Adoptions

Adoptions by opposite-sex couples
  2020 2021 2022
Total 432 467 442
Sex of the adopted person
Male 199 208 204
Female
233 259 238
Nationality before the adoption
Swiss 277 322 282
Europe (without Switzerland) 53 50 71
Africa 28 18 16
America 30 24 21
Asia 39 46 49
Others
5 7 3
Age of the adopted person
0–4 years 33 48 35
5–9 years 53 56 48
10–14 years 49 54 56
15–19 years 70 70 87
20 years or older 227 239 216
2022: provisional annual figures
…= The figures are not available yet
Source: FSO – Vital Statistics

The number of adoptions in Switzerland has been declining since 1980. This decline can be explained by changes to the law with regard to child protection, by a drop in unwanted pregnancies and by a better acceptance of single mothers in society. People are usually young when they are adopted.

Further information

Data

Contact

Federal Statistical Office Section Demography and Migration
Espace de l'Europe 10
CH-2010 Neuchâtel
Switzerland

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Remark

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https://www.bfs.admin.ch/content/bfs/en/home/statistics/population/births-deaths/adoptions.html