Saudi Arabia has a population density of 42.5 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Saudi Arabia has 686,079 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland are ranked 179th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Saudi Arabia has 0.43% of the world's population and 1.44% 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 Saudi Arabia is 92.8% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Saudi Arabia
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 42.5 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 179/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
36428123
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 830,000 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 655,493 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.8% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 85.2% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 44% | 0% |
Saudi Arabia vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Saudi Arabia increased by 79.5%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Saudi Arabia ranked 175th for population density and is in 179th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 42.5 | 592 |
| 2023 | 40.6 | 583 |
| 2022 | 38.8 | 575 |
| 2021 | 37.1 | 571 |
| 2020 | 38 | 566 |
| 2019 | 36.2 | 562 |
| 2018 | 36.4 | 558 |
| 2017 | 37.3 | 554 |
| 2016 | 37.3 | 549 |
| 2015 | 35.9 | 543 |
| 2014 | 34.1 | 537 |
| 2013 | 33.3 | 530 |
| 2012 | 31.5 | 524 |
| 2011 | 30.2 | 519 |
| 2010 | 28.9 | 513 |
| 2009 | 29.2 | 508 |
| 2008 | 28.1 | 501 |
| 2007 | 26.9 | 495 |
| 2006 | 25.9 | 491 |
| 2005 | 24.8 | 487 |
| 2004 | 23.7 | 484 |
| 2003 | 22.6 | 481 |
| 2002 | 21.6 | 477 |
| 2001 | 20.5 | 474 |
| 2000 | 19.5 | 471 |
| 1999 | 18.6 | 468 |
| 1998 | 18 | 466 |
| 1997 | 17.3 | 464 |
| 1996 | 16.7 | 463 |
| 1995 | 16 | 461 |
| 1994 | 15.4 | 458 |
| 1993 | 14.7 | 455 |
| 1992 | 14.1 | 450 |
| 1991 | 13.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 12.8 | 440 |
| 1989 | 12.2 | 436 |
| 1988 | 11.6 | 432 |
| 1987 | 11 | 429 |
| 1986 | 10.4 | 426 |
| 1985 | 9.82 | 424 |
| 1984 | 9.27 | 422 |
| 1983 | 8.74 | 421 |
| 1982 | 8.22 | 419 |
| 1981 | 7.74 | 416 |
| 1980 | 7.29 | 414 |
| 1979 | 6.87 | 412 |
| 1978 | 6.48 | 412 |
| 1977 | 6.12 | 412 |
| 1976 | 5.79 | 413 |
| 1975 | 5.49 | 415 |
| 1974 | 5.21 | 416 |
| 1973 | 4.95 | 413 |
| 1972 | 4.71 | 410 |
| 1971 | 4.49 | 407 |
| 1970 | 4.29 | 405 |
| 1969 | 4.12 | 402 |
| 1968 | 3.96 | 398 |
| 1967 | 3.8 | 393 |
| 1966 | 3.66 | 388 |
| 1965 | 3.53 | 384 |
| 1964 | 3.4 | 379 |
| 1963 | 3.28 | 373 |
| 1962 | 3.16 | 365 |
| 1961 | 3.04 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 85.2% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 85% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 84.7% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 84.5% | 74% |
| 2020 | 84.3% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 84.1% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 83.6% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 83.4% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 83% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 82.7% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 82.5% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 82.3% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 82.1% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 81.6% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 81.4% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 81.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 81% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 80.5% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 80.1% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 78.7% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 78.4% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 77.9% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 77.2% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 75.9% | 74% |
| 1988 | 75.3% | 74% |
| 1987 | 74.6% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 73.9% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 72.6% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 71.4% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 70% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 68.7% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 67.3% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 65.9% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 64.4% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 62.9% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 61.4% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 59.9% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 58.3% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 56.7% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 54.7% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 52.7% | 74% |
| 1971 | 50.7% | 74% |
| 1970 | 48.7% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 46.7% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 44.7% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 42.7% | 73% |
| 1966 | 40.7% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 38.8% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 36.9% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 35% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 33.5% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 32.4% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 31.2% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Riyadh | 7.01M |
| Jeddah | 4.7M |
| Mecca | 2.43M |
| Medina | 1.41M |
| Dammam | 903K |
| Tabuk | 886K |
| Qatif | 625K |
| Jubail | 379K |
| Ha'il | 311K |
| Yanbu | 299K |
|
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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