Switzerland vs United Kingdom
Switzerland vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 85.7% in Switzerland and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Switzerland, by 2.4 percentage points, or 1.03 times that in United Kingdom.
% of people · UN
What the numbers say
- Switzerland has been higher since 2021, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Switzerland ranked 49 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Switzerland at 89% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 85.7 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 85.5 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 85.2 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 84.9 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 84.2 | 83 |
| 2020 | 82.3 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 80.8 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 79.3 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 77.9 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 76.7 | 82 |
| 2015 | 75.6 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 74.7 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 74.1 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 73.8 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 73.7 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 73.6 | 81 |
| 2009 | 73.6 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 73.6 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 73.5 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 73.5 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 73.5 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 73.5 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 73.5 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 73.4 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 73.4 | 80 |
| 2000 | 73.3 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 73.1 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 72.9 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 72.5 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 72 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 71.5 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 71 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 70.4 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 69.8 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 69.2 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 68.7 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 68 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 67.3 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 66.5 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 65.6 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 64.8 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 64 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 63.2 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 62.4 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 61.8 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 61.3 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 60.8 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 60.4 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 60.1 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 59.7 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 59.4 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 59.1 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 58.7 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 58.3 | 77 |
| 1971 | 57.9 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 57.4 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 56.9 | 77 |
| 1968 | 56.3 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 55.7 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 55.1 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 54.4 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 53.7 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 53 | 78 |
| 1962 | 52.4 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 51.7 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 51 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 50.4 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 49.7 | 79 |
| 1957 | 49 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 48.3 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 47.6 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 46.9 | 80 |
| 1953 | 46.2 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 45.6 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 44.9 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 44.3 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Switzerland | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 86 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 86.2 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 86.5 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 86.7 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 86.9 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 87.1 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 87.3 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 87.5 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 87.7 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 87.8 | 84 |
| 2036 | 88 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 88.1 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 88.2 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 88.4 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 88.5 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 88.6 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 88.7 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 88.7 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 88.8 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 88.9 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 88.9 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 89 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 89 | 84.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Switzerland vs United Kingdom
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
- 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