Women now make up majority of Swiss abroad community
Germany is one of the most popular 'homes away from home' for the Swiss
Keystone
The 751,800 Swiss citizens who live outside Switzerland are spread over almost 200 countries, although almost half reside in neighbouring France, Germany and Italy.
This content was published on
1 minute
SDA-ATS/ts
Español
es
Las mujeres, mayoría en la comunidad suiza en el mundo
The proportion of women among the Swiss living abroad increased by nine percentage points last year to 54.5%, with the figure reaching more than 60% in Greece and Italy, according to figures published on Thursday by the Federal Statistics OfficeExternal link. Men made up a clear majority in Asia.
In addition, 21.5% of the Swiss community abroad is aged under 18, compared with 17.7% in Switzerland.
swissinfo.ch
It would thus be the country’s fourth-largest canton behind Zurich, Bern and Vaud. Whereas the Swiss resident population is 8.4 million, around seven million people – including the Swiss abroad – have Swiss citizenship.
This is the first year the Federal Statistics Office has published the Swiss abroad data. Previously it was the responsibility of the foreign ministry.
Since 1996, when around 540,000 Swiss lived abroad, the figure has increased by around 12,000 people each year.
Popular Stories
More
Life & Aging
Switzerland no longer wants to foot the bill for ‘suicide tourism’
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Geneva to host international talks on plastic pollution
This content was published on
A further round of negotiations to reach an international treaty to reduce global plastic pollution will take place in Geneva from August 5-14.
Switzerland extends list of sanctions against Russia
This content was published on
The government is thus adopting the changes decided by the European Union in response to Russia's ongoing military aggression in Ukraine.
Zelthangar plans to produce Spatz tents in Switzerland again
This content was published on
Zelthangar, based in canton Zurich, has purchased the traditional Swiss tent brand Spatz, which is particularly well-known among scouts.
Swiss sign human rights declaration for Women’s Euro 2025
This content was published on
Sports Minister Viola Amherd has signed a human rights declaration for the 2025 European Women's Football Championship in Switzerland.
Swiss parliament wants to expand support for asbestos victims
This content was published on
The expansion of financial support for asbestos victims by the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle.
Extra month of Swiss pension can be paid out from end of 2026
This content was published on
The 13th monthly pension payment can be paid out from December 2026. However, it has not yet been decided how it will be financed.
Swiss Abroad angered by proposed social benefits cuts
This content was published on
The Social Security Committee of the House of Representatives wants to restrict access to supplementary benefits for returning expats.
This content was published on
The Swiss Abroad, most of whom hold two passports, denounce the controversy over whether dual nationals should be elected to the Swiss cabinet.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.