In this article, the topic of List of countries and dependencies by population density will be addressed in a detailed and exhaustive manner, with the aim of providing the reader with a complete and understandable vision of this aspect. Its origins, its evolution over time, its implications in society and its relevance today will be explored. Likewise, different points of view will be analyzed and relevant data and statistics will be presented to support the arguments presented. Through this analysis, we seek to offer an enriching perspective that invites reflection and debate.
This is a list of countries and dependencies ranked by population density, sorted by inhabitants per square kilometre or square mile. The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories based upon the ISO standard ISO 3166-1. The list also includes unrecognized but de facto independent countries. The figures in the table are based on areas including internal bodies of water such as bays, lakes, reservoirs and rivers. The list does not include entities not on ISO 3166-1, except for states with limited recognition. Thus constituent countries that are not included on ISO 3166-1, and other entities not on ISO 3166-1 like the European Union, are not included.
Unless otherwise noted, areas and populations are sourced from the United Nations World Population Prospects, which uses the latest censuses and official figures, as well as figures from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Data are current as of 2023.
Location | Density /km2 |
Density /sq mi |
Population | Area km2 |
Area sq mi |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Macau (China) | 21,000 | 54,000 | 704,150 | 33 | 13 | |
Monaco | 18,000 | 47,000 | 36,298 | 2.0 | 0.77 | |
Singapore | 8,250 | 21,400 | 6,014,723 | 729 | 281 | |
Hong Kong (China) | 6,725 | 17,420 | 7,491,609 | 1,114 | 430 | |
Gaza Strip (Palestine) | 5,749 | 14,890 | 2,098,389 | 365 | 141 | |
Gibraltar (UK) | 4,800 | 12,000 | 32,688 | 6.8 | 2.6 | |
Bahrain | 1,910 | 4,900 | 1,485,510 | 778 | 300 | |
Maldives | 1,750 | 4,500 | 523,787 | 300 | 120 | |
Malta | 1,700 | 4,400 | 535,065 | 315 | 122 | |
Vatican City | 1,600 | 4,100 | 764 | 0.49 | 0.19 | |
Sint Maarten (NL) | 1,300 | 3,400 | 44,222 | 34 | 13 | |
Bermuda (UK) | 1,200 | 3,100 | 64,069 | 54 | 21 | |
Bangladesh | 1,165 | 3,020 | 172,954,319 | 148,460 | 57,320 | |
Guernsey (UK) | 990 | 2,600 | 63,544 | 64 | 25 | |
Jersey (UK) | 964 | 2,500 | 111,803 | 116 | 45 | |
Mayotte (France) | 913 | 2,360 | 335,995 | 368 | 142 | |
Palestine | 892 | 2,310 | 5,371,230 | 6,020 | 2,320 | |
Taiwan | 676 | 1,750 | 23,923,277 | 35,410 | 13,670 | |
Mauritius | 657 | 1,700 | 1,300,557 | 1,979 | 764 | |
Barbados | 654 | 1,690 | 281,996 | 431 | 166 | |
Nauru | 610 | 1,600 | 12,780 | 21 | 8.1 | |
Saint Martin (France) | 610 | 1,600 | 32,077 | 53 | 20 | |
Aruba (NL) | 590 | 1,500 | 106,277 | 180 | 69 | |
San Marino | 550 | 1,400 | 33,642 | 61 | 24 | |
Rwanda | 535 | 1,390 | 14,094,683 | 26,338 | 10,169 | |
South Korea | 516 | 1,340 | 51,784,059 | 100,413 | 38,770 | |
Lebanon | 512 | 1,330 | 5,353,930 | 10,452 | 4,036 | |
