Map of Switzerland | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848 subsequently modified in 1874 replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and the country 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 has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.


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Location: Central Europe east of France north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 8 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 41,277 km²
Rank: 135
Land: 39,997 km²
Water: 1280 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 1852 km
Border countries: (5) Austria 164 km; France 573 km; Italy 740 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate but varies with altitude; cold cloudy rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm cloudy humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills plains and large lakes

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
Extremes highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential timber salt

Land use
Arable land: 9.91%
Permanent crops: 0.58%
Other: 89.51% (2005)

Irrigated land: 250 km² (2003)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 53.3 km³ (2005)

Natural hazards: avalanches landslides; flash floods

Geography
Note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France northern Italy and southwestern Austria has the highest elevations in the Alps


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Population: 7,623,438 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 94
Growth rate: 0.223% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 180
Below poverty line: 7.4% (2009)

Nationality
Noun: Swiss
Adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups: German 65% French 18% Italian 10% Romansch 1% other 6%

Languages: German (official) 63.7% French (official) 20.4% Italian (official) 6.5% Serbo-Croatian 1.5% Albanian 1.3% Portuguese 1.2% Spanish 1.1% English 1% Romansch (official) 0.5% other 2.8% (2000 census)
Note: German French Italian and Romansch are all national and official languages

Religions: Roman Catholic 41.8% Protestant 35.3% Muslim 4.3% Orthodox 1.8% other Christian 0.4% other 1% unspecified 4.3% none 11.1% (2000 census)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.6%
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,609,673/female 2,567,245)
65 years and over: 16.3% (male 514,761/female 724,617) (2010 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 41.3 years
Male: 40.3 years
Female: 42.4 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.223% (2010 est.)
Rank: 180

Birth rate: 9.56 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 204

Death rate: 8.65 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 83

Net migration rate: 1.31 migrant(s)/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 49

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 73% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Major urban areas

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
International agreements party to: Air Pollution Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants Air Pollution-Sulfur 85 Air Pollution-Sulfur 94 Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds Antarctic Treaty Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Environmental Modification Hazardous Wastes Marine Dumping Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.054 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 4.12 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 203
Male: 4.58 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.64 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 80.97 years
Rank: 15
Male: 78.14 years
Female: 83.95 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 192

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.6% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 68
People living with hivaids: 25,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 74
Deaths: fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 92

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.3% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 53

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 99%
Male: 99%
Female: 99% (2003 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 15 years (2008)

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
Conventional short form: Switzerland
Local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)
Local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

Government type: formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic

Capital
Name: Bern
Geographic coordinates: 46 57 N 7 26 E
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons singular - canton in French; cantoni singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone singular - Kanton in German); Aargau Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden Appenzell Inner-Rhoden Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Bern Fribourg Geneve Glarus Graubunden Jura Luzern Neuchatel Nidwalden Obwalden Sankt Gallen Schaffhausen Schwyz Solothurn Thurgau Ticino Uri Valais Vaud Zug Zurich
Note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Nidwalden Obwalden - are styled half cantons because they elect only one member to the Council of States and in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required these six cantons only have a half vote

Dependent areas

Independence: 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation 1 August (1291)

Constitution: revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998 adopted by referendum 18 April 1999 officially entered into force 1 January 2000

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

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline CALMY-REY ; Vice President Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF (since 1 January 2011); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members rotating in one-year terms as federal president represent the Council
Head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF (since 1 January 2011)
Cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German) Conseil Federal (in French) Consiglio Federale (in Italian) is elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
Elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 8 December 2010 (next to be held in early December 2011)
Election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; number of Federal Assembly votes - 106 of 189; Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF elected vice president; current Vice President Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF is slated to become president on 1 January 2012

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; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German) Conseil National (in French) Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve four-year terms)
Elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons in October 2007 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011)
Election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15 FDP 12 SVP 7 SPS 9 other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29% SPS 19.5% FDP 15.6% CVP 14.6% Greens 9.6% other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62 SPS 43 FDP 31 CVP 31 Green Party 20 other small parties 13

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)

Political parties and leaders: Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ueli LEUENBERGER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux PLR.I Liberali) [Fulvio PELLI]; 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) [Christian LEVRAT]; 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) [Toni BRUNNER]; and other minor parties

International organization participation: ADB (nonregional member) AfDB (nonregional member) Australia Group BIS CE CERN EAPC EBRD EFTA ESA FAO FATF G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC LAIA (observer) MIGA MONUSCO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA PFP Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMIS UNRWA UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Manuel SAGER
In the us chancery: 2,900 Cathedral Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 745-7,900
In the us fax: [1] (202) 387-2,564
In the us consulate general: Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles New York San Francisco
In the us consulate: Boston
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Donald S. BEYER Jr.
From the us embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19 CH-3,007 Bern
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
From the us fax: [41] (031) 357 73 44

Flag description: red square with a bold equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

National symbols

National anthem
Name: 'Schweizerpsalm' [German] 'Cantique Suisse' [French] 'Salmo svizzero' [Italian] 'Psalm svizzer' [Romansch]
Lyricsmusic: Leonhard WIDMER [German] Charles CHATELANAT [French] Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian] and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG
Note: unofficially adopted 1961 official adoption 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French Italian and Romansch) it is official in each of those languages

