year=2017&name=Switzerland - Gheos Worldguide

Statistics Switzerland

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Switzerland in the World

Switzerland - Introduction 2017

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.

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N 8 00 E

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 41,277 km²
Land: 39,997 km²
Water: 1280 km²
Rank: 136
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 1770 km
Border countries: (5) Austria 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 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
Mean elevation: 1350 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m: highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential timber salt

Land use
Agricultural land: 38.7%

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

Forest: 31.5%
Other: 29.8%

Irrigated land: 630 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Switzerland - People 2017

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Population
Distribution: population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement: 8,236,303 (July 2017 est.)
Rank: 98
Growth rate: 0.69% (2017 est.)
Growth rate rank: 139
Below poverty line: 6.6% (2014 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Swiss
Adjective: Swiss

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

Languages: German (or Swiss German) (official) 63% French (official) 22.7% Italian (official) 8.1% English 4.9% Portuguese 3.7% Albanian 3% Serbo-Croatian 2.4% Spanish 2.2% Romansch (official) 0.5% other 7.1%
Note: German French Italian and Romansch are all national and official languages; totals more than 100% because some respondents indicated more than one main language

Religions: Roman Catholic 37.3% Protestant 24.9% other Christian 5.8% Muslim 5.1% other 1.4% Jewish 0.2% none 23.9% unspecified 1.3% (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.16%
15-24 years: 10.88%
25-54 years: 43.21%
55-64 years: 12.6%
65 years and over: 18.15% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 48.8
Youth dependency ratio: 22
Elderly dependency ratio: 26.8
Potential support ratio: 3.7

Median age
Total: 42.4 years
Male: 41.4 years
Female: 43.4 years
Rank: 28

Population growth rate: 0.69% (2017 est.)
Rank: 139

Birth rate: 10.5 births/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 187

Death rate: 8.3 deaths/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 83

Net migration rate: 4.7 migrant(s)/1000 population (2017 est.)
Rank: 27

Population distribution: population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

Urbanization
Urban population: 74.1% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 1.1% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: Zurich 1.246 million; BERN (capital) 358,000 (2015)

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: 1.06 male/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male/female
55-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 30.7 years (2014 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.6 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.2 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 202

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 82.6 years
Male: 80.3 years
Female: 85.1 years
Rank: 10

Total fertility rate: 1.56 children born/woman (2017 est.)
Rank: 189

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 72.9% (2012)

Drinking water source:

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.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 4.11 physicians/1000 population (2014)

Hospital bed density: 5 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

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.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 19.5% (2016)
Rank: 112

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 5.1% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 66

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 16 years
Male: 16 years
Female: 16 years

Youth unemployment

Switzerland - Government 2017

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Country name
Conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
Conventional short form: Switzerland
Local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft ; Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)
Local short form: Schweiz ; Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)
Etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century

Government type: federal republic (formally a confederation)

Capital
Name: Bern
Geographic coordinates: 46 55 N 7 28 E
Time difference: UTC+1
Daylight saving time: +1hr begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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 Berne/Bern Fribourg/Freiburg Geneve Glarus Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun Jura Luzern Neuchatel Nidwalden Obwalden Sankt Gallen Schaffhausen Schwyz Solothurn Thurgau Ticino Uri Valais/Wallis Vaud Zug Zuerich
Note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden Appenzell Innerrhoden Basel-Landschaft Basel-Stadt Nidwalden Obwalden - are referred to as 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 6 cantons only have a half vote

Dependent areas

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

National holiday: Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day

Constitution
History: previous 1848 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999 effective 1 January 2000
Amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one million voters ; passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times last in 2016 (2016)

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
Citizenship by birth: no
Citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland
Dual citizenship recognized: yes
Residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Doris LEUTHARD ; Vice President Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2017); note - the Federal Council which is comprised of 7 federal councillors constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate in a 1-year term as federal president (chief of state and head of government)
Head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Doris LEUTHARD ; Vice President Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2017)
Cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat Conseil Federal (in French) Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected usually from among its members by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term
Electionsappointments: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year non-consecutive term; election last held on 7 December 2016
Election results: Doris LEUTHARD elected president; Federal Assembly vote - 188 of 207; Alain BERSET elected vice president