Saint Barthélemy (France) | 500 | 1,300 | 10,994 | 22 | 8.5 | |
Burundi | 476 | 1,230 | 13,238,559 | 27,834 | 10,747 | |
Tuvalu | 440 | 1,100 | 11,396 | 26 | 10 | |
India | 435 | 1,130 | 1,428,627,663 | 3,287,263 | 1,269,219 | |
Curaçao (NL) | 433 | 1,120 | 192,077 | 444 | 171 | |
Netherlands | 424 | 1,100 | 17,618,299 | 41,543 | 16,040 | |
Haiti | 423 | 1,100 | 11,724,764 | 27,750 | 10,710 | |
Israel | 416 | 1,080 | 9,174,520 | 22,072 | 8,522 | |
Réunion (France) | 391 | 1,010 | 981,796 | 2,510 | 970 | |
Philippines | 391 | 1,010 | 117,337,368 | 300,000 | 120,000 | |
Belgium | 383 | 990 | 11,686,140 | 30,528 | 11,787 | |
Comoros | 381 | 990 | 852,075 | 2,235 | 863 | |
Puerto Rico (US) | 368 | 950 | 3,260,314 | 8,868 | 3,424 | |
Grenada | 366 | 950 | 126,184 | 345 | 133 | |
Martinique (France) | 337 | 870 | 366,981 | 1,090 | 420 | |
Sri Lanka | 334 | 870 | 21,893,579 | 65,610 | 25,330 | |
Japan | 326 | 840 | 123,294,513 | 377,930 | 145,920 | |
Guam (US) | 320 | 830 | 172,952 | 541 | 209 | |
El Salvador | 303 | 780 | 6,364,943 | 21,041 | 8,124 | |
Pakistan | 302 | 780 | 240,485,658 | 796,095 | 307,374 | |
Trinidad and Tobago | 299 | 770 | 1,534,937 | 5,127 | 1,980 | |
Vietnam | 298 | 770 | 98,858,950 | 331,340 | 127,930 | |
Saint Lucia | 293 | 760 | 180,251 | 616 | 238 | |
U.S. Virgin Islands (US) | 285 | 740 | 98,750 | 347 | 134 | |
United Kingdom | 277 | 720 | 67,736,802 | 244,376 | 94,354 | |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 267 | 690 | 103,699 | 389 | 150 | |
Cayman Islands (UK) | 263 | 680 | 69,310 | 264 | 102 | |
Jamaica | 257 | 670 | 2,825,544 | 10,991 | 4,244 | |
Luxembourg | 253 | 660 | 654,768 | 2,586 | 998 | |
Liechtenstein | 247 | 640 | 39,585 | 160 | 62 | |
Gambia | 246 | 640 | 2,773,168 | 11,295 | 4,361 | |
Nigeria | 249 | 640 | 230,842,743 | 923,768 | 356,669 | |
Kuwait | 242 | 630 | 4,310,108 | 17,818 | 6,880 | |
Guadeloupe (France) | 242 | 630 | 395,839 | 1,639 | 633 | |
São Tomé and Príncipe | 241 | 620 | 231,856 | 964 | 372 | |
Seychelles | 236 | 610 | 107,660 | 457 | 176 | |
Qatar | 233 | 600 | 2,716,391 | 11,637 | 4,493 | |
Germany | 233 | 600 | 83,294,633 | 357,581 | 138,063 | |
Dominican Republic | 233 | 600 | 11,332,973 | 48,671 | 18,792 | |
Marshall Islands | 232 | 600 | 41,996 | 181 | 70 | |
Malawi | 221 | 570 | 20,931,751 | 94,552 | 36,507 | |
American Samoa (US) | 221 | 570 | 43,915 | 199 | 77 | |
North Korea | 217 | 560 | 26,160,822 | 120,538 | 46,540 | |
Antigua and Barbuda | 213 | 550 | 94,298 | 442 | 171 | |
Switzerland | 213 | 550 | 8,796,669 | 41,291 | 15,943 | |
Nepal | 210 | 540 | 30,896,590 | 147,181 | 56,827 | |
British Virgin Islands (UK) | 209 | 540 | 31,538 | 151 | 58 | |
Uganda | 201 | 520 | 48,582,334 | 241,550 | 93,260 | |
Italy | 195 | 510 | 58,870,763 | 302,068 | 116,629 | |
Kiribati | 184 | 480 | 133,515 | 726 | 280 | |
Saint Kitts and Nevis | 183 | 470 | 47,755 | 261 | 101 | |
Anguilla (UK) | 175 | 450 | 15,900 | 91 | 35 | |
Andorra | 171 | 440 | 80,088 | 468 | 181 | |
Guatemala | 166 | 430 | 18,092,026 | 108,889 | 42,042 | |
Micronesia | 164 | 420 | 115,224 | 702 | 271 | |
Togo | 159 | 410 | 9,053,799 | 56,785 | 21,925 | |
Tokelau (NZ) | 158 | 410 | 1,893 | 12 | 4.6 | |
