Population growth in Switzerland 2023

This statistic shows the growth of Switzerland's population from 2013 to 2023, in comparison to the previous year. In 2023, Switzerland's population grew by approximately 0.84 percent compared to the previous year. See Switzerland's population figures for comparison.

The Swiss population

The Swiss population has been growing at a steady rate for the past few years; in general the country has experienced around a one percent population growth rate since the 1970s. Between 2004 and 2007, population growth was slightly below one percent, but has rebounded since then. This growth is supported by immigration, as the fertility rate is well below the replacement rate.

The country’s strong and stable economy and the free movement of people within the European Union has helped attract foreigners. In 2015, the population of Switzerland was around 8.25 million and its foreign-born population amounted to 2.26 million people that same year, meaning that around 1 out of every four people in Switzerland are of foreign origin.

But even if you are born in Switzerland, you are not automatically granted Swiss nationality, and many people who are of “foreign” origin were actually born in Switzerland but keep the nationality of their parents or do not go through what can be a lengthy process to obtain Swiss nationality.

Another characteristic of the Swiss population is that Swiss people are getting older. Due to its high standard of living, Switzerland has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, and the median age of the population is now estimated at 42.3 years.