Share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland
Switzerland: Share of population living in the capital city was 2.3% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland stood at 2.3%. That is the lowest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of down 8.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland peaked at 3.1% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 2.3%, in 2020.
Switzerland ranks 160th of 170 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2.9% | — |
| 1955 | 2.9% | -1.1% |
| 1960 | 2.8% | -1.1% |
| 1965 | 2.9% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 3.0% | +3.0% |
| 1975 | 2.9% | -0.4% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | -2.5% |
| 1985 | 3.0% | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | +3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.8% | -7.6% |
| 2000 | 2.7% | -6.9% |
| 2005 | 2.6% | -3.0% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -3.7% |
| 2015 | 2.4% | -4.8% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -3.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 1960s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.9% | 2 |
| 1970s | 3.0% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 3.0% | 2 |
| 1990s | 3.0% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2 |
| 2000s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Switzerland
- 157 New Zealand 2.9% compare
- 158 South Africa 2.8% compare
- 159 Lao People's Democratic Republic 2.5% compare
- 161 India 2.1% compare
- 162 Pakistan 1.9% compare
- 163 Canada 1.5% compare
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 share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland?
- Share of population living in the capital city in Switzerland was 2.3% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Switzerland?
- The highest recorded value was 3.1% in 1990.
- What is the lowest share of population living in the capital city recorded in Switzerland?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.3% in 2020.
- How does Switzerland rank for share of population living in the capital city?
- Switzerland ranks 160th out of 170 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in the capital city rising or falling in Switzerland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Switzerland data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in the capital city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the total population living in the country's capital city. City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.