Kosovo | 153 | 400 | 1,663,595 | 10,905 | 4,210 | |
China | 149 | 390 | 1,425,671,352 | 9,600,000 | 3,700,000 | |
Cape Verde | 148 | 380 | 598,682 | 4,033 | 1,557 | |
Isle of Man (UK) | 148 | 380 | 84,710 | 572 | 221 | |
Indonesia | 145 | 380 | 277,534,123 | 1,910,931 | 737,815 | |
Tonga | 144 | 370 | 107,773 | 747 | 288 | |
Ghana | 143 | 370 | 34,121,985 | 238,537 | 92,100 | |
Thailand | 140 | 360 | 71,801,279 | 513,140 | 198,120 | |
Denmark | 138 | 360 | 5,910,913 | 42,947 | 16,582 | |
Cyprus | 136 | 350 | 1,260,138 | 9,251 | 3,572 | |
United Arab Emirates | 134 | 350 | 9,516,871 | 71,024 | 27,423 | |
Transnistria | 134 | 350 | 468,980 | 3,510 | 1,360 | |
Czech Republic | 133 | 340 | 10,495,295 | 78,871 | 30,452 | |
Jordan | 127 | 330 | 11,337,053 | 89,318 | 34,486 | |
Syria | 125 | 320 | 23,227,014 | 185,180 | 71,500 | |
Sierra Leone | 122 | 320 | 8,791,092 | 72,300 | 27,900 | |
Poland | 120 | 310 | 37,691,000 | 313,931 | 121,209 | |
Azerbaijan | 120 | 310 | 10,412,652 | 86,600 | 33,400 | |
Benin | 119 | 310 | 13,712,828 | 114,763 | 44,310 | |
Slovakia | 118 | 310 | 5,795,199 | 49,035 | 18,933 | |
France (metropolitan) | 117 | 300 | 64,756,584 | 551,500 | 212,900 | |
Ethiopia | 115 | 300 | 126,527,060 | 1,104,300 | 426,400 | |
Northern Cyprus | 114 | 300 | 382,836 | 3,355 | 1,295 | |
Egypt | 112 | 290 | 112,716,599 | 1,002,000 | 387,000 | |
Portugal | 111 | 290 | 10,247,605 | 92,225 | 35,608 | |
Turkey | 110 | 280 | 85,816,199 | 783,562 | 302,535 | |
Hungary | 109 | 280 | 10,156,239 | 93,025 | 35,917 | |
Northern Mariana Islands (US) | 109 | 280 | 49,796 | 457 | 176 | |
Austria | 107 | 280 | 8,958,961 | 83,878 | 32,385 | |
Iraq | 105 | 270 | 45,504,560 | 435,052 | 167,975 | |
Slovenia | 105 | 270 | 2,119,675 | 20,273 | 7,827 | |
Malaysia | 104 | 270 | 34,308,525 | 330,621 | 127,653 | |
Costa Rica | 102 | 260 | 5,212,173 | 51,100 | 19,700 | |
Cuba | 102 | 260 | 11,194,449 | 109,884 | 42,426 | |
Moldova | 102 | 260 | 3,435,931 | 33,847 | 13,068 | |
France (metropolitan & overseas) | 101 | 260 | 68,000,000 | 672,000 | 259,000 | |
Albania | 99 | 260 | 2,832,439 | 28,748 | 11,100 | |
Dominica | 97 | 250 | 73,040 | 750 | 290 | |
Honduras | 94 | 240 | 10,593,798 | 112,492 | 43,433 | |
Spain | 94 | 240 | 47,519,628 | 506,009 | 195,371 | |
Cambodia | 94 | 240 | 16,944,826 | 181,039 | 69,900 | |
Armenia | 93 | 240 | 2,777,971 | 29,743 | 11,484 | |
Kenya | 93 | 240 | 55,100,587 | 591,958 | 228,556 | |
East Timor | 91 | 240 | 1,360,596 | 14,919 | 5,760 | |
Senegal | 90 | 230 | 17,763,163 | 196,712 | 75,951 | |
Ivory Coast | 90 | 230 | 28,873,034 | 322,462 | 124,503 | |
Burkina Faso | 86 | 220 | 23,251,485 | 270,764 | 104,543 | |
French Polynesia (France) | 84 | 220 | 308,872 | 3,687 | 1,424 | |
Romania | 83 | 210 | 19,892,812 | 238,398 | 92,046 | |
Caribbean Netherlands (NL) | 83 | 210 | 27,148 | 328 | 127 | |
North Macedonia | 81 | 210 | 2,085,679 | 25,713 | 9,928 | |
Wallis and Futuna (France) | 81 | 210 | 11,502 | 142 | 55 | |
Serbia | 81 | 210 | 7,149,077 | 88,444 | 34,148 | |
Myanmar | 81 | 210 | 54,577,997 | 676,577 | 261,228 | |
Samoa | 79 | 200 | 225,681 | 2,842 | 1,097 | |
Brunei | 78 | 200 | 452,524 | 5,765 | 2,226 | |