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung 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; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German) Conseil National (in French) Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons on 18 October 2015 ; National Council - last held on 18 October 2015 (next to be held in October 2019)
Election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party as of 18 October 2015 - CVP 13 FDP 13 SDP 12 SVP 5 other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29.4% SPS 18.8% FDP 16.4% CVP 11.6% Green Party 7.1% GLP 4.6% BDP 4.1% other 8.0%; seats by party - SVP 68 SPS 43 FDP 33 CVP 30 Green Party 12 GLP 7 BDP 7

Judicial branch
Highest court: Federal Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly
Subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court ; Federal Administrative Court (began in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

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) [Gerhard PFISTER]
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) [Petra GOESSI]
Green Liberal Party (Grunliberale or GLP Parti vert liberale or PVL Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Jurge GROSSEN]
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) [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) [Albert ROESTI]
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) ICCt ICRM IDA IEA IFAD IFC IFRCS IGAD (partners) ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IOM IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) LAIA (observer) MIGA MINUSMA MONUSCO NEA NSG OAS (observer) OECD OIF OPCW OSCE Pacific Alliance (observer) Paris Club PCA PFP Schengen Convention UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMISS UNMOGIP UNRWA UNTSO UNWTO UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO ZC

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Martin Werner DAHINDEN
In the us chancery: 2,900 Cathedral Avenue NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 745-7,900
In the us FAX: [1] 387-2,564
In the us consulate general: Atlanta Chicago Los Angeles New York San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Tara Feret ERATH (since 20 January 2017) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein
From the us embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19 CH-3,007 Bern
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [41] 357-70-11
From the us FAX: [41] 357-73-20

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 colors: red white

National anthem: the Swiss anthem has four names: 'Schweizerpsalm' [German] 'Cantique Suisse' [French] 'Salmo svizzero' [Italian] 'Psalm svizzer' [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)
Lyrics and music: Leonhard WIDMER [German] Charles CHATELANAT [French] Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian] and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG
Note: unofficially adopted 1961 officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition 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

Switzerland - Economy 2017

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Economy overview:

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 2011-16.
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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:

$502.7 billion (2016 est.)
$489.6 billion (2015 est.)
$478.7 billion (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 40

Real gdp growth rate:

1.4% (2016 est.)
1.2% (2015 est.)
2.5% (2014 est.)

Rank: 166

Real gdp per capita:

$60,400 (2016 est.)
$60,200 (2015 est.)
$60,200 (2014 est.)

Note: data are in 2016 dollars
Rank: 17

Gross national saving:

33.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
34.5% of GDP (2015 est.)
31.9% of GDP (2014 est.)

Rank: 20

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 53.9%
Government consumption: 11.5%
Investment in fixed capital: 24.2%
Investment in inventories: -1.7%
Exports of goods and services: 65.5%
Imports of goods and services: -53.5%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.7%
Industry: 25.5%
Services: 73.8%

Agriculture products: grains fruits vegetables; meat eggs dairy products

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (2016 est.)
Rank: 99

Labor force: 5.119 million (2016 est.)
Rank: 81
By occupation agriculture: 3.3%
By occupation industry: 19.8%
By occupation services: 76.9%

Unemployment rate:

3.3% (2016 est.)
3.2% (2015 est.)

Rank: 33

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 6.6% (2014 est.)

Gini index

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

Distribution of family income gini index:

29.5 (2014 est.)
33.1 (1992)

Rank: 128

Budget
Revenues: $230.4 billion
Expenditures: $226 billion
Note: includes federal cantonal and municipal budgets
Surplus or deficit: 0.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 30

Taxes and other revenues: 34.9% of GDP (2016 est.)
Rank: 56

Public debt:

32.6% of GDP (2016 est.)
33.4% of GDP (2015 est.)

Note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights currency and deposits debt securities loans insurance pensions and standardized guarantee schemes and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the GFSM 2001 system are debt except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options
Rank: 151

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices:

-0.4% (2016 est.)
-1.1% (2015 est.)

