Culture
Major languages include German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, and more.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Switzerland
EuropeGlobal Leader
With a global ranking of #2, Switzerland leads in human development index. Test your knowledge of this global leader.
With a global ranking of #2, Switzerland leads in human development index. Few places match this level of performance. Test your knowledge of this global leader.
47.0, 8.0 - Europe
Area
41K km²
Pop.
8.93M
Stats
179
Reality brief
Switzerland is a country in Europe with a population of 8.93M and an area of 41,284 km². Life expectancy is 84.1 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
Human Development Index
0.97#2globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Life Expectancy
84.1 years#6globally
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
GDP Per Capita
$82,026.41#8globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$94,115.82#8globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Satisfaction
7.8 pts#5globally
Average self-reported life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Switzerland
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Identity
Formal name: Swiss Confederation.
CIA 2026
Curated stat
Switzerland sits near the top of global GDP-per-person tables.
Cities
Cities in Switzerland
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Safety at Night
87.5% feeling safe at night#2globallyTop stat
Share of people who feel safe walking alone at night, from OECD How's Life / Well-Being.
R&D Spending (% GDP)
3.3% of GDP#7globallyTop stat
Research and development spending as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Health Spending (% GDP)
11.71% of GDP#13globallyTop stat
Current health expenditure as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Lowest Elevation
195 m#17globallyTop stat
Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Internet Users (%)
97%#20globallyTop stat
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #195 in fdi inflows (% gdp)
#195-9.93% of GDPFDI Inflows (% GDP)
Foreign direct investment net inflows as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Only ranks #208 in teen birth rate
#2081.5 per 1kTeen Birth Rate
The number of births per 1,000 women aged 15-19.
Ranks #19 globally in doctors (per 1,000)
#194.5 per 1kDoctors (per 1,000)
The number of doctors per 1,000 people.
Ranks #8 globally in renewable energy (%)
#839.87%Renewable Energy (%)
Share of final energy consumption supplied by renewable energy, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Ranks #22 globally in electricity access (%)
#22100%Electricity Access (%)
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
Compared with the region
How Switzerland Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Switzerland
Europe avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $94,115.82
- Region avg
- $57,483.02
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Switzerlan…$94,115.82
Europe$57,483.02
World$31,844.55
+196% above worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 84.1 years
- Region avg
- 80.0 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Switzerlan…84.1 years
Europe80.0 years
World73.7 years
+14% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.97
- Region avg
- 0.89
- World avg
- 0.74
Switzerlan…0.97
Europe0.89
World0.74
+31% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 97%
- Region avg
- 90.13%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Switzerlan…97%
Europe90.13%
World70.29%
+38% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Switzerland
Country briefing
The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons.
Read the full Factbook note
The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half-century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
- Climate
- temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
- Terrain
- mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
- Natural Resources
- hydropower potential, timber, salt
- Natural Hazards
- avalanches, landslides; flash floods
- Size Comparison
- slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
People & Culture4 facts
- Languages
- German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9% (2019 est.)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.)
- Major Cities
- 1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)
Government & History10 facts
- Government Type
- federal republic (formally a confederation)
- Capital
- Bern
- Capital Coordinates
- 46 55 N, 7 28 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Swiss Confederation
- Name Origin
- name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Swiss Confederacy formed in the late 13th century
- Independence
- 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
- National Symbols
- Swiss cross (white cross on red field)
- National Anthem
- the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- high-income, non-EU European economy; top ten in GDP per capita; renowned banking and financial hub; low unemployment and inflation; slowed GDP growth post-pandemic; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; leader in innovation and competitiveness indices
- Industries
- machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals
- Agricultural Products
- milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, pork, apples, barley, beef, maize, grapes (2023)
- Export Partners
- Germany 14%, China 12%, USA 11%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds, base metal watches (2023)
- Import Partners
- Germany 17%, USA 9%, Italy 8%, France 6%, China 5% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars, jewelry (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (2025)
- Military Service
- every Swiss man 18-30 is obligated to serve in the military or the alternative civilian service; women can serve on a voluntary basis; required military service is 245 days, including 18-21 weeks of basic training generally between the ages of 19-25, followed by six three-week recalls for refresher training over the following nine years; the system offers opportunities for conscripts to train as non-commissioned and commissioned officers in the militia with longer service commitments (2026)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); nuclear: 34.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- publicly owned Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) has 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; German, Italian, and French TV broadcasts widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV; SRG/SSR has 17 radio stations (2019)
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Education & Future7 statsBest: #1
Society & Equality6 statsBest: #2
Wealth & Economy13 statsBest: #6
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
GDP (Nominal)
High-Tech Exports (%)
Employment Rate (%)
Gender Pay Gap (%)
Long-Term Unemployment
Unemployment Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
GDP Growth Rate
Inflation Rate
Government Debt (% GDP)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #6
Life Expectancy
Health Spending (% GDP)
Doctors (per 1,000)
Suicide Rate
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Smoking Rate
Obesity Rate
Infant Mortality
Child Mortality
Environment9 statsBest: #8
Renewable Energy (%)
Electricity Access (%)
Total CO2 Emissions
CO2 Per Capita
Forest Coverage (%)
Irrigated Land
494 km²#111
Forest Area
Protected Land (%)
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Energy2 statsBest: #10
Electric Generating Capacity
26.50M kW#42
Nuclear Electricity Share
32.4%#10
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #17
Lowest Elevation
195 m#17
Highest Elevation
4.6K m#33
Land Border Length
1.8K km#98
Coastline Length
0 km#207
Technology3 statsBest: #20
Lifestyle4 statsBest: #27
Demographics12 statsBest: #34
Elderly Population (%)
Median Age
Urban Population (%)
Population Density
Death Rate
Population
Dependency Ratio
Land Area
Fertility Rate
Birth Rate
Youth Population (%)
Teen Birth Rate
Infrastructure3 statsBest: #36
Keep exploring
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Switzerland
#2 in Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Top 5% globally
0.97
Frequently Asked Questions about Switzerland
What is the population of Switzerland?
Switzerland has a population of 8.93M, ranking #102 globally by population.
What continent is Switzerland in?
Switzerland is located in Europe. It has an area of 41,284 km².
What is the life expectancy in Switzerland?
Life expectancy in Switzerland is 84.1 years, ranking #6 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Switzerland?
Switzerland's GDP per capita (PPP) is $94,115.82, ranking #8 globally.
What is Switzerland known for in global statistics?
Switzerland ranks particularly high in Human Development Index (#2), Life Expectancy (#6), Life Expectancy (#9).
What is Switzerland's Human Development Index?
Switzerland has an HDI of 0.970, ranking #2 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Switzerland?
Switzerland has a population density of 225.0 people per km², ranking #60 globally.