The economic weight of the headquarters

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The headquarters economy has made Zug the canton with the highest economic output per inhabitant in Switzerland. In 2020, the canton's gross domestic product amounted to 20,029 million francs, or 156,210 francs per inhabitant, the highest of all cantons.¹ The number of employees rose from 122,275 in 2021 to 135,123 in 2024.² The commercial register listed 38,547 companies in 2022, of which 20,537 were companies limited by shares and 12,478 limited liability companies.³ Unemployment stood at 1.7 per cent in 2022.⁴

The population reflects the international character of the economy. In 2022, the canton had 131,164 inhabitants, of whom 29.8 per cent were foreign nationals. The largest groups came from Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.⁵ The share of British nationals, more than a tenth of the foreign population, is a visible sign of the English-speaking international community that Part J examines.

Notes

Zuger Kantonalbank, "Der Kanton Zug in Zahlen", edition 2023: GDP of CHF 20,029 million in 2020; GDP per capita of CHF 156,210, the highest among Swiss cantons. ↩
Zuger Kantonalbank, "Der Kanton Zug in Zahlen", edition 2023: 122,275 employees and 96,662 full-time equivalents in 2021; 19,442 businesses; Kanton Zug, Fachstelle für Statistik: 135,123 employees and 108,105 full-time equivalents in 2024. ↩
Zuger Kantonalbank, "Der Kanton Zug in Zahlen", edition 2023: 38,547 registered companies in 2022, primarily companies limited by shares (20,537) and limited liability companies (12,478). ↩
Zuger Kantonalbank, "Der Kanton Zug in Zahlen", edition 2023: unemployment rate of 1.7 per cent in 2022. ↩
Zuger Kantonalbank, "Der Kanton Zug in Zahlen", edition 2023: population of 131,164 in 2022; population growth of 16 per cent from 2010 to 2022; foreign residents 29.8 per cent (39,072 persons); largest foreign nationalities Germany (more than 18 per cent), Italy (more than 14 per cent) and the United Kingdom (more than 10 per cent). ↩

For general information only. This article does not constitute legal or tax advice, does not replace advice on an individual case and creates no lawyer-client relationship. It reflects the legal position as of September 2025.

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The economic weight of the headquarters

Notes

Setting up or expanding in Switzerland?