Switzerland has a population density of 590 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Switzerland has 49,346 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Switzerland ranked 51st out of 197.
Switzerland has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Switzerland compared to the World's average
Switzerland
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 590 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 51/197 | N/A |
| Population |
9092598
|
8280917972
|
| Land area | 15,255 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 47,224 sq ft | 196,907 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.5% | 42.4% |
| Urban population | 85.5% | 57.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Switzerland population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Switzerland has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 21.9%. The population density rank was 44th 22 years ago and is 51st today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 590 | 51 |
| 2023 | 583 | 50 |
| 2022 | 575 | 51 |
| 2021 | 571 | 49 |
| 2020 | 566 | 50 |
| 2019 | 562 | 49 |
| 2018 | 558 | 49 |
| 2017 | 554 | 50 |
| 2016 | 549 | 50 |
| 2015 | 543 | 47 |
| 2014 | 537 | 46 |
| 2013 | 530 | 46 |
| 2012 | 524 | 46 |
| 2011 | 519 | 46 |
| 2010 | 513 | 44 |
| 2009 | 508 | 44 |
| 2008 | 501 | 44 |
| 2007 | 495 | 44 |
| 2006 | 491 | 44 |
| 2005 | 487 | 44 |
| 2004 | 484 | 44 |
| 2003 | 481 | 43 |
| 2002 | 477 | 42 |
| 2001 | 474 | 42 |
| 2000 | 471 | 42 |
| 1999 | 468 | 40 |
| 1998 | 466 | 40 |
| 1997 | 464 | 40 |
| 1996 | 463 | 40 |
| 1995 | 461 | 39 |
| 1994 | 458 | 39 |
| 1993 | 455 | 39 |
| 1992 | 450 | 39 |
| 1991 | 446 | 39 |
| 1990 | 440 | 38 |
| 1989 | 436 | 37 |
| 1988 | 432 | 37 |
| 1987 | 429 | 37 |
| 1986 | 426 | 37 |
| 1985 | 424 | 36 |
| 1984 | 422 | 36 |
| 1983 | 421 | 37 |
| 1982 | 419 | 37 |
| 1981 | 416 | 36 |
| 1980 | 414 | 36 |
| 1979 | 412 | 34 |
| 1978 | 412 | 33 |
| 1977 | 412 | 32 |
| 1976 | 413 | 32 |
| 1975 | 415 | 30 |
| 1974 | 416 | 30 |
| 1973 | 413 | 30 |
| 1972 | 410 | 30 |
| 1971 | 407 | 30 |
| 1970 | 405 | 30 |
| 1969 | 402 | 30 |
| 1968 | 398 | 29 |
| 1967 | 393 | 29 |
| 1966 | 388 | 29 |
| 1965 | 384 | 29 |
| 1964 | 379 | 30 |
| 1963 | 373 | 30 |
| 1962 | 365 | 30 |
| 1961 | 356 | 30 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Switzerland from 1960 to 2024: 51% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 73.3% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 85.5%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 85.5% | 33 |
| 2023 | 85.2% | 33 |
| 2022 | 84.9% | 33 |
| 2021 | 84.2% | 33 |
| 2020 | 82.3% | 38 |
| 2019 | 80.8% | 42 |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 45 |
| 2017 | 77.9% | 47 |
| 2016 | 76.7% | 52 |
| 2015 | 75.6% | 53 |
| 2014 | 74.7% | 55 |
| 2013 | 74.1% | 55 |
| 2012 | 73.8% | 56 |
| 2011 | 73.7% | 55 |
| 2010 | 73.6% | 54 |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 53 |
| 2008 | 73.5% | 52 |
| 2007 | 73.5% | 50 |
| 2006 | 73.5% | 51 |
| 2005 | 73.5% | 51 |
| 2004 | 73.5% | 50 |
| 2003 | 73.5% | 49 |
| 2002 | 73.4% | 48 |
| 2001 | 73.4% | 47 |
| 2000 | 73.3% | 47 |
| 1999 | 73.1% | 47 |
| 1998 | 72.9% | 48 |
| 1997 | 72.5% | 48 |
| 1996 | 72% | 49 |
| 1995 | 71.5% | 49 |
| 1994 | 71% | 50 |
| 1993 | 70.4% | 50 |
| 1992 | 69.8% | 52 |
| 1991 | 69.2% | 54 |
| 1990 | 68.7% | 55 |
| 1989 | 68% | 54 |
| 1988 | 67.3% | 56 |
| 1987 | 66.5% | 57 |
| 1986 | 65.6% | 59 |
| 1985 | 64.8% | 60 |
| 1984 | 64% | 59 |
| 1983 | 63.2% | 61 |
| 1982 | 62.4% | 61 |
| 1981 | 61.8% | 60 |
| 1980 | 61.3% | 59 |
| 1979 | 60.8% | 58 |
| 1978 | 60.4% | 58 |
| 1977 | 60.1% | 59 |
| 1976 | 59.7% | 57 |
| 1975 | 59.4% | 56 |
| 1974 | 59.1% | 55 |
| 1973 | 58.7% | 54 |
| 1972 | 58.3% | 54 |
| 1971 | 57.9% | 53 |
| 1970 | 57.4% | 52 |
| 1969 | 56.9% | 51 |
| 1968 | 56.3% | 48 |
| 1967 | 55.7% | 47 |
| 1966 | 55.1% | 47 |
| 1965 | 54.4% | 47 |
| 1964 | 53.7% | 47 |
| 1963 | 53% | 47 |
| 1962 | 52.4% | 47 |
| 1961 | 51.7% | 46 |
| 1960 | 51% | 45 |
Densely populated cities
|
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
Relevant pages:
Switzerland topic pages:
Population density comparisons
