Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.
Geography Note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy contains the highest elevations in Europe
Environment Current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German) Assemblee Federale (in French) Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German) Conseil des Etats (in French) Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German) Conseil National (in French) Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly
Political parties and leaders: Alliance of Independents' Party (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU Alliance des Independants or AdI) [Anton SCHALLER president]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert DURRER president]; Freedom Party or FPS [Roland BORER]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Hanspetev THUER president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Ursula HAFNER president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP Union Democratique du Centre or UDC Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Christoph BLOCHER president]; Ticino League (Lega dei Ticinesi) [leader NA]; and other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD Democrates Suisses or DS Democratici Svizzeri or DS) Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS) Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du Travail or PST Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL) Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV) and the Union of Federal Democrats (Eidgenossisch-Demokratische Union or EDU Union Democratique Federale or UDF Unione Democratica Federale or UDF)
International organization participation: ACCT AfDB AsDB Australia Group BIS CCC CE CERN EAPC EBRD ECE EFTA ESA FAO G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICFTU ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO Inmarsat Intelsat Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU LAIA (observer) NAM (guest) NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OPCW OSCE PCA PFP UN (observer) UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMIBH UNMIK UNMOP UNOMIG UNTSO UNU UPU WCL WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO ZC
Economy overview: Switzerland a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies experienced slower growth in 1999 because of weak foreign and domestic demand. Growth however is expected to rebound to over 2% in 2000. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing EU membership in the near term in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties. These agreements still have to pass a Swiss referendum in spring 2000 however. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value.
Exports: $98.5 billion (f.o.b. 1999) Commodities: machinery chemicals metals watches agricultural products Partners: EU 62% (Germany 24% France 10% Italy 8% UK 6% Austria 3%) US 10% Japan 4% (1998)
Imports: $99 billion (f.o.b. 1999) Commodities: machinery chemicals vehicles metals; agricultural products textiles Partners: EU 80% (Germany 33% France 12% Italy 10% Netherlands 5% UK 5%) US 6% Japan 3% (1998)
Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin