Although there were 8,200 (12.1%) more deaths than the year before and fewer births, net migration caused the population to increase, provisional figures from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) revealed on TuesdayExternal link.
More precisely, there was a significant decrease in people leaving Switzerland. Overall, 56,000 more people came to Switzerland than left, but compared with 2019 both immigration and emigration decreased, by 3.9% and 15.6% respectively.
The large increase in deaths was related to the Covid-19 pandemic, the FSO said. Deaths of men increased more than those of women, at 14.6% and 9.9% respectively.
No reliable statement can yet be made about the impact of the pandemic on the birth rate, the FSO said. The number of births fell slightly from 86,200 in 2019 to 85,500. Of these, almost three-quarters (72.4%) were to married parents. The average number of children per woman was 1.46.
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New cash bonus for babies born south of the Swiss Alps
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In an effort to boost the local birthrate, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland is introducing a CHF3,000 ($3,032) bonus for having a child.
The birth surplus – the difference between births and deaths – practically halved compared with the previous year, from 18,400 to 9,500 people. This decline was mainly due to the increase in deaths, according to the statistical office.
“This means that the birth surplus is at its lowest level since 2004,” it noted. “In cantons Ticino, Bern, Basel Country, Basel City, Neuchâtel, Graubünden, Jura, Schaffhausen and Glarus, the birth surplus was even negative: more people died than children were born.”
Fewer marriages and divorces occurred in 2020, which was “probably related to the Covid-19 pandemic”.
There were 34,900 marriages, down 10.4%. While 5.2% fewer Swiss nationals tied the knot, foreign or mixed-national couples said yes 15% and 15.6% less often.
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Unused Covid coffins overwhelm undertakers
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Funeral directors who stocked up on coffins now have hundreds of excess caskets on their hands.
High-net-worth individuals prioritise well-being over material possessions
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The priorities of wealthy private individuals have shifted against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions and trade disputes. While spending on luxury goods is declining, demand for travel and experiences is unabated.
Swiss researchers sequence genome of 1918 Spanish flu virus
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Researchers from the Universities of Basel and Zurich (UZH) have sequenced the genome of the Spanish flu virus, thanks to a sample taken from an 18-year-old Swiss boy who died in the city on the Limmat in 1918, when the pandemic spread around the world.
Swiss martyr beatified in Barcelona by Catholic Church
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François-Benjamin May (1870-1909), a member of the Marist Brothers congregation, has been recognised as a 'blessed' by the Catholic Church.
Prevention and tech could help save billions on Swiss healthcare costs, says Deloitte
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By focusing on prevention and technology, it would be possible to reduce Switzerland's healthcare bill by CHF30 billion a year by 2040, according to Deloitte Switzerland.
Environment director warns of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland
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The director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) has warned of increasing climate-related risks in Switzerland in an interview with SonntagsBlick on Sunday.
Gotthard traffic queue hits 11km at start of holiday season
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The start of the summer holidays saw a long traffic jam in front of the Gotthard tunnel on Saturday. Traffic jams between Erstfeld and Göschenen in canton Uri were up to 11 kilometres long early in the morning.
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