Editing Switzerland (section)

==Demographics==
{{Main|Demographics of Switzerland|Swiss people|Crime in Switzerland}}
{{Further|List of Swiss people}}<!-- Needs info on age and sex profile --> 
[[File:Bevölkerungsdichte der Schweiz 2019.png|thumb|Population density in Switzerland (2019)]]
[[File:Ausländeranteil der Schweiz 2019.png|thumb|Percentage of foreigners in Switzerland (2019)]]
{{bar box
|float=right
|title=Resident population (age 15+) by migration status (2012/2021)<ref>{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=Entwicklung der Bevölkerung nach Migrationsstatus |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home.assetdetail.23245587.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013104704/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home.assetdetail.23245587.html |archive-date=13 October 2022 |access-date=10 October 2022 |publisher=[[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Statistical Office]] |language=de, fr, it |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref>
|titlebar=#AAF
|left1={{small|'''Migration status'''}}
|left2={{small|'''Year'''}}
|right1={{small|'''pct.'''}}
|right2={{small|'''Change'''}}
|width=400px
|bars=
{{bar percent 2|Without migration background|2021|Orange|59|2012|#FED8B1|65|-6%}}
{{bar percent 2|[[Immigrant generations#First generation|Immigrants: First Generation]]|2021|#6BA4B8|31|2012|LightBlue|28|+3%}}
{{bar percent 2|[[Immigrant generations#Second generation|Immigrants: Second Generation]]|2021|#29AB87|8|2012|LightGreen|7|+1%}}
{{bar percent 2|Migration status unknown|2021|Grey|1|2012|LightGrey|0|+1%}}
}}
In common with other developed countries, the Swiss population increased rapidly during the industrial era, quadrupling between 1800 and 1990, and it has continued to grow.

The population is about 9 million (2023 est.).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Current situation and change |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/stand-entwicklung.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210711170449/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/stand-entwicklung.html |archive-date=11 July 2021 |access-date=15 July 2021 |website=Federal Statistical Office |language=en}}</ref> Population growth is projected to continue to 2035, due mostly to immigration. Like most of Europe, Switzerland faces an [[aging population|ageing population]], with a fertility rate close to [[Replacement fertility rate|replacement level]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Swiss population to grow 12.5 per cent by 2035 |date=29 March 2011 |url=http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-population-to-grow-12.5-per-cent-by-2035/29879180 |work=SWI |access-date=23 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160725184243/http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss-population-to-grow-12.5-per-cent-by-2035/29879180 |url-status=live |archive-date=25 July 2016}}</ref> Switzerland has one of the world's oldest populations, with an average age of 44.5 years.<ref name="WorldFactbook">{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/switzerland/ |title=Switzerland |date= |orig-date=last updated 23 October 2024 |website=[[The World Factbook]] |publisher=[[Central Intelligence Agency]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030212622/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/switzerland/ |archive-date=2024-10-30}}</ref>

According to the [[World Factbook]], ethnic groups in Switzerland are as follows: 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).<ref name="WorldFactbook" /> The [[Council of Europe]] figures suggest a population of around 30,000 [[Romani people]] in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://minorityrights.org/country/switzerland/#:~:text=Switzerland%20has%20a%20high%20proportion,Montenegrins%20(106%2C900)%20and%20others.|title=Switzerland|date=2 November 2023|access-date=10 May 2024|archive-date=4 May 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230504081621/https://minorityrights.org/country/switzerland/#:~:text=Switzerland%20has%20a%20high%20proportion,Montenegrins%20(106%2C900)%20and%20others.|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Immigration===
{{main|Immigration to Switzerland}}
In 2023, resident foreigners made up 26.3% of Switzerland's population.<ref name="20min.ch"/> Most of these (83%) were from European countries. Italy provided the largest single group of foreigners, providing 14.7% of total foreign population, followed closely by Germany (14.0%), Portugal (11.7%), France (6.6%), Kosovo (5.1%), Spain (3.9%), Turkey (3.1%), [[North Macedonia]] (3.1%), Serbia (2.8%), Austria (2.0%), United Kingdom (1.9%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1.3%) and Croatia (1.3%). Immigrants from [[Sri Lanka]] (1.3%), most of them former [[Sri Lankan Tamil|Tamil]] refugees, were the largest group of Asian origin (7.9%).<ref>{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=Ständige ausländische Wohnbevölkerung nach Staatsangehörigkeit, 1980–2020 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/population/migration-integration/foreign.assetdetail.18344247.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220808101002/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/en/home/statistics/population/migration-integration/foreign.assetdetail.18344247.html |archive-date=8 August 2022 |access-date=8 August 2022 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office |format=XLSX |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref>

