Switzerland has a population density of 596 people per square mile, compared to the average of 144 people in other countries. Switzerland has 49,353 sq ft of land per person and ranks 51st out of 197 countries (most to least densely populated).
Switzerland has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.03% of the total land area of all countries.
Switzerland population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 596 | 51 |
| 2025 | 594 | 51 |
| 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 | 41 |
| 1998 | 466 | 41 |
| 1997 | 464 | 41 |
| 1996 | 463 | 41 |
| 1995 | 461 | 40 |
| 1994 | 458 | 40 |
| 1993 | 455 | 40 |
| 1992 | 450 | 40 |
| 1991 | 446 | 40 |
| 1990 | 440 | 39 |
| 1989 | 436 | 39 |
| 1988 | 432 | 39 |
| 1987 | 429 | 39 |
| 1986 | 426 | 39 |
| 1985 | 424 | 38 |
| 1984 | 422 | 38 |
| 1983 | 421 | 39 |
| 1982 | 419 | 39 |
| 1981 | 416 | 38 |
| 1980 | 414 | 38 |
| 1979 | 412 | 36 |
| 1978 | 412 | 35 |
| 1977 | 412 | 34 |
| 1976 | 413 | 34 |
| 1975 | 415 | 32 |
| 1974 | 416 | 32 |
| 1973 | 413 | 32 |
| 1972 | 410 | 32 |
| 1971 | 407 | 32 |
| 1970 | 405 | 32 |
| 1969 | 402 | 32 |
| 1968 | 398 | 31 |
| 1967 | 393 | 31 |
| 1966 | 388 | 31 |
| 1965 | 384 | 31 |
| 1964 | 379 | 32 |
| 1963 | 373 | 32 |
| 1962 | 365 | 32 |
| 1961 | 356 | 32 |
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/switzerland | CC BY 
This chart shows how population density in Switzerland has changed over time. From 2006 to 2026, population density increased by 21.6%. Switzerland ranked 44th by population density 20 years ago and ranks 51st today.
Density metrics
Switzerland
|
Rank | |
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 596 ppl/mi² | 51/197 |
| Population |
9107866
|
101/197 |
| Land area | 15,255 sq mi | 131/197 |
| Land area per capita | 47,224 sq ft | 147/197 |
| Rural population | 14.5% | 163/195 |
| Urban population | 85.5% | 33/195 |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 190/197 |
Share of urban population by year
| 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 |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/switzerland | CC BY
This chart shows the share of urban population in Switzerland from 1960 to 2024: 51% lived in urban areas in 1960, 73.3% in 2000, and 85.5% in 2024.
Densely populated cities
|
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/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) (2000–2024, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2016–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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