arable land: 10.2%
permanent crops: 0.6%
permanent pasture: 27.9%

urban: 100% of population
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)

urban: 99.9% of population
rural: 99.8% of population
total: 99.9% of population
urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0.2% of population
total: 0.1% of population (2015 est.)

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 GOUMAZ and Regula RYTZ]
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]
other minor parties

Switzerland a country that espouses neutrality is a 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 Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010.
The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries however coupled with ongoing economic instability in Russia and other eastern European economies continue to pose a significant risk to the Swiss economy driving up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safe-haven currency. In January 2015 the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg to the euro roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. 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 below 2% per year from 2011-15.
In recent years Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters including tax evasion. The Swiss government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries including the US to incorporate OECD standards and is openly considering the possibility of imposing taxes on bank deposits held by foreigners.

$482.3 billion (2015 est.)
$478.3 billion (2014 est.)
$469.4 billion (2013 est.)

0.9% (2015 est.)
1.9% (2014 est.)
1.8% (2013 est.)

$58,600 (2015 est.)
$58,800 (2014 est.)
$58,400 (2013 est.)

33.8% of GDP (2015 est.)
33.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
35.9% of GDP (2013 est.)

3.2% (2015 est.)
3% (2014 est.)

28.7 (2012 est.)
33.1 (1992)

34.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
34.7% of GDP (2014 est.)

-1.1% (2015 est.)
0% (2014 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2010)
0.75% (31 December 2009)

2.68% (31 December 2015 est.)
2.69% (31 December 2014 est.)

$508.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$514.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.347 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.301 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.142 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.138 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.079 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$932.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.229 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

$75.82 billion (2015 est.)
$61.9 billion (2014 est.)

$303.5 billion (2015 est.)
$327.7 billion (2014 est.)

$247.7 billion (2015 est.)
$273.8 billion (2014 est.)

$602.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$545.5 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.533 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.601 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

$1.262 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.157 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$1.498 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.426 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -
0.9627 (2015 est.)
0.9152 (2014 est.)
0.9152 (2013 est.)
0.94 (2012 est.)
0.8876 (2011 est.)

0.64% of GDP (2014)
0.69% of GDP (2013)
0.76% of GDP (2012)
0.75% of GDP (2011)
0.76% of GDP (2010)