2021 figures show that 39.5% (compared to 34.7% in 2012) of the permanent resident population aged 15 or over (around 2.89&nbsp;million), had an immigrant background. 38% of the population with an immigrant background (1.1&nbsp;million) held Swiss citizenship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Migration and integration – Data, indicators, Nationality, Population with an immigration background, Permanent resident population aged 15 or over, by migration status, 2nd quarter 2012 |url=http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/01/07/blank/key/04.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115195408/http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen/01/07/blank/key/04.html |archive-date=15 November 2013 |access-date=22 December 2013 |website=www.bfs.admin.ch |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office, 2013 |language=en, de, fr, it |type=Statistics |location=Neuchâtel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=Bevölkerung mit Migrationshintergrund im Jahr 2021 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home.gnpdetail.2022-0549.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221013104700/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home.gnpdetail.2022-0549.html |archive-date=13 October 2022 |access-date=10 October 2022 |publisher=[[Federal Statistical Office (Switzerland)|Swiss Federal Statistical Office]] |language=de, fr, it |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref>

In the 2000s, domestic and international institutions expressed concern about what was perceived as an increase in [[xenophobia]]. In reply to one critical report, the Federal Council noted that "racism unfortunately is present in Switzerland", but stated that the high proportion of foreign citizens in the country, as well as the generally successful integration of foreigners, underlined Switzerland's openness.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Definitive report on racism in Switzerland by UN expert |url=https://www.humanrights.ch/en/racism/definitive-report-racism-switzerland-expert |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415051310/http://www.humanrights.ch/en/Switzerland/Human-Rights-in-Internal-Affairs/Racism/Studies/idart_5119-content.html |archive-date=15 April 2012 |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=humanrights.ch |language=en}}</ref> A follow-up study conducted in 2018 reported that 59% considered [[Immigration to Switzerland#Racism|racism a serious problem in Switzerland]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kuenzi |first=Renat |date=4 June 2020 |title=How Swiss direct democracy deals with xenophobia |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/directdemocracy/foreigners-in-switzerland_how-swiss-direct-democracy-deals-with-xenophobia/45803622 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609211356/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/directdemocracy/foreigners-in-switzerland_how-swiss-direct-democracy-deals-with-xenophobia/45803622 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |access-date=9 June 2020 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch}}</ref> The proportion of the population that claimed to have been targeted by racial discrimination increased from 10% in 2014 to almost 17% in 2018, according to the Federal Statistical Office.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Turuban |first=Pauline |date=9 June 2020 |title=Is racism a problem in Switzerland? A look at the latest numbers |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/is-racism-a-problem-in-switzerland--a-look-at-the-2019-statistics/45824452 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609225525/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/is-racism-a-problem-in-switzerland--a-look-at-the-2019-statistics/45824452 |archive-date=9 June 2020 |access-date=9 June 2020 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch}}</ref>

===Largest cities===
{{Main|List of cities in Switzerland}}
{{Largest cities of Switzerland}}

