Spain has a population density of 253 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Spain has 111,591 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, Spain and Switzerland are ranked 95th and 51st, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Spain has 0.6% of the world's population and 0.34% 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 Spain is 57.3% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Spain
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 253 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 95/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
48786181
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 192,934 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 110,203 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 18.2% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 81.8% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 10.5% | 0% |
Spain vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Spain increased by 13.6%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Spain ranked 85th for population density and is in 95th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Spain
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 253 | 592 |
| 2023 | 250.6 | 583 |
| 2022 | 247.7 | 575 |
| 2021 | 245.9 | 571 |
| 2020 | 245.5 | 566 |
| 2019 | 244.3 | 562 |
| 2018 | 242.5 | 558 |
| 2017 | 241.5 | 554 |
| 2016 | 240.9 | 549 |
| 2015 | 240.6 | 543 |
| 2014 | 240.6 | 537 |
| 2013 | 241.3 | 530 |
| 2012 | 242.2 | 524 |
| 2011 | 242.2 | 519 |
| 2010 | 241.3 | 513 |
| 2009 | 240.8 | 508 |
| 2008 | 238.6 | 501 |
| 2007 | 234.7 | 495 |
| 2006 | 230.4 | 491 |
| 2005 | 226.5 | 487 |
| 2004 | 222.7 | 484 |
| 2003 | 218.9 | 481 |
| 2002 | 215 | 477 |
| 2001 | 212.2 | 474 |
| 2000 | 210.6 | 471 |
| 1999 | 209.4 | 468 |
| 1998 | 208.6 | 466 |
| 1997 | 207.7 | 464 |
| 1996 | 206.9 | 463 |
| 1995 | 206 | 461 |
| 1994 | 205.1 | 458 |
| 1993 | 204.1 | 455 |
| 1992 | 203.1 | 450 |
| 1991 | 202.1 | 446 |
| 1990 | 201.6 | 440 |
| 1989 | 201.4 | 436 |
| 1988 | 201 | 432 |
| 1987 | 200.6 | 429 |
| 1986 | 200.1 | 426 |
| 1985 | 199.5 | 424 |
| 1984 | 198.8 | 422 |
| 1983 | 198 | 421 |
| 1982 | 197 | 419 |
| 1981 | 195.8 | 416 |
| 1980 | 194.4 | 414 |
| 1979 | 192.8 | 412 |
| 1978 | 191.1 | 412 |
| 1977 | 189.3 | 412 |
| 1976 | 187.4 | 413 |
| 1975 | 185.4 | 415 |
| 1974 | 183.3 | 416 |
| 1973 | 181.3 | 413 |
| 1972 | 179.3 | 410 |
| 1971 | 177.4 | 407 |
| 1970 | 175.2 | 405 |
| 1969 | 173.3 | 402 |
| 1968 | 171.6 | 398 |
| 1967 | 169.4 | 393 |
| 1966 | 167.3 | 388 |
| 1965 | 165.6 | 384 |
| 1964 | 163.8 | 379 |
| 1963 | 162.2 | 373 |
| 1962 | 160.8 | 365 |
| 1961 | 159.3 | 356 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Spain
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 81.8% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 81.6% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 81.3% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 81.1% | 74% |
| 2020 | 80.8% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 80.6% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 80.3% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 80.1% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 79.8% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 79.6% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 79.4% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 79.1% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 78.9% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 78.7% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 78.4% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 78.2% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 78% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 77.7% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 77.5% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 77.3% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 77% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 76.8% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 76.5% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 76.3% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 76.3% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 76.2% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 76.1% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 76% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 75.9% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 75.9% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 75.8% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 75.7% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 75.6% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 75.5% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 75.4% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 75.1% | 74% |
| 1988 | 74.9% | 74% |
| 1987 | 74.7% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 74.4% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 74.2% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 74% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 73.7% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 73.5% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 73.3% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 72.8% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 72.2% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 71.5% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 70.9% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 70.2% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 69.6% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 68.9% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 68.2% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 67.5% | 74% |
| 1971 | 66.8% | 74% |
| 1970 | 66% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 65.1% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 64.2% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 63.2% | 73% |
| 1966 | 62.3% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 61.3% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 60.3% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 59.3% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 58.3% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 57.3% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 56.6% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 77% to 81.8% in Spain and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Spain
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Madrid | 3.42M |
| Barcelona | 1.7M |
| Tenerife | 955K |
| Valencia | 826K |
| Seville | 687K |
| Zaragoza | 687K |
| Murcia | 673K |
| Malaga | 592K |
| Palma de Mallorca | 432K |
| Las Palmas | 380K |
|
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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comparisons:
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