Bern is the de facto capital of Switzerland, referred to as the "federal city".

Bern is also the capital of the canton of Bern, the second-most populous of Switzerland's cantons. With a population of about 144,000 (as of 2020), Bern is the fifth-most populous city in Switzerland. The Bern agglomeration, which includes 36 municipalities, had a population of 406,900 in 2014. The metropolitan area had a population of 660,000 in 2000.