11.1.c Density of settlements
Settlement density describes the ratio of population to settlement and transport area (SuV) and thus differs from population density, which relates to the total area of the Federal territory. In addition to residential building land, settlement area also includes land with special uses such as hospitals, schools, industrial and commercial zones, mixed-use areas, as well as sports, leisure and recreational areas. Changes in both the population and the extent of SuV affect settlement density.
Settlement density varies significantly between rural and non-rural areas. The classification follows the typology of the Thünen Institute, which categorises districts (Kreise) and independent cities (kreisfreie Städte) based on criteria such as settlement density, the proportion of land used for agriculture and forestry, and accessibility of major centres. As the definition of rural already incorporates settlement density, differences in the indicator between rural and non-rural areas are partly due to the classification itself. For example, an increase in settlement density in a rural area may lead to its future classification as non-rural.
Between 2000 and 2011, settlement density decreased in both area types – by 12% in rural areas and by 5% in non-rural areas. Since 2011, the indicator value for Germany as a whole has remained relatively constant at around 1,670 inhabitants per square kilometre of SuV, corresponding to about 90% of the 2000 value. In non-rural areas, settlement density has been rising again since 2011, reaching 3,384 inhabitants per square kilometre of SuV in 2023, almost the same level as in 2000.
A comparison of the development of SuV and population figures reveals different trends for the two influencing factors: while SuV has been steadily expanding since 2000, the population declined between 2000 and 2011, explaining the decrease in settlement density. Since 2011, population numbers have been increasing again, which is why the indicator has remained largely constant since then. The proportion of SuV in total area in 2023 was considerably lower in rural areas, at 12.3%, than in non-rural areas, at 36.8%. The increase in SuV affected both area types, but was significantly greater in rural areas (up 17.4% in 2023 compared with 2000) than in non-rural areas (up 9.3%). At the same time, population growth since 2011 has been weaker in rural areas, resulting in a slight decline in settlement density there.
According to the Thünen Institute’s definition, around 43% of the population lived in non-rural areas and 57% in rural areas in 2023. At the same time, around 80% of the settlement and transport area was located in rural areas. The politically defined target is to increase the number of inhabitants per square kilometre of SuV. However, due to the stagnation observed in recent years, this target is unlikely to be achieved or will be reached only to a limited extent.
The data sources are population statistics and the land survey by type of actual use (official land use statistics) of the Federal Statistical Office. The Länder are harmonising their cadastral systems, which in recent years has led to reclassifications of land – even without actual changes in use. In 2016, a new land-use classification was introduced, affecting the official land use statistics and limiting comparability with previous years. To still allow meaningful time series comparisons, the data were recalculated based on the 2011 Census and the 2016 land survey.
A further extension of the land-use classification took place in 2023 with the introduction of a new modelling of the geospatial information of the official surveying system (GEOInfoDok), accompanied by changes to the modelling criteria for actual use. To minimise distortions to the land indicator caused by this methodological change, effects not corresponding to actual changes are excluded from the calculation. As migration to the new GEOInfoDok is completed at different times in the Länder surveying authorities, these effects may occur at different times depending on the Land and may influence results over several years. In the medium term, the methodological change will lead to significant quality improvements in land use statistics.
The indicator has substantive cross-references to indicator 11.1.a Increase in settlement and transport area.
