Urban population share — all countries

Urban population share — Switzerland

Urban population share in Switzerland in 2025 — 85.7%. Ranked 45 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 34.7 pp.

2025 85.7% +0.3 pp vs 2024
World rank 45of 217
Period maximum 85.7%2025
Period minimum 51%1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Urban population share — Switzerland, 1960–2025506070809019601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 51%1962: 52.4%1964: 53.7%1966: 55.1%1968: 56.3%1970: 57.4%1972: 58.3%1974: 59.1%1976: 59.7%1978: 60.4%1980: 61.3%1982: 62.4%1984: 64%1986: 65.6%1988: 67.3%1990: 68.7%1992: 69.8%1994: 71%1996: 72%1998: 72.9%2000: 73.3%2002: 73.4%2004: 73.5%2006: 73.5%2008: 73.5%2010: 73.6%2012: 73.8%2014: 74.7%2016: 76.7%2018: 79.3%2020: 82.3%2022: 84.9%2024: 85.5%2025: 85.7%
Change over the period: +34.7 pp Annual average: 0.53 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Switzerland

Switzerland 85.7%
World 57.8%
Western Europe computed 82.2%
High-income countries computed 80.3%
Urban population share — Switzerland, by year Switzerland All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 85.7 +0.3 pp
2024 85.5 +0.3 pp
2023 85.2 +0.3 pp
2022 84.9 +0.7 pp
2021 84.2 +1.9 pp
2020 82.3 +1.6 pp
2019 80.8 +1.5 pp
2018 79.3 +1.4 pp
2017 77.9 +1.2 pp
2016 76.7 +1.1 pp
2015 75.6 +0.9 pp
2014 74.7 +0.6 pp
2013 74.1 +0.4 pp
2012 73.8 +0.1 pp
2011 73.7 +0 pp
2010 73.6 +0 pp
2009 73.6 +0 pp
2008 73.5 +0 pp
2007 73.5 +0 pp
2006 73.5 +0 pp
2005 73.5 +0 pp
2004 73.5 +0 pp
2003 73.5 +0 pp
2002 73.4 +0 pp
2001 73.4 +0.1 pp
2000 73.3 +0.2 pp
1999 73.1 +0.3 pp
1998 72.9 +0.4 pp
1997 72.5 +0.4 pp
1996 72 +0.5 pp
1995 71.5 +0.5 pp
1994 71 +0.6 pp
1993 70.4 +0.6 pp
1992 69.8 +0.6 pp
1991 69.2 +0.6 pp
1990 68.7 +0.6 pp
1989 68 +0.7 pp
1988 67.3 +0.8 pp
1987 66.5 +0.8 pp
1986 65.6 +0.8 pp
1985 64.8 +0.8 pp
1984 64 +0.8 pp
1983 63.2 +0.7 pp
1982 62.4 +0.6 pp
1981 61.8 +0.5 pp
1980 61.3 +0.5 pp
1979 60.8 +0.4 pp
1978 60.4 +0.4 pp
1977 60.1 +0.3 pp
1976 59.7 +0.3 pp
1975 59.4 +0.3 pp
1974 59.1 +0.4 pp
1973 58.7 +0.4 pp
1972 58.3 +0.4 pp
1971 57.9 +0.5 pp
1970 57.4 +0.5 pp
1969 56.9 +0.6 pp
1968 56.3 +0.6 pp
1967 55.7 +0.6 pp
1966 55.1 +0.7 pp
1965 54.4 +0.7 pp
1964 53.7 +0.7 pp
1963 53 +0.7 pp
1962 52.4 +0.7 pp
1961 51.7 +0.7 pp
1960 51

Western Europe, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

About the indicator

The share of population living in urban settlements, as a percent of the total. One caveat is central: each country sets the criteria for a city itself — in some places it is a settlement of 2,000 residents or more, in others 20,000, in others administrative status. Cross-country comparisons of urbanization are therefore always approximate, while the trend within a single country is informative.

Important: Sharp jumps in individual years are usually explained not by people moving but by changes in the administrative boundaries of cities.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.