Switzerland vs Norway
Side-by-side economic and demographic comparison · 2026 data · Source: IMF & World Bank
Switzerland and Norway are two of Europe's wealthiest non-EU nations, both with GDP per capita exceeding $80,000. Norway's wealth is built on North Sea oil and the world's largest sovereign wealth fund ($1.6T+), while Switzerland's comes from financial services, pharmaceuticals, precision manufacturing, and a tradition of political neutrality that attracts global capital. Both countries have chosen to remain outside the EU, though Norway participates in the European Economic Area. Switzerland has a more diversified economy, while Norway is more dependent on energy exports.
Switzerland has a GDP of $1.15T compared to Norway's $599.41B, making it 1.9x larger. Switzerland's population is 9.1M vs Norway's 5.6M. Across 12 key indicators, Switzerland leads in 8 categories. All data sourced from the IMF World Economic Outlook and World Bank World Development Indicators.
| Indicator |  Switzerland |  Norway |
|---|---|---|
| GDP (USD) | $1.15T✓ | $599.41B |
| GDP per Capita | $126,177✓ | $105,877 |
| GDP Growth (%) | 1.3% | 1.5%✓ |
| GDP per Capita (PPP) | $105,680 | $115,548✓ |
| Population | 9.1M✓ | 5.6M |
| Life Expectancy | 84.4 years✓ | 83.2 years |
| Inflation (%) | 0.5%✓ | 3.3% |
| Unemployment (%) | 3.0%✓ | 4.2% |
| Govt Debt (% GDP) | 38.5%✓ | 42.9% |
| Fertility Rate | 1.3 | 1.4✓ |
| Gini Index | 33.8 | 26.5✓ |
| CO₂ per Capita (t) | 3.7✓ | 7.2 |
Summary
Switzerland has a GDP of $1.15T compared to Norway's $599.41B, making the former economy 1.9x larger. In terms of population, Switzerland has 9.1M people while Norway has 5.6M. Across the 12 indicators compared, Switzerland leads in 8 and Norway leads in 4.
Why sources report different numbers
The IMF, World Bank and United Nations each publish these series on their own release schedule. Where their figures differ, the reason is usually visible in the reference year rather than in the methodology.
| Source | Switzerland | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $1.15T2026 | $599.41B2026 |
| World Bank | $1.04T2025 | $530.76B2025 |
| United Nations | $936.56B2024 | $483.59B2024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Switzerland spans about 22% across 2 years; Norway spans about 24% across 2 years.
| Source | Switzerland | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| IMF | $126,1772026 | $105,8772026 |
| World Bank | $114,7692025 | $94,5942025 |
| United Nations | $104,9732024 | $86,7172024 |
These are not the same reference year. IMF publishes 2026 and United Nations publishes 2024 — each is the latest that publisher has released, on its own schedule. A figure for a year still in progress is a projection rather than an outturn. Switzerland spans about 20% across 2 years; Norway spans about 22% across 2 years.
Figures are reproduced as published by each source, converted to a common unit, with each publisher's own reference year shown. Differences are described, not adjudicated — no source is presented as more correct than another.
SwitzerlandNorway