44.8% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 43.7% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 42.5% | 68% |
| 1988 | 41.3% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 40% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 38.7% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 37.5% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 36.3% | 64% |
| 1983 | 35.3% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 34.5% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 33.8% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 33.3% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 32.9% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 32.6% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 32.3% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 32.1% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 31.8% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 31.5% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 31.2% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 30.8% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 30.4% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 29.8% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 28.8% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 27.4% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 25.7% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 23.8% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 21.9% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 20% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 18.3% | 53% |
| 1962 | 16.9% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 15.9% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 15.4% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sao-tome-and-principe/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 57.9% to 68.9% in Sao Tome and Principe 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/sao-tome-and-principe/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 (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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