More than 75% of the population live in the central plain, which stretches between the Alps and the Jura Mountains and from Geneva in the southwest to the High Rhine and Lake Constance in the northeast.

[5] The Federal Population Census (German: Eidgenössische Volkszählung, French: Recensement fédéral de la population, Italian: Censimento federale della popolazione, Romansh: Dumbraziun federala dal pievel) has been carried out every 10 years starting in 1850.

[9] The census is now conducted by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office, which makes most results available on its website.

[10] Since 2010, the population census has been carried out and analysed annually in a new format by the Federal Statistical Office (FSO).

Encompassing the Central Alps, Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures.

Its population includes a two-thirds majority of Alemannic German speakers and a one-quarter Latin minority (French, Italian and Romansh), see linguistic geography of Switzerland.

For these and many other reasons, such as the four languages, it serves as an excellent test market for businesses hoping to introduce new products into Europe.

[30] The following chart shows permanent resident numbers from selected regions and countries every 5 years.

About a third of those naturalized are from a successor state of former Yugoslavia: 7,900 Serbia-Montenegro, 2,400 Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2,000 North Macedonia, 1,600 Croatia.

[clarification needed] The following table shows the historical development of naturalization from selected countries.

Foreign population by country of citizenship as of September 30, 2024:[33] In 2004, 623,100 Swiss citizens (8.9%) lived abroad, the largest group in France (166,200), followed by the United States (71,400) and Germany (70,500).

[35] A 2005 Eurobarometer poll found 48% of Swiss citizens to be theist, 39% expressing belief in "some sort of spirit or life force", 9% atheist and 4% said that they don't know ("DK").

[37] The proportion of Jewish communities has hardly changed whereas that of persons without religious affiliation has risen by 13 percentage points.

[37] In 2016, of 15 to 24 year olds 65.4% were Christian (36.3% Roman Catholic, 22.6% Reformed, 6.6% other), 23.0% unaffiliated, 0.3% Jewish, 8.3% Muslim, 1.7% other religions.

Older adults (45 to 64 years old) were 67.0% Christian (37.7% Roman Catholic, 23.9% Reformed, 5.5% other), 25.9% unaffiliated, 0.2% Jewish, 4.2% Muslim, 1.5% other religions.

Senior citizens (over 65) were 81.3% Christian (40.3% Roman Catholic, 36.2% Reformed, 4.8% other), 14.9% unaffiliated, 0.3% Jewish, 1.1% Muslim, 0.5% other religions.

[38] Furthermore, notable is the significant difference in church adherence between Swiss citizens (72%) and foreign nationals (51%) in 2016.

[38] The Federal Statistical Office reported the religious demographics as of 2023 as follows (based on the resident population age 15 years and older): 56% Christian (including 30.7% Roman Catholic, 19.5% Reformed, 5.8% other), 35.6% unaffiliated, 6% Muslim, 0.2% Jewish, 1.3% other religions.

According to the CIA World Factbook data for 2003, 99% of the Swiss population aged 15 and over could read and write, with the rate being identical for both sexes.

[46] Each class of crime references the relevant section of the Strafgesetzbuch (Criminal Code, abbreviated as StGB in German), or Betäubungsmittelgesetz (abbr.