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

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Central Europe east of France north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 8 00 E

Map reference

Area
Rank: 136
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries

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

Natural resources: hydropower potential timber salt

Land use

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


top of page


Population: 7,925,517 (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 95
Growth rate: 0.92% (2012 est.)
Growth rate rank: 121
Below poverty line: 6.9% (2010)

Nationality

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)

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

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 0.92% (2012 est.)
Rank: 121

Birth rate: 10.4 births/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 184

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1000 population (July 2012 est.)
Rank: 93

Net migration rate: 1.27 migrant(s)/1000 population (2012 est.)
Rank: 48

Population distribution

Urbanization

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

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Rank: 201

Life expectancy at birth
Rank: 17

Total fertility rate: 1.53 children born/woman (2012 est.)
Rank: 187

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 4.07 physicians/1000 population (2009)

Hospital bed density: 5.31 beds/1000 population (2008)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.4% (2009 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 72
People living with hivaids: 18,000 (2009 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 81
Deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.)
Deaths rank: 134

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 8.2% (2007)
Rank: 59

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.2% of GDP (2007)
Rank: 53

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name

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

Capital

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons singular - canton in French; cantoni singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone singular - Kanton in German); Aargau Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Bern Fribourg Geneve Glarus Graubuenden Jura Luzern Neuchatel Nidwalden Obwalden Sankt Gallen Schaffhausen Schwyz Solothurn Thurgau Ticino Uri Valais Vaud Zug Zuerich

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; judicial review of legislative acts except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character

International law organization participation: accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German) Assemblee Federale (in French) Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Staenderat (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)

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

Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD Partido burgais democratica Svizera or (PBD)) [Martin LANDOLT]; Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux PLR.I Liberali Ils Liberals) [Philipp MUELLER]; Green Liberal Party (Grunliberale or GLP Parti vert liberale or PVL Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Martin BAEUMLE]; 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) [Adele THORENS]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS Parti Socialiste 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 di 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 CD CE CERN EAPC EBRD EFTA EITI (implementing country) ESA FAO FATF G-10 IADB IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD (partners) ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAIA (observer) MIGA MONUSCO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF OPCW OSCE Paris Club PCA PFP Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMISS UNRWA UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation

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: Swiss cross (white cross on red field; arms equal length)

National anthem

National heritage


top of page


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. Its economic and political stability transparent legal system exceptional infrastructure efficient capital markets and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness but some trade protectionism remains particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone which purchases half of all Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled export demand and put Switzerland in a recession. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) during this period effectively implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy as well as prevent appreciation of the franc and Switzerland's economy recovered in 2010 with 3.0% growth. The sovereign debt crises currently unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries pose a significant risk to Switzerland's financial stability and are driving up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safehaven currency. The independent SNB has upheld its zero-interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell to 1.9% in 2011 and 0.8% in 2012. 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 is considering the possibility of imposing taxes on bank deposits held by foreigners. These steps will have a lasting impact on Switzerland's long history of bank secrecy.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 37

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 169

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 14

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: grains fruits vegetables; meat eggs

Industries

Industrial production growth rate: 0.8% (2011 est.)
Rank: 142

Labor force: 4.91 million (2012 est.)
Rank: 78

Unemployment rate: 2.8% (2011 est.)
Rank: 24

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 6.9% (2010)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index: 33.1 (1992)
Rank: 94

Budget
Surplus or deficit: 0.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 34

Taxes and other revenues: 34.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
Rank: 75

Public debt: 54.5% of GDP (2010)
Rank: 58

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.2% (2011 est.)
Rank: 1

Central bank discount rate: 0.75% (31 December 2009 est.)
Rank: 133

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 2.72% (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 179

Stock of narrow money: $464.7 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 11

Stock of broad money: $1.05 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 16

Stock of domestic credit: $1.159 trillion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 16

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 13

Current account balance: $74.06 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 9

Exports: $322 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 21
Commodities: machinery chemicals metals watches agricultural products
Partners: Germany 20.2% US 10.3% Italy 7.8% France 7.1% UK 4.8% China 4.3% (2011)

Imports: $317.5 billion (2011 est.)
Rank: 19
Commodities: machinery chemicals vehicles metals; agricultural products textiles
Partners: Germany 32.3% Italy 10.4% France 8.6% US 5% Netherlands 4.4% Austria 4.3% (2011)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $270.3 billion (2010 est.)
Rank: 7

Debt external: $1.2 trillion (30 September 2010)
Rank: 14

Stock of direct foreign investment at home: $621.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 9

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad: $994.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
Rank: 6

Exchange rates:


top of page


Electricity
Production: 63.98 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Production rank: 42
Consumption: 57.8 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Consumption rank: 43
Exports: 32.88 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Exports rank: 6
Imports: 33.4 billion kWh (2010 est.)
Imports rank: 8
Installed generating capacity: 17.7 million kW (2010 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 39
Generation sources fossil fuels: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 203
Generation sources nuclear: 16.6% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 14
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 69.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 24
Generation sources other renewable sources: 2.5% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 52

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 192
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 189
Crude oil imports: 258,200 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 28
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 191

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 103,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products production rank: 73
Products consumption: 258,200 bbl/day (2011 est.)
Products consumption rank: 51
Products exports: 9,851 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products exports rank: 86
Products imports: 176,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)
Products imports rank: 31

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Production rank: 195
Consumption: 3.681 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Consumption rank: 67
Exports: 0 m³ (2011 est.)
Exports rank: 59
Imports: 3.681 billion m³ (2011 est.)
Imports rank: 38
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2011 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 195

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 45.55 million Mt (2010 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 66

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones
Main lines in use: 4.613 million (2011)
Main lines in use rank: 34
Mobile cellular: 10.122 million (2011)
Mobile cellular rank: 75

Telephone system

Broadcast media: the publicly-owned radio and TV broadcaster Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) operates 7 national TV networks 3 broadcasting in German 2 in Italian and 2 in French; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany Italy and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 18 radio stations that along with private broadcasters provide national to local coverage (2009)

Internet
Country code: .ch
Hosts: 5.301 million (2012)
Hosts rank: 20
Users: 6.152 million (2009)
Users rank: 42

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures: 1% of GDP (2005 est.)
Rank: 131

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 (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 64 (2012)
Rank: 79

Heliports: 1 (2012)

Pipelines: gas 1681 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2010)

Railways
Rank: 37

Roadways
Rank: 64

Waterways: 1292 km (there are 1227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and another 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee used for the transport of commercial goods) (2010)
Rank: 58

Merchant marine
Rank: 76

Ports and terminals: Basel


top of page


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 cannabis cultiva