National heritage


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Economy overview: Switzerland is a peaceful prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment a highly skilled labor force and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector led by financial services and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology knowledge-based production. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's in order to enhance their international competitiveness but some trade protectionism remains particularly for its small agricultural sector. The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn put Switzerland in a recession in 2009 as global export demand stalled. The Swiss National Bank during this period effectively implemented a zero-interest rate policy in a bid to boost the economy and prevent appreciation of the franc. Switzerland's economy grew 2.8% in 2010 when Bern implemented a third fiscal stimulus program but its prized banking sector has recently faced significant challenges. The country's largest banks suffered sizable losses in 2008-09 leading its largest bank to accept a government rescue deal in late 2008. Switzerland has also come under increasing pressure from individual neighboring countries the EU the US and international institutions to reform its banking secrecy laws. Consequently the government agreed to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters including tax evasion. The government has renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries including the US to incorporate the OECD standard and it is working with Germany and the UK to resolve outsanding issues particularly the possibility of imposing taxes on bank deposits held by foreigners. Parliament passed the first five double-taxation agreements including that with the US in March 2010 but the agreements are subject to public referendum. In 2009 Swiss financial regulators ordered the country's largest bank to reveal at Washington's behest the names of US account-holders suspected of using the bank to commit tax fraud. These steps will have a lasting impact on Switzerl

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 37
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 132

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 15
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.3%
Industry: 27.5%
Services: 71.2% (2010 est.)

Agriculture products: grains fruits vegetables; meat eggs

Industries: machinery chemicals watches textiles precision instruments tourism banking and insurance

Industrial production growth rate: 2.7% (2010 est.)
Rank: 117

Labor force: 4.13 million (2010 est.)
Rank: 87
By occupation agriculture: 3.8%
By occupation industry: 23.9%
By occupation services: 72.3% (2009)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2009 est.)
Rank: 35

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 7.4% (2009)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 7.5%
Highest 10: 19% (2007)

Distribution of family income gini index: 33.1 (1992)
Rank: 93

Budget

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 40.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Rank: 73

Revenue

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: -0.5% (2009 est.)
Rank: 14

Central bank discount rate: 0.05% (31 December 2008)
Rank: 140

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 3.34% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 154

Stock of narrow money: $334.9 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Rank: 11

Stock of broad money: $764.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 19

Stock of domestic credit: $923.1 billion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 16

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 12

Current account balance: $54.01 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 7

Exports: $208.5 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 20
Commodities: machinery chemicals metals watches agricultural products
Partners: Germany 20.98% US 9.09% France 8.62% Italy 8.08% Austria 5.38% (2009)

Imports: $192.8 billion (2009 est.)
Rank: 20
Commodities: machinery chemicals vehicles metals; agricultural products textiles
Partners: Germany 27.19% Italy 10.42% US 9.61% France 7.69% Netherlands 4.35% (2009)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

Debt external: $1.305 trillion (31 December 2008)
Rank: 13

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $496.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 11

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $806.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 8

Exchange rates: Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0723 (2010) 1.0881 (2009) 1.0774 (2008) 1.1973 (2007) 1.2539 (2006)


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Electricity
Production: 59.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Production rank: 42
Consumption: 62 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 40
Exports: 49.9 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Imports: 46.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 121
Consumption: 3.282 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Consumption rank: 71
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 115
Imports: 3.282 billion m³ (2009 est.)
Imports rank: 39
Proven reserves: NA m³ (1 January 2009 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.65 million (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 32
Mobile cellular: 9.255 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 69

Telephone system
General assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services
Domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 120 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
International: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Broadcast media: the publicly-owned radio and television broadcaster Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) operates 7 national television networks 3 broadcasting in German 2 in Italian and 2 in French; private commercial television stations broadcast regionally and locally; television broadcasts from stations in Germany Italy and France are widely accessed using multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 18 radio stations that along with private broadcasters provide national to local coverage (2008)

Internet
Country code: .ch
Hosts: 4.816 million (2010)
Hosts rank: 17
Users: 6.152 million (2009)
Users rank: 42

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 130

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 19-26 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2010)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 65 (2010)
Rank: 76
With paved runways total: 42
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 14
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With paved runways under 914 m: 17 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 23
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 23 (2010)

Heliports: 1 (2010)

Pipelines: gas 1662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)

Railways
Total: 4,888 km
Rank: 36
Standard gauge: 3,397 km 1.435-m gauge (3,142 km electrified)
Narrow gauge: 1481 km 1.000-m gauge (1378 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2008)

Roadways
Total: 71,384 km
Rank: 66
Paved: 71,384 km (includes 1793 of expressways) (2009)

Waterways: 65 km; (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2008)
Rank: 103

Merchant marine
Total: 35
Rank: 81
By type: bulk carrier 15 cargo 9 chemical tanker 6 container 4 petroleum tanker 1
Registered in other countries: 109 (Antigua and Barbuda 7 Bahamas 2 Cayman Islands 1 France 5 Germany 1 Italy 6 Liberia 17 Luxembourg 1 Malta 14 Marshall Islands 12 NZ 2 Panama 22 Portugal 3 Russia 4 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5 Singapore 4 Spain 1 Tonga 1 Tuvalu 1) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Basel


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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine Southwest Asian heroin and Western European synthetics; domestic cannab