Switzerland has a population density of 592 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. Switzerland has 49,190 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are ranked 51st and 35th, 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 the land area of all countries, compared to 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in Switzerland is 20.1% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
Switzerland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 592 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 51/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
9112950
|
69945462
|
| Land area | 15,255 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 47,075 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 25.7% | 15.1% |
| Urban population | 74.3% | 84.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.4% |
Switzerland vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Switzerland increased by 22.3%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, Switzerland ranked 44th for population density and is in 51st place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 592 | 741 |
| 2023 | 583 | 733 |
| 2022 | 575 | 724 |
| 2021 | 571 | 717 |
| 2020 | 566 | 715 |
| 2019 | 562 | 713 |
| 2018 | 558 | 710 |
| 2017 | 554 | 706 |
| 2016 | 549 | 702 |
| 2015 | 543 | 697 |
| 2014 | 537 | 692 |
| 2013 | 530 | 687 |
| 2012 | 524 | 682 |
| 2011 | 519 | 677 |
| 2010 | 513 | 672 |
| 2009 | 508 | 667 |
| 2008 | 501 | 662 |
| 2007 | 495 | 656 |
| 2006 | 491 | 651 |
| 2005 | 487 | 647 |
| 2004 | 484 | 642 |
| 2003 | 481 | 639 |
| 2002 | 477 | 636 |
| 2001 | 474 | 633 |
| 2000 | 471 | 630 |
| 1999 | 468 | 628 |
| 1998 | 466 | 626 |
| 1997 | 464 | 624 |
| 1996 | 463 | 623 |
| 1995 | 461 | 621 |
| 1994 | 458 | 619 |
| 1993 | 455 | 618 |
| 1992 | 450 | 616 |
| 1991 | 446 | 615 |
| 1990 | 440 | 613 |
| 1989 | 436 | 611 |
| 1988 | 432 | 609 |
| 1987 | 429 | 608 |
| 1986 | 426 | 607 |
| 1985 | 424 | 605 |
| 1984 | 422 | 604 |
| 1983 | 421 | 603 |
| 1982 | 419 | 603 |
| 1981 | 416 | 603 |
| 1980 | 414 | 603 |
| 1979 | 412 | 602 |
| 1978 | 412 | 602 |
| 1977 | 412 | 602 |
| 1976 | 413 | 602 |
| 1975 | 415 | 602 |
| 1974 | 416 | 602 |
| 1973 | 413 | 602 |
| 1972 | 410 | 600 |
| 1971 | 407 | 598 |
| 1970 | 405 | 596 |
| 1969 | 402 | 594 |
| 1968 | 398 | 591 |
| 1967 | 393 | 588 |
| 1966 | 388 | 585 |
| 1965 | 384 | 582 |
| 1964 | 379 | 578 |
| 1963 | 373 | 574 |
| 1962 | 365 | 570 |
| 1961 | 356 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Switzerland
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 74.3% | 84.9% |
| 2023 | 74.2% | 84.6% |
| 2022 | 74.1% | 84.4% |
| 2021 | 74% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 73.9% | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 73.8% | 83.7% |
| 2018 | 73.8% | 83.4% |
| 2017 | 73.8% | 83.1% |
| 2016 | 73.7% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 73.7% | 82.6% |
| 2014 | 73.7% | 82.4% |
| 2013 | 73.7% | 82.1% |
| 2012 | 73.7% | 81.8% |
| 2011 | 73.6% | 81.6% |
| 2010 | 73.6% | 81.3% |
| 2009 | 73.6% | 81% |
| 2008 | 73.6% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 73.5% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 73.5% | 80.2% |
| 2005 | 73.5% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 73.5% | 79.6% |
| 2003 | 73.4% | 79.3% |
| 2002 | 73.4% | 79% |
| 2001 | 73.4% | 78.8% |
| 2000 | 73.4% | 78.7% |
| 1999 | 73.4% | 78.6% |
| 1998 | 73.5% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 73.5% | 78.5% |
| 1996 | 73.6% | 78.4% |
| 1995 | 73.7% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 73.7% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 73.8% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 73.8% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 73.9% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 73.9% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 74% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 74% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 74.1% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 74.2% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 74.2% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 74.3% | 78.4% |
| 1983 | 74.3% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 74.4% | 78.5% |
| 1981 | 74.5% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 74.5% | 78.5% |
| 1979 | 74.4% | 78.3% |
| 1978 | 74.4% | 78.2% |
| 1977 | 74.3% | 78% |
| 1976 | 74.3% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 74.2% | 77.7% |
| 1974 | 74.2% | 77.5% |
| 1973 | 74.1% | 77.4% |
| 1972 | 74% | 77.2% |
| 1971 | 74% | 77% |
| 1970 | 73.8% | 77.1% |
| 1969 | 73.6% | 77.3% |
| 1968 | 73.3% | 77.4% |
| 1967 | 73% | 77.5% |
| 1966 | 72.7% | 77.7% |
| 1965 | 72.4% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 72.1% | 78% |
| 1963 | 71.8% | 78.1% |
| 1962 | 71.5% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 71.2% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 70.9% | 78.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland and from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
