Published on 6 November 2024

Population

Nine million people live in Switzerland – three times as many as at the beginning of the 20th century. One reason for this is the country's high level of immigration. At the same time, the Swiss population is becoming increasingly older, enjoying one of the highest life expectancies in the world. People from rural areas are increasingly moving to urban centres.

People crossing a street.

More and more people now live in Switzerland. In the past 100 years, the population has more than doubled, with much of the increase due to immigration. The country has one of the highest proportions of foreign residents in Europe, at 27%. This further reinforces the multicultural character of Switzerland.

However, growing numbers of Swiss people are also moving abroad: over 10% of the Swiss population now live outside Switzerland. The majority of the Swiss population now live in cities and their surrounding areas.

Infographic with key figures on the Swiss population, such as population size, life expectancy, and foreign nationals.

Population – facts and figures

  • Switzerland's population increased 2.7-fold between 1900 and 2023.
  • In recent years, the population has grown by an average of 0.7% annually.
  • Switzerland is one of the European countries with the highest proportion of foreign nationals. Currently over 2 million foreign nationals reside in Switzerland, which corresponds to one quarter of the total population.
  • 85% of Switzerland's population today live in cities. In 1930 it was only one third.
  • The Swiss population became markedly older over the course of the 20th century. Today, one fifth of the population is of retirement age.
  • Women slightly outnumber men, accounting for 50.3% of the total population.
  • Women in Switzerland have 1.3 children on average and are over 30 years old when their first child is born. Most mothers have two children.
  • Switzerland has one of the highest life expectancies in the world: 82 years for men and 85 years for women.
  • Swiss people marry 6 years later now than in 1970. Women are on average 30 and men 32 when they marry for the first time.

For more on this see

The city of Zurich with Lake Zurich and the Alps in the background.

18 March 2021

Urban and rural areas

Most of the Swiss population live relatively close together in the Central Plateau, with the five largest metropolitan areas accounting for almost half of the total population.

More about «Urban and rural areas»
Alphorn concert and flag swinging with the audience in the park.

30 June 2023

Emigration and immigration

Switzerland is a country of immigration, but many Swiss people also move abroad.

More about «Emigration and immigration»