Number of Swiss around the world grew by 1.6% in 2024
More and more Swiss people live abroad
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Listening: Number of Swiss around the world grew by 1.6% in 2024
Last year, 13,300 Swiss citizens moved abroad, taking the total number of Swiss Abroad to 826,700 (+1.6%). Three-quarters have more than one nationality, new figures show.
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Toujours plus de Suisses vivent à l’étranger
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In all, 64% of Swiss Abroad live in Europe. The largest communities are in France (212,100), Germany (101,000), Italy (52,600), the UK (40,900) and Spain (27,300), according to a survey by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) published on Friday.
Some 296,200 Swiss nationals live in other parts of the world: 16% in North America, 7% in Latin America and the Caribbean, 7% in Asia, 4% in Oceania and 2% in Africa.
The largest Swiss community outside Europe is in the United States, where there are 84,700 Swiss nationals. Canada and Australia come second and third, respectively.
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The Swiss Abroad in nine charts
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The number of Swiss people living abroad continues to increase. Five charts explain their characteristics and geographic distribution.
Looking at a break-down by age, 21% are under 18, 55% are aged 18-64 and 24% are over 65. Compared to 2023, the number of Swiss abroad has increased in all age groups.
Among the countries with large Swiss communities, Thailand (43%), Portugal (36%), South Africa (33%) and Spain (33%) stand out with a high proportion of pensionsers, notes the FSO.
Various nationalities
Three-quarters of Swiss Abroad have at least one additional nationality. The proportion of Swiss with multiple nationalities is highest in Latin America and the Caribbean (84%), Oceania (81%) and North America (79%).
Argentina and Chile have the highest proportions, at 95% and 92%, respectively. The proportion of Swiss nationals with more than one nationality is particularly low in Asia and Africa. In Thailand, for example, the proportion is 37%.
Overall, the proportion of Swiss citizens with multiple nationalities living abroad is highest among the under-18s (85%), followed by the 18-64 age group (75%) and the 65+ age group (65%).
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Translated from French by DeepL/sb
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