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Population density: Spain vs Syria compared

Updated on by Georank team

Spain has a population density of 253 people per square mile compared to 375 people in Syria. Spain has 111,496 sq ft of land per person vs 80,788 sq ft in Syria. Spain and Syria rank 97th and 68th by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.3% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, making the population density in Spain 32.6% lower than in Syria.

Population density by year

Spain
Syria

people per square mile

1x
Year Population density
Spain Syria
2026 253 375
2025 253.1 362
2024 253.2 348
2023 250.6 333
2022 247.7 317
2021 245.9 305
2020 245.5 296.9
2019 244.3 287.1
2018 242.5 276.1
2017 241.5 271.2
2016 240.9 270.7
2015 240.6 274
2014 240.6 285.9
2013 241.3 306
2012 242.2 321
2011 242.2 323
2010 241.3 317
2009 240.8 310
2008 238.6 305
2007 234.7 294.5
2006 230.4 277
2005 226.5 265.4
2004 222.7 258.7
2003 218.9 252.4
2002 215 246.2
2001 212.2 240.3
2000 210.6 234.5
1999 209.4 228.7
1998 208.6 223
1997 207.7 217.3
1996 206.9 211.6
1995 206 206
1994 205.1 200.2
1993 204.1 194.4
1992 203.1 188.6
1991 202.1 182.9
1990 201.6 177.3
1989 201.4 171.6
1988 201 166
1987 200.6 160.5
1986 200.1 155.1
1985 199.5 149.7
1984 198.8 144.6
1983 198 139.6
1982 197 134.9
1981 195.8 130.5
1980 194.4 126.2
1979 192.8 122.1
1978 191.1 118
1977 189.3 114
1976 187.4 110.2
1975 185.4 106.5
1974 183.3 102.9
1973 181.3 99.5
1972 179.3 96.2
1971 177.4 93
1970 175.2 89.9
1969 173.3 87
1968 171.6 84.3
1967 169.4 81.6
1966 167.3 79
1965 165.6 76.6
1964 163.8 74.3
1963 162.2 72
1962 160.8 69.9
1961 159.3 67.9

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/spain/syria | CC BY

From 2006 to 2026, population density in Spain increased by 9.77%, compared to a 35.5% growth in Syria.

In 2006, Spain ranked 84th by population density and is 97th now. Syria was 75th in 2006 and ranks 68th out of 197 currently.

Share of urban population by year

Spain
Syria
1x
Year Urban population
Spain Syria
2024 80.3% 72.1%
2023 80.1% 72.2%
2022 80% 72.6%
2021 79.8% 73%
2020 79.7% 73.4%
2019 79.6% 73.8%
2018 79.6% 74.1%
2017 79.5% 74.5%
2016 79.4% 75.2%
2015 79.2% 75.8%
2014 79.1% 76%
2013 79% 73.1%
2012 78.8% 65.1%
2011 78.7% 58.5%
2010 78.5% 55.7%
2009 78.3% 55%
2008 78% 54.6%
2007 77.8% 54.3%
2006 77.5% 54.1%
2005 77.2% 53.8%
2004 77% 53.5%
2003 76.7% 53.1%
2002 76.5% 52.7%
2001 76.3% 52.3%
2000 76.2% 51.9%
1999 76% 51.5%
1998 75.9% 51.1%
1997 75.8% 50.7%
1996 75.7% 50.4%
1995 75.6% 50%
1994 75.5% 49.8%
1993 75.3% 49.5%
1992 75.2% 49.3%
1991 75% 49%
1990 74.8% 48.8%
1989 74.6% 48.6%
1988 74.4% 48.5%
1987 74.1% 48.3%
1986 73.8% 48.1%
1985 73.5% 47.9%
1984 73.1% 47.7%
1983 72.8% 47.5%
1982 72.4% 47.3%
1981 72% 47%
1980 71.5% 46.7%
1979 71.1% 46.4%
1978 70.6% 46.1%
1977 70.1% 45.8%
1976 69.6% 45.5%
1975 69.1% 45.2%
1974 68.5% 44.8%
1973 68% 44.5%
1972 67.4% 44.1%
1971 66.8% 43.8%
1970 66.2% 43.4%
1969 65.4% 43%
1968 64.4% 42.7%
1967 63.4% 42.4%
1966 62.3% 42%
1965 61.1% 41.7%
1964 60% 41.4%
1963 58.9% 41%
1962 58% 40.7%
1961 57.1% 40.4%
1960 56.5% 40%

Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).

GeoRank.org/population-density/spain/syria | CC BY

From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 77% to 80.3% in Spain and from 53.5% to 72.1% in Syria.

Densely populated cities

Spain
City Population
Madrid 3.51M
Barcelona 1.73M
Tenerife 955K
Valencia 841K
Zaragoza 693K
Seville 689K
Malaga 599K
Palma de Mallorca 435K
Las Palmas 382K
Alicante 366K
Syria
City Population
Damascus 2.69M
Aleppo 2M
Homs 775K
Latakia 709K
Hama 697K
Raqqa 300K
Deir ez-Zor 272K
Al-Hasakah 188K
Qamishli 184K
Idlib 165K

Compare countries by 7 more topics

Population density in other countries

1x

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/spain/syria | CC BY

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Data sources:

  1. World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
  2. United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
  3. U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  4. Wikidata (2004–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
  5. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)

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