Greece | 78 | 200 | 10,341,277 | 131,957 | 50,949 | |
Uzbekistan | 78 | 200 | 35,163,944 | 448,969 | 173,348 | |
Lesotho | 77 | 200 | 2,330,318 | 30,355 | 11,720 | |
Tunisia | 76 | 200 | 12,458,223 | 163,610 | 63,170 | |
Ireland | 72 | 190 | 5,056,935 | 69,825 | 26,960 | |
Cook Islands | 72 | 190 | 17,044 | 236 | 91 | |
Tajikistan | 72 | 190 | 10,143,543 | 141,400 | 54,600 | |
Tanzania | 71 | 180 | 67,438,106 | 947,303 | 365,756 | |
Croatia | 71 | 180 | 4,008,617 | 56,594 | 21,851 | |
Ecuador | 71 | 180 | 18,190,484 | 257,215 | 99,311 | |
Eswatini | 70 | 180 | 1,210,822 | 17,363 | 6,704 | |
Mexico | 65 | 170 | 128,455,567 | 1,964,375 | 758,449 | |
Yemen | 65 | 170 | 34,449,825 | 527,968 | 203,850 | |
Afghanistan | 65 | 170 | 42,239,854 | 652,864 | 252,072 | |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 63 | 160 | 3,210,848 | 51,209 | 19,772 | |
Akrotiri and Dhekelia (UK) | 62 | 160 | 15,700 | 254 | 98 | |
Equatorial Guinea | 61 | 160 | 1,714,672 | 28,051 | 10,831 | |
Ukraine | 61 | 160 | 36,744,634 | 603,500 | 233,000 | |
Bulgaria | 61 | 160 | 6,687,717 | 110,372 | 42,615 | |
Cameroon | 60 | 160 | 28,647,293 | 475,650 | 183,650 | |
World (all land excluding Antarctica) | 60 | 160 | 8,045,311,448 | 134,740,000 | 52,020,000 | |
Guinea-Bissau | 60 | 160 | 2,150,842 | 36,125 | 13,948 | |
Panama | 59 | 150 | 4,468,087 | 75,320 | 29,080 | |
Guinea | 58 | 150 | 14,190,612 | 245,836 | 94,918 | |
Norfolk Island (Australia) | 57 | 150 | 2,220 | 39 | 15 | |
Iran | 55 | 140 | 89,172,767 | 1,630,848 | 629,674 | |
Nicaragua | 54 | 140 | 7,046,311 | 130,373 | 50,337 | |
World (all land) | 54 | 140 | 8,045,311,448 | 148,940,000 | 57,510,000 | |
Georgia | 53 | 140 | 3,728,282 | 69,700 | 26,900 | |
Morocco | 53 | 140 | 37,984,655 | 710,850 | 274,460 | |
Madagascar | 52 | 130 | 30,325,732 | 587,041 | 226,658 | |
Fiji | 51 | 130 | 936,376 | 18,272 | 7,055 | |
South Africa | 49 | 130 | 60,414,495 | 1,221,037 | 471,445 | |
Djibouti | 49 | 130 | 1,136,455 | 23,200 | 9,000 | |
Liberia | 49 | 130 | 5,418,377 | 111,369 | 43,000 | |
Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) | 49 | 130 | 46,062 | 948 | 366 | |
Belarus | 46 | 120 | 9,498,238 | 207,600 | 80,200 | |
Colombia | 46 | 120 | 52,695,952 | 1,141,748 | 440,831 | |
Montenegro | 45 | 120 | 626,485 | 13,888 | 5,362 | |
DR Congo | 44 | 110 | 102,262,809 | 2,345,410 | 905,570 | |
Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (UK) | 43 | 110 | 5,314 | 123 | 47 | |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands (Australia) | 43 | 110 | 602 | 14 | 5.4 | |
Zimbabwe | 43 | 110 | 16,665,409 | 390,757 | 150,872 | |
Montserrat (UK) | 43 | 110 | 4,387 | 103 | 40 | |
Mozambique | 42 | 110 | 33,897,354 | 799,380 | 308,640 | |
Lithuania | 42 | 110 | 2,718,352 | 65,286 | 25,207 | |
Palau | 39 | 100 | 18,058 | 459 | 177 | |
Faroe Islands (Denmark) | 38 | 98 | 53,270 | 1,393 | 538 | |
United States | 35 | 91 | 339,996,564 | 9,833,517 | 3,796,742 | |
Kyrgyzstan | 34 | 88 | 6,735,348 | 199,949 | 77,201 | |
Laos | 32 | 83 | 7,633,779 | 236,800 | 91,400 | |
Venezuela | 31 | 80 | 28,838,499 | 929,690 | 358,960 | |
Eritrea | 31 | 80 | 3,748,902 | 121,144 | 46,774 | |
