8.7 million people live in Switzerland – twice 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.

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• Switzerland's population increased 2.7-fold between 1900 and 2022.
• 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 50.4% of the total population.
• Women in Switzerland have 1.5 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 86 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.