South Sudan has a population density of 51 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. South Sudan has 580,697 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. South Sudan and Switzerland rank 171st and 51st by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. South Sudan has 0.15% of the world's population and 0.42% 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 South Sudan 91.5% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
South Sudan
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 51 | 596 |
| 2025 | 50 | 594 |
| 2024 | 49 | 590 |
| 2023 | 47.1 | 583 |
| 2022 | 45.2 | 575 |
| 2021 | 44.5 | 571 |
| 2020 | 43.8 | 566 |
| 2019 | 42.7 | 562 |
| 2018 | 41.5 | 558 |
| 2017 | 42 | 554 |
| 2016 | 44.4 | 549 |
| 2015 | 45.5 | 543 |
| 2014 | 46 | 537 |
| 2013 | 45.8 | 530 |
| 2012 | 44.1 | 524 |
| 2011 | - | 519 |
| 2010 | - | 513 |
| 2009 | - | 508 |
| 2008 | - | 501 |
| 2007 | - | 495 |
| 2006 | - | 491 |
| 2005 | - | 487 |
| 2004 | - | 484 |
| 2003 | - | 481 |
| 2002 | - | 477 |
| 2001 | - | 474 |
| 2000 | - | 471 |
| 1999 | - | 468 |
| 1998 | - | 466 |
| 1997 | - | 464 |
| 1996 | - | 463 |
| 1995 | - | 461 |
| 1994 | - | 458 |
| 1993 | - | 455 |
| 1992 | - | 450 |
| 1991 | - | 446 |
| 1990 | - | 440 |
| 1989 | - | 436 |
| 1988 | - | 432 |
| 1987 | - | 429 |
| 1986 | - | 426 |
| 1985 | - | 424 |
| 1984 | - | 422 |
| 1983 | - | 421 |
| 1982 | - | 419 |
| 1981 | - | 416 |
| 1980 | - | 414 |
| 1979 | - | 412 |
| 1978 | - | 412 |
| 1977 | - | 412 |
| 1976 | - | 413 |
| 1975 | - | 415 |
| 1974 | - | 416 |
| 1973 | - | 413 |
| 1972 | - | 410 |
| 1971 | - | 407 |
| 1970 | - | 405 |
| 1969 | - | 402 |
| 1968 | - | 398 |
| 1967 | - | 393 |
| 1966 | - | 388 |
| 1965 | - | 384 |
| 1964 | - | 379 |
| 1963 | - | 373 |
| 1962 | - | 365 |
| 1961 | - | 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/south-sudan/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2012 to 2026, population density in South Sudan increased by 15.6%, compared to a 13.8% growth in Switzerland.
In 2012, South Sudan ranked 169th by population density and is 171st now. Switzerland was 46th in 2012 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
South Sudan
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 51 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 171/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
12507858
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 243,990 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 569,522 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 78.6% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 21.4% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
South Sudan
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 21.4% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 21.1% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 20.8% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 20.5% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 20.2% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 19.9% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 19.6% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 19.3% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 19.1% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 18.8% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 18.5% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 18.3% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 18% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 17.8% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 17.5% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 17.3% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 17% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 17% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 17% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 16.9% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 16.8% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 16.6% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 16.4% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 16.3% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 16% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 15.8% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 15.6% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 15.3% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 15% | 72% |
| 1995 | 14.7% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 14.5% | 71% |
| 1993 | 14.2% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 13.8% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 13.3% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 12.6% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 11.9% | 68% |
| 1988 | 11.2% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 10.4% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 9.73% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 9.15% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 8.73% | 64% |
| 1983 | 8.52% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 8.49% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 8.49% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 8.49% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 8.49% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 8.49% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 8.49% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 8.49% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 8.5% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 8.5% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 8.5% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 8.51% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 8.51% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 8.52% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 8.53% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 8.54% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 8.55% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 8.56% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 8.57% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 8.58% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 8.6% | 53% |
| 1962 | 8.62% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 8.64% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 8.66% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/south-sudan/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 16.8% to 21.4% in South Sudan and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Juba | 500K |
| Wau | 321K |
| Bor | 315K |
| Malakal | 147K |
| Yambio | 130K |
|
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/south-sudan/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 (2008–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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