The Swiss population is estimated to reach 9 million before 2060. The population in Norway will be more than 6 million by then, according to the projections. While the increase in Switzerland for the most part is caused by immigration, the increase in Norway is equally caused by higher immigration and higher natural growth. The natural growth is defined as the cumulative births minus the cumulative deaths. In 2008 the EU27 population is estimated to be about 495 million people. In 2060 the population for these 27 countries is projected to be 505 million, hence only 10 million more people than today.

The Norwegian and Swiss population will grow by respectively 27.4 and 21.1 per cent from 2008 to 2060. In the same period the EU27 population will increase by only 2.1 per cent. The growth is stronger in the first half of the projecting period than in the second half, for both the EFTA and the EU27 countries.

Both in the EU and in the EFTA countries, the old age dependency ratio (i.e. the population aged 65 years and older divided by the working age population) will increase the next 50 years. In 2008 the ratio is 24.1 in Switzerland and 22.1 in Norway, which is slightly lower than the EU27 ratio on 25.4. For both EU27 and the EFTA countries, this ratio is projected to double in 50 years from now. In 2060 the old age ratio in Switzerland is projected to have increased to 48.5, and the Norwegian to 43.9. The EU27 ratio is projected to reach 53.5 by 2060.

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