Switzerland has a population density of 599 people per square mile compared to 374 people in Syria. Switzerland has 48,882 sq ft of land per person vs 77,800 sq ft in Syria. Switzerland and Syria rank 51st and 68th by population density, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Switzerland has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.03% of all countries' land area, compared to 0.31% of the population and 0.12% of the land area for Syria, making the population density in Switzerland 60% higher than in Syria.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Switzerland
|
Syria
|
|
| 2026 | 599 | 374 |
| 2025 | 596 | 361 |
| 2024 | 590 | 348 |
| 2023 | 583 | 333 |
| 2022 | 575 | 317 |
| 2021 | 571 | 305 |
| 2020 | 566 | 296.9 |
| 2019 | 562 | 287.1 |
| 2018 | 558 | 276.1 |
| 2017 | 554 | 271.2 |
| 2016 | 549 | 270.7 |
| 2015 | 543 | 274 |
| 2014 | 537 | 285.9 |
| 2013 | 530 | 306 |
| 2012 | 524 | 321 |
| 2011 | 519 | 323 |
| 2010 | 513 | 317 |
| 2009 | 508 | 310 |
| 2008 | 501 | 305 |
| 2007 | 495 | 294.5 |
| 2006 | 491 | 277 |
| 2005 | 487 | 265.4 |
| 2004 | 484 | 258.7 |
| 2003 | 481 | 252.4 |
| 2002 | 477 | 246.2 |
| 2001 | 474 | 240.3 |
| 2000 | 471 | 234.5 |
| 1999 | 468 | 228.7 |
| 1998 | 466 | 223 |
| 1997 | 464 | 217.3 |
| 1996 | 463 | 211.6 |
| 1995 | 461 | 206 |
| 1994 | 458 | 200.2 |
| 1993 | 455 | 194.4 |
| 1992 | 450 | 188.6 |
| 1991 | 446 | 182.9 |
| 1990 | 440 | 177.3 |
| 1989 | 436 | 171.6 |
| 1988 | 432 | 166 |
| 1987 | 429 | 160.5 |
| 1986 | 426 | 155.1 |
| 1985 | 424 | 149.7 |
| 1984 | 422 | 144.6 |
| 1983 | 421 | 139.6 |
| 1982 | 419 | 134.9 |
| 1981 | 416 | 130.5 |
| 1980 | 414 | 126.2 |
| 1979 | 412 | 122.1 |
| 1978 | 412 | 118 |
| 1977 | 412 | 114 |
| 1976 | 413 | 110.2 |
| 1975 | 415 | 106.5 |
| 1974 | 416 | 102.9 |
| 1973 | 413 | 99.5 |
| 1972 | 410 | 96.2 |
| 1971 | 407 | 93 |
| 1970 | 405 | 89.9 |
| 1969 | 402 | 87 |
| 1968 | 398 | 84.3 |
| 1967 | 393 | 81.6 |
| 1966 | 388 | 79 |
| 1965 | 384 | 76.6 |
| 1964 | 379 | 74.3 |
| 1963 | 373 | 72 |
| 1962 | 365 | 69.9 |
| 1961 | 356 | 67.9 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2026, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/switzerland/syria | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Switzerland increased by 22.1%, compared to a 35.1% growth in Syria.
In 2006, Switzerland ranked 44th by population density and is 51st now. Syria was 74th in 2006 and ranks 68th out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Switzerland
|
Syria
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 599 ppl/mi² | 374 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 51/197 | 68/197 |
| Population |
9155878
|
26956472
|
| Land area | 15,255 sq mi | 70,900 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 46,773 sq ft | 77,148 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.3% | 27.9% |
| Urban population | 85.7% | 72.1% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 17.4% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland
|
Syria
|
|
| 2025 | 85.7% | 72.1% |
| 2024 | 85.5% | 72.1% |
| 2023 | 85.2% | 72.2% |
| 2022 | 84.9% | 72.6% |
| 2021 | 84.2% | 73% |
| 2020 | 82.3% | 73.4% |
| 2019 | 80.8% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 74.1% |
| 2017 | 77.9% | 74.5% |
| 2016 | 76.7% | 75.2% |
| 2015 | 75.6% | 75.8% |
| 2014 | 74.7% | 76% |
| 2013 | 74.1% | 73.1% |
| 2012 | 73.8% | 65.1% |
| 2011 | 73.7% | 58.5% |
| 2010 | 73.6% | 55.7% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 55% |
| 2008 | 73.5% | 54.6% |
| 2007 | 73.5% | 54.3% |
| 2006 | 73.5% | 54.1% |
| 2005 | 73.5% | 53.8% |
| 2004 | 73.5% | 53.5% |
| 2003 | 73.5% | 53.1% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | 52.7% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | 52.3% |
| 2000 | 73.3% | 51.9% |
| 1999 | 73.1% | 51.5% |
| 1998 | 72.9% | 51.1% |
| 1997 | 72.5% | 50.7% |
| 1996 | 72% | 50.4% |
| 1995 | 71.5% | 50% |
| 1994 | 71% | 49.8% |
| 1993 | 70.4% | 49.5% |
| 1992 | 69.8% | 49.3% |
| 1991 | 69.2% | 49% |
| 1990 | 68.7% | 48.8% |
| 1989 | 68% | 48.6% |
| 1988 | 67.3% | 48.5% |
| 1987 | 66.5% | 48.3% |
| 1986 | 65.6% | 48.1% |
| 1985 | 64.8% | 47.9% |
| 1984 | 64% | 47.7% |
| 1983 | 63.2% | 47.5% |
| 1982 | 62.4% | 47.3% |
| 1981 | 61.8% | 47% |
| 1980 | 61.3% | 46.7% |
| 1979 | 60.8% | 46.4% |
| 1978 | 60.4% | 46.1% |
| 1977 | 60.1% | 45.8% |
| 1976 | 59.7% | 45.5% |
| 1975 | 59.4% | 45.2% |
| 1974 | 59.1% | 44.8% |
| 1973 | 58.7% | 44.5% |
| 1972 | 58.3% | 44.1% |
| 1971 | 57.9% | 43.8% |
| 1970 | 57.4% | 43.4% |
| 1969 | 56.9% | 43% |
| 1968 | 56.3% | 42.7% |
| 1967 | 55.7% | 42.4% |
| 1966 | 55.1% | 42% |
| 1965 | 54.4% | 41.7% |
| 1964 | 53.7% | 41.4% |
| 1963 | 53% | 41% |
| 1962 | 52.4% | 40.7% |
| 1961 | 51.7% | 40.4% |
| 1960 | 51% | 40% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/switzerland/syria | CC BY
From 2005 to 2025, the share of urban population changed from 73.5% to 85.7% in Switzerland and from 53.8% to 72.1% in Syria.
Densely populated cities
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 452K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 120K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
|
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
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08).
GeoRank.org/population-density/switzerland/syria | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Wikidata (2004–2025, retrieved 2026-07-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-07-08)
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