Compare
Switzerland vs United Kingdom
How Switzerland and United Kingdom compare on 38 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, Switzerland was higher: 84 years against 81.3 years
- GDP per person · In 2025, Switzerland was higher: $93,330 against $48,420
- Population · In 2023, United Kingdom was higher: 68.7 million people against 8.87 million people
- Military spending · In 2025, United Kingdom was higher: 2.35% of GDP against 0.76% of GDP
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, United Kingdom was higher: 4.22 tonnes against 3.75 tonnes
- Life expectancySwitzerland: 84 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- PopulationSwitzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- GDP per personSwitzerland: $93,330 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- TemperatureSwitzerland: 6.8 °C in 2025United Kingdom: 10.4 °C in 2025
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancySwitzerland: 84 years in 2023United Kingdom: 81.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalitySwitzerland: 0.4 per 100 live births in 2024United Kingdom: 0.5 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalitySwitzerland: 3.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023United Kingdom: 3.7 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterSwitzerland: 96.7% in 2022United Kingdom: 99.8% in 2022
- DepressionSwitzerland: 3.71% in 2017United Kingdom: 4.12% in 2017
- Suicide rateSwitzerland: 9.3 per 100,000 people in 2017United Kingdom: 7.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationSwitzerland: 8.87 million people in 2023United Kingdom: 68.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthSwitzerland: 0.62% a year in 2023United Kingdom: 0.7% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateSwitzerland: 1.43 births per woman in 2023United Kingdom: 1.56 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationSwitzerland: 85.7% in 2025United Kingdom: 83.3% in 2025
- Median ageSwitzerland: 42.3 years in 2023United Kingdom: 39.8 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overSwitzerland: 19.6% in 2023United Kingdom: 19.2% in 2023
- Net migration rateSwitzerland: 5.1 per 1,000 people in 2023United Kingdom: 6.5 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personSwitzerland: $93,330 in 2025United Kingdom: $48,420 in 2025
- GDP growthSwitzerland: 1.6% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 1.2% a year in 2025
- InflationSwitzerland: 0.2% a year in 2025United Kingdom: 3.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtSwitzerland: 40.1% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 102.1% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingSwitzerland: 0.76% of GDP in 2025United Kingdom: 2.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsSwitzerland: $7.15B in 2025United Kingdom: $88B in 2025
- Military spending per personSwitzerland: $849 in 2025United Kingdom: $1,283 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingSwitzerland: 2.4% of government spending in 2025United Kingdom: 5.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelSwitzerland: 20,000 people in 2020United Kingdom: 153,000 people in 2020
- National powerSwitzerland: 0.12% of world capability in 2022United Kingdom: 1.25% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersSwitzerland: 0.4% of the labour force in 2020United Kingdom: 0.45% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsSwitzerland: 33 million TIV in 2023United Kingdom: 609 million TIV in 2025
- Arms exportsSwitzerland: 129 million TIV in 2025United Kingdom: 702 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Sources: UN, Gapminder and UN IGME, WHO/UNICEF, IHME, World Bank, IMF, Our World in Data, V-Dem, UCDP, SIPRI, IISS, Correlates of War, ERA5, CMIP6, EDGAR, ITU and FAO. Each measure’s page names its own and what it counts.
- Values are drawn on today’s borders. Years without a published value are left empty, never filled in.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time