Bahamas | 30 | 78 | 412,624 | 13,940 | 5,380 | |
Angola | 29 | 75 | 36,684,203 | 1,246,700 | 481,400 | |
Somaliland | 29 | 75 | 4,914,100 | 167,283 | 64,588 | |
Estonia | 29 | 75 | 1,322,766 | 45,399 | 17,529 | |
Somalia | 28 | 73 | 18,143,379 | 637,657 | 246,201 | |
Latvia | 28 | 73 | 1,830,212 | 64,594 | 24,940 | |
Abkhazia | 28 | 73 | 245,424 | 8,662 | 3,344 | |
Vanuatu | 27 | 70 | 334,506 | 12,189 | 4,706 | |
Zambia | 27 | 70 | 20,569,738 | 752,612 | 290,585 | |
Sudan | 27 | 70 | 48,109,006 | 1,765,048 | 681,489 | |
Peru | 27 | 70 | 34,352,719 | 1,285,216 | 496,225 | |
Chile | 26 | 67 | 19,629,590 | 756,102 | 291,933 | |
Solomon Islands | 26 | 67 | 740,425 | 28,896 | 11,157 | |
Brazil | 25 | 65 | 216,422,446 | 8,510,346 | 3,285,863 | |
Sweden | 24 | 62 | 10,612,086 | 438,574 | 169,334 | |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon (France) | 24 | 62 | 5,840 | 242 | 93 | |
Papua New Guinea | 22 | 57 | 10,329,931 | 462,840 | 178,700 | |
Niger | 21 | 54 | 27,202,843 | 1,267,000 | 489,000 | |
Bhutan | 21 | 54 | 787,425 | 38,394 | 14,824 | |
Uruguay | 20 | 52 | 3,423,109 | 173,626 | 67,037 | |
New Zealand | 20 | 52 | 5,228,100 | 268,107 | 103,517 | |
Algeria | 19 | 49 | 45,606,481 | 2,381,741 | 919,595 | |
Åland (Finland) | 19 | 49 | 30,237 | 1,583 | 611 | |
Mali | 19 | 49 | 23,293,699 | 1,240,192 | 478,841 | |
Belize | 18 | 47 | 410,825 | 22,965 | 8,867 | |
Congo | 18 | 47 | 6,106,869 | 342,000 | 132,000 | |
South Sudan | 17 | 44 | 11,088,796 | 658,841 | 254,380 | |
Saudi Arabia | 17 | 44 | 36,947,025 | 2,206,714 | 852,017 | |
Finland | 16 | 41 | 5,545,475 | 336,884 | 130,072 | |
Argentina | 16 | 41 | 45,773,884 | 2,796,427 | 1,079,707 | |
South Ossetia | 16 | 41 | 57,095 | 3,632 | 1,402 | |
New Caledonia (France) | 15 | 39 | 292,991 | 19,100 | 7,400 | |
Paraguay | 15 | 39 | 6,109,644 | 406,752 | 157,048 | |
Oman | 15 | 39 | 4,644,384 | 309,980 | 119,680 | |
Chad | 14 | 36 | 18,278,568 | 1,284,000 | 496,000 | |
Norway | 14 | 36 | 5,474,360 | 385,207 | 148,729 | |
Turkmenistan | 13 | 34 | 6,516,100 | 488,100 | 188,500 | |
Christmas Island (Australia) | 12 | 31 | 1,692 | 136 | 53 | |
Bolivia | 11 | 28 | 12,388,571 | 1,098,581 | 424,164 | |
Central African Republic | 9 | 23 | 5,742,316 | 622,984 | 240,535 | |
Gabon | 9 | 23 | 2,436,567 | 267,668 | 103,347 | |
Russia | 8 | 21 | 144,444,359 | 17,098,246 | 6,601,670 | |
Niue | 7 | 18 | 1,935 | 260 | 100 | |
Kazakhstan | 7 | 18 | 19,606,634 | 2,724,902 | 1,052,091 | |
Mauritania | 5 | 13 | 4,862,989 | 1,030,700 | 398,000 | |
Botswana | 5 | 13 | 2,675,353 | 582,000 | 225,000 | |
Libya | 4 | 10 | 6,888,388 | 1,676,198 | 647,184 | |
Canada | 4 | 10 | 38,781,292 | 9,984,670 | 3,855,100 | |
Suriname | 4 | 10 | 623,237 | 163,820 | 63,250 | |
Guyana | 4 | 10 | 813,834 | 214,969 | 83,000 | |
French Guiana (France) | 4 | 10 | 312,155 | 83,534 | 32,253 | |
Iceland | 4 | 10 | 375,319 | 103,000 | 40,000 | |
Australia | 3 | 7.8 | 26,439,112 | 7,692,024 | 2,969,907 | |
Namibia | 3 | 7.8 | 2,604,172 | 825,229 | 318,623 | |
Western Sahara | 2 | 5.2 | 587,259 | 266,000 | 103,000 | |
Mongolia | 2 | 5.2 | 3,447,157 | 1,564,116 | 603,909 | |