===Languages===
{{Main|Languages of Switzerland}}
[[File:Karte Schweizer Sprachgebiete 2017.png|thumb|National languages in Switzerland (2016):<ref name="LangStat">{{Cite news |date=28 March 2018 |title=Sprachen / Lingue / Lingue |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/sprachen-religionen/sprachen.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114204354/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/sprachen-religionen/sprachen.html |archive-date=14 November 2018 |access-date=5 December 2018 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office FSO |language=de, fr, it |type=official site |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland |last1=Statistik |first1=Bundesamt für }}</ref>
{{legend|#f7c5b4|German (62.8%)}}
{{legend|#d9d4e9|French (22.9%)}}
{{legend|#b6ddc7|Italian (8.2%)}}
{{legend|#fffcc8|[[Romansh language|Romansh]] (0.5%)}}]]

Switzerland has four [[national language]]s: mainly German (spoken natively by 62.8% of the population in 2016); French (22.9%) spoken natively in the west; and Italian (8.2%) spoken natively in the south.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 2018 |title=CC 101 Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation of 18 April 1999, Art. 4 National languages |url=https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html#a4 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621000507/https://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/19995395/index.html#a4 |archive-date=21 June 2016 |access-date=5 December 2018 |publisher=The federal Council |type=official site |location=Bern, Switzerland}}</ref><ref name="LangStat" /> The fourth national language, [[Romansh language|Romansh]] (0.5%), is a [[Romance languages|Romance language]] spoken locally in the southeastern trilingual [[canton of Grisons]], and is designated by Article 4 of the Federal Constitution as a national language along with German, French, and Italian. In Article 70 it is mentioned as an official language if the authorities communicate with persons who speak Romansh. However, federal laws and other official acts do not need to be decreed in Romansh.

In 2016, the languages most spoken at home among permanent residents aged 15 and older were [[Swiss German]] (59.4%), French (23.5%), [[Standard German]] (10.6%), and Italian (8.5%). Other languages spoken at home included English (5.0%), [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (3.8%), [[Albanian language|Albanian]] (3.0%), Spanish (2.6%) and [[Serbo-Croatian|Serbian and Croatian]] (2.5%). 6.9% reported speaking another language at home.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 March 2018 |title=Die am häufigsten üblicherweise zu Hause gesprochenen Sprachen der ständigen Wohnbevölkerung ab 15 Jahren – 2012–2014, 2013–2015, 2014–2016 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/tabellen.assetdetail.4842942.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202070614/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/kataloge-datenbanken/tabellen.assetdetail.4842942.html |archive-date=2 December 2018 |access-date=5 December 2018 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office FSO |language=de, fr, it |type=official site |format=XLS |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref> In 2014 almost two-thirds (64.4%) of the permanent resident population indicated speaking more than one language regularly.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 October 2016 |title=Personen nach Anzahl Sprachen, die sie regelmässig verwenden – 2014 |url=https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/sprachen-religionen/sprachen.assetdetail.1902120.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181202070626/https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/de/home/statistiken/bevoelkerung/sprachen-religionen/sprachen.assetdetail.1902120.html |archive-date=2 December 2018 |access-date=5 December 2018 |publisher=Swiss Federal Statistical Office FSO |language=de, fr, it |type=official site |location=Neuchâtel, Switzerland}}</ref>

The federal government is obliged to communicate in the official languages, and in the federal parliament simultaneous translation is provided from and into German, French and Italian.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Parliamentary Services |url=http://www.parlament.ch/e/service-presse/parlamentsdienste/aufgaben/Pages/default.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091113234418/http://www.parlament.ch/e/service-presse/parlamentsdienste/aufgaben/Pages/default.aspx |archive-date=13 November 2009 |access-date=29 July 2015 |publisher=The Federal Assembly |location=Bern, Switzerland}}</ref>

