How many people live in the canton of Zurich (as of 2020)?
Wie viele Personen leben im Kanton Zürich (Stand 2020)?
Correct answer: A
- A 1.5 million1.5 Millionen
- B 360'000360'000
- C 600'000600'000
- D 3.1 million3.1 Millionen
Why
The canton of Zurich is the canton with the most inhabitants in Switzerland. In 2020, about 1.5 million people lived here.
Exam answer: «1.5 Millionen» (as of 2020). Today: about 1.63 million (end of 2025, Statistical Office of the Canton of Zurich, 2026).
Common mistakes
- B: 360'000
- That is roughly how many people live in the city of Zurich, not in the whole canton.
- D: 3.1 million
- 3.1 million would be more than a third of the Swiss population; that is too many.
Topic
More people live in the canton of Zurich than in any other canton. The learning brochures give 1.5 million (as of 2020). Since then the population has continued to grow: at the end of 2025 there were around 1.63 million. Almost one fifth of all people in Switzerland live here. Many people come to the city of Zurich every day to work.
- 1Zurich
- 2Winterthur
- 3Uster
- Kloten (airport)
- Capital
Map data: BFS, BAFU, swisstopo
Canton and municipality of Zurich
Zurich: location and cities
Sources
Last checked: September 2026
Question 302 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.