Population in Switzerland
Switzerland: Population was 8.87 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Population in Switzerland, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population in Switzerland is 8.87 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 9.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in Switzerland peaked at 8.87 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 4.69 million people, in 1950.
Switzerland ranks 100th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Population in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 4.69 million people | — |
| 1951 | 4.75 million people | +1.2% |
| 1952 | 4.81 million people | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 4.88 million people | +1.3% |
| 1954 | 4.94 million people | +1.3% |
| 1955 | 5.00 million people | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 5.07 million people | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 5.13 million people | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 5.20 million people | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 5.26 million people | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 5.33 million people | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 5.43 million people | +2.0% |
| 1962 | 5.57 million people | +2.6% |
| 1963 | 5.69 million people | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 5.79 million people | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 5.86 million people | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 5.92 million people | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 5.99 million people | +1.2% |
| 1968 | 6.07 million people | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 6.14 million people | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 6.18 million people | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 6.21 million people | +0.5% |
| 1972 | 6.26 million people | +0.8% |
| 1973 | 6.31 million people | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 6.34 million people | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 6.34 million people | -0.0% |
| 1976 | 6.30 million people | -0.6% |
| 1977 | 6.28 million people | -0.3% |
| 1978 | 6.28 million people | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 6.29 million people | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 6.32 million people | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 6.35 million people | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 6.39 million people | +0.6% |
| 1983 | 6.42 million people | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 6.44 million people | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 6.47 million people | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 6.50 million people | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 6.55 million people | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 6.59 million people | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 6.65 million people | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 6.71 million people | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 6.80 million people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 6.88 million people | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 6.94 million people | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 6.99 million people | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 7.04 million people | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 7.07 million people | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 7.09 million people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 7.11 million people | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 7.14 million people | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 7.18 million people | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 7.23 million people | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 7.28 million people | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 7.33 million people | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.38 million people | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 7.43 million people | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 7.48 million people | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 7.55 million people | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 7.64 million people | +1.3% |
| 2009 | 7.74 million people | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 7.83 million people | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 7.91 million people | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 8.00 million people | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 8.09 million people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 8.19 million people | +1.2% |
| 2015 | 8.28 million people | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 8.37 million people | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 8.45 million people | +0.9% |
| 2018 | 8.52 million people | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 8.58 million people | +0.7% |
| 2020 | 8.64 million people | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 8.71 million people | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 8.79 million people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 8.87 million people | +0.9% |
Switzerland compared with similar countries
- Switzerland's 8.87 million people is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.98 million people, 3.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Switzerland's 8.87 million people is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.36 million people, 1.4× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.97 million people | 4.69 million people | 5.26 million people | 10 |
| 1960s | 5.78 million people | 5.33 million people | 6.14 million people | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.28 million people | 6.18 million people | 6.34 million people | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.47 million people | 6.32 million people | 6.65 million people | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.98 million people | 6.71 million people | 7.14 million people | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.42 million people | 7.18 million people | 7.74 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 8.22 million people | 7.83 million people | 8.58 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.75 million people | 8.64 million people | 8.87 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
More population data for Switzerland
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.2093 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.0652 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.0% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 392,499 people (2100)
- Population density 230.99 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.0% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.1371 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4828 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in Switzerland?
- Population in Switzerland was 8.87 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 8.87 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest population recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.69 million people in 1950.
- How does Switzerland rank for population?
- Switzerland ranks 100th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown.