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International and multilingual population
Switzerland has a population of around 7.7
million, nearly half of whom live in the Greater Zurich Area.
Switzerland and the Greater Zurich Area are home to unparalleled
cultural diversity. About 21% of the total Swiss population and
more than 30% of the population in the big cities are not Swiss
nationals. The majority of Switzerland’s foreign citizens come
from Italy, Germany, Portugal, Serbia and Turkey.
Switzerland owes its longstanding multicultural tradition to its
central, strategically important location in Europe. Its
confident handling of several languages, integration of
different cultures, and historic cooperation across national
borders are a strong expression of the long tradition of
diversity in Switzerland.
Four national languages
Switzerland has four national languages, by region:
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German (64%, in northern, eastern and central
Switzerland) |
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French (21%, in western Switzerland) |
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Italian (6.5%, in southern Switzerland) |
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Romansh (aka
Rhaeto-Romanic, 0.5%, in the canton of Grisons) |
Swiss German – also called «Schweizerdeutsch», «Schwyzertütsch»
or «Mundart» - is the collective term used to describe the
numerous regional dialects spoken in the German-speaking parts
of Switzerland. Standard German, i.e. «high» or written German,
is the primary language for reading and writing here. Its oral
use is limited mainly to classrooms and lecture halls, the mass
media, and public speaking.
English – the fifth national language
In Switzerland, learning the world’s major
languages is part of a basic education. Most Swiss citizens
speak at least one foreign language. English has practically
become established as a fifth national language – and is widely
used in business as well as in everyday life.
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