Pitcairn Islands (UK) | 0.9 | 2.3 | 40 | 47 | 18 | |
Falkland Islands (UK) | 0.3 | 0.78 | 3,791 | 12,173 | 4,700 | |
Greenland (Denmark) | 0.03 | 0.078 | 56,643 | 2,166,086 | 836,330 |
Israel claims it no longer occupies the Gaza Strip, maintaining that it is neither a State nor a territory occupied or controlled by Israel, but rather it has 'sui generis' status. Pursuant to the Disengagement Plan, Israel dismantled all military institutions and settlements in Gaza and there is no longer a permanent Israeli military or civilian presence in the territory. However, the Plan also provided that Israel will guard and monitor the external land perimeter of the Gaza Strip, will continue to maintain exclusive authority in Gaza air space, and will continue to exercise security activity in the sea off the coast of the Gaza Strip as well as maintaining an Israeli military presence on the Egyptian-Gaza border, and reserving the right to reenter Gaza at will. Israel continues to control six of Gaza's seven land crossings, its maritime borders and airspace and the movement of goods and persons in and out of the territory. Egypt controls one of Gaza's land crossings. Gaza is also dependent on Israel for water, electricity, telecommunications and other utilities, currency, issuing IDs, and permits to enter and leave the territory. Israel also has sole control of the Palestinian Population Registry through which the Israeli Army regulates who is classified as a Palestinian and who is a Gazan or West Banker. Since 2000 aside from a limited number of exceptions Israel has refused to add people to the Palestinian Population Registry. It is this direct external control over Gaza and indirect control over life within Gaza that has led the United Nations, the UN General Assembly, the UN Fact Finding Mission to Gaza, International human rights organisations, US Government websites, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and a significant number of legal commentators, to reject the argument that Gaza is no longer occupied.
Even after the accession to power of Hamas, Israel's claim that it no longer occupies Gaza has not been accepted by UN bodies, most States, nor the majority of academic commentators because of its exclusive control of its border with Gaza and crossing points including the effective control it exerted over the Rafah crossing until at least May 2011, its control of Gaza's maritime zones and airspace which constitute what Aronson terms the 'security envelope' around Gaza, as well as its ability to intervene forcibly at will in Gaza.
While Israel withdrew from the immediate territory, it remained in control of all access to and from Gaza through the border crossings, as well as through the coastline and the airspace. In addition, Gaza was dependent upon Israel for water, electricity sewage communication networks and for its trade (Gisha 2007. Dowty 2008). In other words, while Israel maintained that its occupation of Gaza ended with its unilateral disengagement Palestinians – as well as many human rights organizations and international bodies – argued that Gaza was by all intents and purposes still occupied.