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Utrecht, The Netherlands canal
While the Netherlands has a reputation for being friendly to tourists, there might not be enough room for everyone, unless you’re into getting very friendly in close quarters. With 16,000 square miles of area in the Netherlands, almost 18 million people means an average of about 1,400 people per square mile.
The Netherlands’ population is slowly increasing, too, though it’s projected to level out or even drop in the next 50 years.
Country size (square miles): 16,000 Country population: 17.7 million Tourists per year: ~7,000,000
4 San Marino
San Marino has 1,450 people per square mile
Guaita Tower and other historical buildings in San Marino
San Marino is one of the smallest countries by population, but its geographic size is also tiny. At under 24 square miles, San Marino packs over 30,000 people inside its borders. Its lack of space might be the reason why San Marino is less visited than other European countries; fewer than 500,000 people visit per year. That’s a good thing, given that San Marino’s infrastructure likely isn’t meant for hundreds of thousands of travelers.
Unlike many other European countries, San Marino’s population has been declining slightly, with more of a decline anticipated in the coming years.
Country size (square miles): 23.6 Country population: 33,660 Tourists per year: ~2,000,000
3 Vatican City
Vatican City has 3,212 people per square mile
The Top View Of Vatican City, Rome
Vatican City is the smallest country in the world by size, but it also has the smallest population. Thus, Vatican City’s population density is quite high. As of 2024, Vatican City had 510 inhabitants, according to Statista, giving the .17-square-mile country a high population density.
Vatican City’s population is relatively unstable, and given its small size, changes in the population look massive on a graph. Vatican City is expected to grow in population over the next few decades, but only time will tell to what extent.
Country size (square miles): .17 Country population: 510 Tourists per year: ~6,000,000
2 Malta
Malta has 4,367 people per square mile
Grand Harbour, Malta
Malta might be itty bitty, but its population is huge at over 530,000 people. The 122-square-mile country is almost ten times smaller than Rhode Island, the smallest state in the United States. Malta’s population is also expected to grow in the coming years; a spike in the growth rate spurred a population increase around 2013, and the population has continued to grow since then.
Country size (square miles): 122 Country population: 531,113 Tourists per year: ~3,000,000
Malta is home to temples that are older than Stonehenge and the Pyramids of Giza: check out the Ġgantija Temples on the island of Gozo if you visit!
1 Monaco
Monaco has 67,150 people per square mile
A view of Monaco
Monaco is the most densely populated country on the planet, according to The World Economic Forum, but it’s also quite tiny. Monaco has the sixth-smallest population in the world, but over 36,000 people packed into less than a single square mile means tight quarters for everyone.
Interestingly, Monaco’s growth rate is all over the place, with a drop around 2010 but a slight increase since 2021.
Country size (square miles): .76 Country population: 36,469 Tourists per year: ~150,000
References: Worldometer, The World Economic Forum, World Bank Open Data, Tourissimo, Statista, Macrotrends, World Population Review, IndexMundi
Source link : https://www.thetravel.com/europe-most-densely-populated-countries/
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Publish date : 2024-09-05 07:00:00
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