Population growth rate in Switzerland
Switzerland: Population growth rate was 0.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Population growth rate in Switzerland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Switzerland recorded 0.6% for population growth rate in 2023.
The figure is down 46.4% on the previous year and down 49.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Switzerland peaked at 2.7% in 1961 and was at its lowest, -0.6%, in 1976.
Switzerland ranks 137th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth rate in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.0% | — |
| 1951 | 1.3% | +24.4% |
| 1952 | 1.4% | +4.3% |
| 1953 | 1.3% | -5.1% |
| 1954 | 1.3% | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 1.3% | -1.3% |
| 1956 | 1.3% | -0.7% |
| 1957 | 1.3% | +1.4% |
| 1958 | 1.3% | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 1.2% | -3.6% |
| 1960 | 1.2% | -3.0% |
| 1961 | 2.7% | +125.7% |
| 1962 | 2.3% | -14.0% |
| 1963 | 1.9% | -17.7% |
| 1964 | 1.4% | -28.6% |
| 1965 | 0.9% | -32.4% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | +23.9% |
| 1967 | 1.3% | +14.2% |
| 1968 | 1.2% | -9.2% |
| 1969 | 1.1% | -12.1% |
| 1970 | 0.4% | -62.4% |
| 1971 | 0.7% | +65.7% |
| 1972 | 0.9% | +32.3% |
| 1973 | 0.6% | -30.1% |
| 1974 | 0.5% | -22.9% |
| 1975 | -0.6% | -218.8% |
| 1976 | -0.6% | +5.2% |
| 1977 | -0.1% | -85.0% |
| 1978 | 0.1% | -225.0% |
| 1979 | 0.3% | +166.4% |
| 1980 | 0.5% | +71.7% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | +17.7% |
| 1982 | 0.6% | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 0.3% | -51.0% |
| 1984 | 0.4% | +54.1% |
| 1985 | 0.4% | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 0.6% | +32.4% |
| 1987 | 0.7% | +12.0% |
| 1988 | 0.8% | +21.7% |
| 1989 | 0.8% | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 1.1% | +40.9% |
| 1991 | 1.3% | +16.7% |
| 1992 | 1.0% | -28.7% |
| 1993 | 0.9% | -8.2% |
| 1994 | 0.7% | -17.7% |
| 1995 | 0.6% | -14.0% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -55.8% |
| 1997 | 0.2% | -21.2% |
| 1998 | 0.4% | +76.7% |
| 1999 | 0.6% | +49.7% |
| 2000 | 0.5% | -4.2% |
| 2001 | 0.6% | +15.8% |
| 2002 | 0.8% | +28.7% |
| 2003 | 0.7% | -15.5% |
| 2004 | 0.7% | +1.0% |
| 2005 | 0.6% | -14.4% |
| 2006 | 0.7% | +11.1% |
| 2007 | 1.1% | +69.8% |
| 2008 | 1.4% | +26.6% |
| 2009 | 1.1% | -23.8% |
| 2010 | 1.2% | +9.6% |
| 2011 | 1.1% | -9.7% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -1.1% |
| 2013 | 1.2% | +16.9% |
| 2014 | 1.2% | -3.2% |
| 2015 | 1.1% | -9.9% |
| 2016 | 1.1% | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 0.8% | -30.6% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -7.3% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 0.7% | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 2022 | 1.2% | +46.8% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | -46.4% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 0.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 1.3× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 0.6% is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.1%, 8.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate in Switzerland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +225.0% | -0.1% | 0.1% |
| 1975 | -218.8% | 0.5% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | +166.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.3% | 1.0% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.5% | 0.9% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2% | -0.6% | 0.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.6% | 0.3% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | 0.2% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.5% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.0% | 0.7% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8% | 0.6% | 1.2% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More population data for Switzerland
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.0595 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 9,754 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4828 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1371 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Population density 230.99 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 392,499 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth rate in Switzerland?
- Population growth rate in Switzerland was 0.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population growth rate recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 2.7% in 1961.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6% in 1976.
- How does Switzerland rank for population growth rate?
- Switzerland ranks 137th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.