Rank: 32

Central bank discount rate:

0.5% (31 December 2016)
0.75% (31 December 2009)

Rank: 131

Commercial bank prime lending rate:

2.65% (31 December 2016 est.)
2.68% (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 172

Stock of narrow money:

$555.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$508.2 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 11

Stock of broad money:

$1.232 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.21 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 16

Stock of domestic credit:

$1.166 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.142 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 16

Market value of publicly traded shares:

$1.519 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)
$1.495 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.541 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

Rank: 10

Current account balance:

$70.54 billion (2016 est.)
$77.38 billion (2015 est.)

Rank: 7

Exports:

$318.1 billion (2016 est.)
$303.1 billion (2015 est.)

Note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland
Rank: 15
Commodities: machinery chemicals metals watches agricultural products
Partners: Germany 14.4% US 12.1% UK 10.7% China 9% Hong Kong 6.1% France 5.8% Italy 4.9% India 4.8% (2016)

Imports:

$264.9 billion (2016 est.)
$249.5 billion (2015 est.)

Rank: 18
Commodities: machinery chemicals vehicles metals; agricultural products textiles
Partners: Germany 19.4% US 9% Italy 7.4% UK 7.1% UAE 6.2% France 6.1% China 4.7% (2016)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:

$679.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
$602.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 4

Debt external:

$1.664 trillion (31 March 2016 est.)
$1.663 trillion (31 March 2015 est.)

Rank: 12

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:

$1.217 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.255 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 9

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:

$1.528 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)
$1.51 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Rank: 7

Exchange rates:

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -
0.9852 (2016 est.)
0.9852 (2015 est.)
0.9627 (2014 est.)
0.9152 (2013 est.)
0.9377 (2012 est.)

Switzerland - Energy 2017

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Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 198
Crude oil exports: 319.1 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 77
Crude oil imports: 58,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 54
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2017 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 197

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 63,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products production rank: 79
Products consumption: 217,400 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 54
Products exports: 8,894 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products exports rank: 85
Products imports: 166,300 bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products imports rank: 39

Natural gas
Production: 25 million m³ (2015 est.)
Production rank: 91
Consumption: 4.639 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Consumption rank: 67
Exports: 0 m³ (2016 est.)
Exports rank: 189
Imports: 3.484 billion m³ (2015 est.)
Imports rank: 40
Proven reserves: NA m³ (1 January 2011 es)

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 45 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 63

Energy consumption per capita

Switzerland - Communication 2017

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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 4.029 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49
Fixed lines rank: 38
Mobile cellular total: 11,283,400
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 138
Mobile cellular rank: 79

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 140 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
International: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2016)

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 17 radio stations that along with private broadcasters provide national to local coverage (2015)

Internet
Country code: .ch
Users total: 7,312,744
Users percent of population: 89.4%
Users rank: 54

Broadband fixed subscriptions

Switzerland - Military 2017

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Military expenditures:

0.71% of GDP (2016)
0.67% of GDP (2015)
0.66% of GDP (2014)
0.73% of GDP (2013)
0.69% of GDP (2012)

Rank: 117

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

Switzerland - Transportation 2017

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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 12
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 163
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 26,843,991
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,322,379,468 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HB (2016)

Airports: 63 (2013)
Rank: 78
With paved runways total: 40
With paved runways over 3047 m: 3
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 12
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With paved runways under 914 m: 17
With unpaved runways total: 23
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 23

Heliports: 2 (2013)

Pipelines: gas 1800 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 5,652 km
Standard gauge: 4,425 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 2 km 1.200-m gauge ; 1188.3 km 1.000-m gauge (1167.3 km electrified); 36.4 km 0.800-m gauge (36.4 km electrified) (2014)
Rank: 33

Roadways
Total: 71,464 km
Paved: 71,464 km (2011)
Rank: 66

Waterways: 1292 km (there are 1227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport) (2010)
Rank: 57

Merchant marine
Total: 50
By type: bulk carrier 31 cargo 2 chemical/petroleum tanker 7 container 10
Note: (2017)
Registered in other countries: 127 (2010)
Rank: 72

Ports and terminals
River port: Basel

Switzerland - Transnational issues 2017

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Disputes international: none

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 26,264 (Eritrea); 11,159 (Syria); 5,675 (Afghanistan); 5,458 (Sri Lanka) (2016)
Stateless persons: 66

Illicit drugs
Rank: li>a href='../rankorder/rankorderguide.html'>Guide to Country Comparisons: 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 cultivation and limited ecstasy production

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