Europe Population Density (2026)

Europe is the third-most densely populated continent after Asia and Africa, with its population shaped by long-term urbanisation, net migration, and compact national territories.

Population density in Europe varies significantly between countries, ranging from ultra-dense microstates and compact nations such as the Holy See (Vatican City) and Monaco to vast northern and eastern regions with very low population concentration, such as Iceland.

What is population density?

Population density measures how many people live per square kilometer of land area. It shows how tightly a population is concentrated within a country’s territory, rather than total population size.

High population density reflects land pressure, urban concentration, infrastructure demand, and limited space for expansion.

Low population density reflects large land areas, environmental constraints, and dispersed settlement patterns.

Average population density of Europe

Europe’s population density is estimated at an average of 33.8 people per square kilometer. This is significantly lower than Asia’s continental average, but higher than North America and Oceania.

By contrast, the European Union (EU) has a much higher average population density of around 109 people per square kilometer. This difference reflects the EU’s more compact geographic area and the exclusion of Europe’s vast, sparsely populated regions in countries such as Russia, Norway, and Iceland.

Europe contains some of the world’s highest urban population densities, with cities such as Paris and Athens reaching tens of thousands of inhabitants per square kilometer in their central districts.

Extensive low-density land areas counterbalance these concentrations in regions such as northern Scandinavia, Iceland, and the interior of the Russian Federation.

Most densely populated countries in Europe

These European countries have the highest population density levels:

• Monaco
• Malta
• Holy See (Vatican City)
• San Marino
• Netherlands
• Belgium
• United Kingdom
• Luxembourg
• Liechtenstein
• Germany

Least densely populated countries in Europe

These European countries have the lowest population density levels:

• Iceland
• Kazakhstan*
• Russian Federation*
• Norway
• Finland
• Sweden
• Latvia
• Estonia
• Belarus
• Lithuania

*Country listings follow commonly used geographic conventions and may include transcontinental states.

Complete Europe population density ranking

The table below ranks European countries and selected territories by population density, from highest to lowest.

Population density figures are based on United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 data and measured in people per square kilometer.

High-density large countries

Some European countries with large populations also have high population density, including Germany (242.6 people per square kilometer), the United Kingdom (282.9), Italy (201.0), France (120.5), the Netherlands (537.3), and Poland (126.6).

In these countries, population pressure is structural rather than temporary, producing sustained strain on housing systems, transport networks, water supply, food systems, and urban infrastructure.

Low-density large countries

Some of Europe’s largest countries by land area remain sparsely populated across most of their territory, including the Russian Federation (8.9 people per square kilometer), Kazakhstan (7.5), Sweden (25.9), Norway (18.1), Finland (18.5), and Ukraine (65.1).

Why population density in Europe matters

Population density in Europe directly affects:

• Housing availability
• Urban development
• Infrastructure pressure
• Transport systems
• Resource distribution
• Environmental sustainability
• Economic productivity