Question 278 of 350 · Size, neighbours and population
How many foreigners live in Switzerland (as of 2020)?
Wie viele Ausländerinnen und Ausländer leben in der Schweiz (Stand 2020)?
Correct answer: B
Why
In 2020, about a quarter of the roughly 8.6 million inhabitants did not have a Swiss passport. That is about 2.1 million people.
Common mistakes
- D: 1.1 million
- 1.1 million would be only about one eighth of the population; but the share is about a quarter.
- A: 3.5 million
- 3.5 million would be about 40 percent of the population; that is too many.
Topic
Population and share of foreigners
Today just over 9 million people live in Switzerland. The test often uses older figures «as of 2020». At that time there were about 8.6 million. Learn this figure for the test. The population is growing mainly because people immigrate from other countries.
Switzerland at a glance · Size, neighbours and population
Sources
Official question of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.