Aside from the official forms of their respective languages, the four linguistic regions of Switzerland also have local dialectal forms. The role played by dialects in each linguistic region varies dramatically: in German-speaking regions, [[Swiss German]] dialects have become more prevalent since the second half of the 20th century, especially in the media, and are used as an everyday language for many, while the [[Swiss Standard German|Swiss variety of Standard German]] is almost always used instead of dialect for written communication (cf. [[Diglossia|diglossic usage of a language]]).<ref name="dialhls">{{Cite web |title=Dialekte |url=http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D24595.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613092220/http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/textes/d/D24595.php |archive-date=13 June 2015 |access-date=31 July 2015 |publisher=Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz |language=de |location=Bern, Switzerland}}</ref> Conversely, in the French-speaking regions, local [[Franco-Provençal]] dialects have almost disappeared (only 6.3% of the population of Valais, 3.9% of Fribourg, and 3.1% of Jura still spoke dialects at the end of the 20th century), while in the Italian-speaking regions, the use of [[Lombard language|Lombard]] dialects is mostly limited to family settings and casual conversation.<ref name="dialhls" />

The principal official languages have terms not used outside of Switzerland, known as [[Helvetism]]s. German Helvetisms are, roughly speaking, a large group of words typical of [[Swiss Standard German]] that do not appear in [[Standard German]], nor in other German dialects. These include terms from Switzerland's surrounding language cultures (German ''Billett''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Billette Schweiz. |url=http://www.sbb.ch/abos-billette/billette-schweiz.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704011118/https://www.sbb.ch/abos-billette/billette-schweiz.html |archive-date=4 July 2015 |access-date=31 July 2015 |publisher=SBB CFF FFS Swiss Federal Railways |language=de |location=Bern, Switzerland}}</ref> from French), from similar terms in another language (Italian ''azione'' used not only as ''act'' but also as ''discount'' from German ''Aktion'').<ref name="CHDuden">{{Cite book |url=http://www.duden.de/presse/weder-fisch-noch-vogel |title=Duden Schweizerhochdeutsch |publisher=Bibliographisches Institut GmbH |year=2012 |isbn=978-3-411-70417-0 |location=Berlin, Germany |language=de |access-date=31 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121000102/http://www.duden.de/presse/weder-fisch-noch-vogel |archive-date=21 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Swiss French]], while generally close to the French of France, also contains some Helvetisms. The most frequent characteristics of Helvetisms are in vocabulary, phrases, and pronunciation, although certain Helvetisms denote themselves as special in syntax and [[orthography]]. [[Duden]], the comprehensive German dictionary, contains about 3000 Helvetisms.<ref name="CHDuden" /> Current French dictionaries, such as the [[Petit Larousse]], include several hundred Helvetisms; notably, Swiss French uses different terms than that of France for the numbers 70 (''septante'') and 90 (''nonante'') and often 80 (''huitante'') as well.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Clyne |first=Michael G. |url={{GBurl|id=wawGFWNuHiwC|p=164}} |title=Pluricentric Languages: Differing Norms in Different Nations |publisher=Walter de Gruyter |year=1992 |isbn=978-3-11-012855-0 |location=Berlin, Germany |pages=164–165 |access-date=31 July 2015}}</ref>

Learning one of the other national languages is compulsory for all Swiss pupils, hence many Swiss are supposed to be at least [[Multilingualism|bilingual]], especially those belonging to linguistic minority groups.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Multilingualism |url=http://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/gesellschaft/sprachen/mehrsprachigkeit.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904015059/https://www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/gesellschaft/sprachen/mehrsprachigkeit.html |archive-date=4 September 2015 |access-date=31 July 2015 |publisher=Presence Switzerland, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, The Federal Administration |location=Bern, Switzerland}}</ref> Because the largest part of Switzerland is German-speaking, many French, Italian, and Romansh speakers migrating to the rest of Switzerland and the children of those non-German-speaking Swiss born within the rest of Switzerland speak German. While learning one of the other national languages at school is important, most Swiss learn English to communicate with Swiss speakers of other languages, as it is perceived as a neutral means of communication. English often functions as the de facto [[lingua franca]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephens |first=Thomas |date=4 April 2021 |title=English as a common language in Switzerland: a positive or a problem? |url=https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/culture/english-as-a-common-language-in-switzerland--a-positive-or-a-problem-/46494332 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412050626/https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/culture/english-as-a-common-language-in-switzerland--a-positive-or-a-problem-/46494332 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |access-date=8 February 2023 |website=SWI swissinfo.ch |language=en}}</ref>