The Swiss have an average of four close friends

People living in Switzerland have an average of four close friends and an extended friendship circle of eight, according to a study.

Overall, with an average of four close friends per person, the Swiss are comparable to Americans and Germans, based on the first major survey of its kind in Switzerland released on Monday.

It's often not easy to make friends in the Alpine nation, but once you do, the relationship is likely to be solid.

“It's difficult to break into Swiss friendship circles, because they are relatively static and based on long-standing relationships," note the authors.

Switzerland favours "homogeneous and lasting friendships", which contributes to social cohesion. Countries such as Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands also show a similar profile.

The best places to make friends are at school and work (43.7%), through family and acquaintances (23.5%), then sport (10%). Online friendships account for less than 3% of friendships.

Almost three quarters of those surveyed are satisfied with their friendships. But half of them regret not having enough time to maintain them.

These are the findings of a survey of 3,000 people by the Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute on behalf of Swiss supermarket chain Migros.