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, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. 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.

Area
Total: 41,277 km²
Land: 39,997 km²
Water: 1,280 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries
Total: 1,770 km
Border countries (5): (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
Highest point: Dufourspitze on Monte Rosa 4,634 m
Lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
Mean elevation: 1,350 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 37.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 10% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 32% (2023 est.)
Other: 32.6% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 494 km² (2020)

Major rivers: Rhein (Rhine) river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km
Note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

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

Population
Total: 8,860,574 (2024 est.)
Male: 4,403,105
Female: 4,457,469
Distribution: population distribution corresponds to elevation, with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement
Growth rate: 0.75% (2024 est.)

Languages: German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9% (2019 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German); The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French); L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language

Religions: Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.1% (male 685,221/female 650,802)
15-64 years: 64.6% (male 2,887,767/female 2,834,842)
65 years and over: 20.3% (2024 est.) (male 830,117/female 971,825)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 54.8 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 23.3 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 31.5 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 3.2 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 44.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 43.5 years
Female: 44.9 years

Population growth rate: 0.75% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 10.1 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

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: 74.2% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 83.9 years (2024 est.)
Male: 82 years
Female: 85.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.59 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.2% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Bern
Geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 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
Etymology: the origin of the name is uncertain; it is sometimes associated with the German word Baer (bear), but a more likely origin is an Indo-European root word ber, meaning 'marshy place'

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, Genève (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich
Note 1: the names listed above are in the canton's official language(s), with conventional names in parentheses
Note 2: 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 (instead of two) to the Council of States, and in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons have a half vote

Legal system: civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except federal decrees of a general obligatory character

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

Executive branch
Chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Karin KELLER-SUTTER (since 1 January 2025)
Head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Karin KELLER-SUTTER (since 1 January 2025)
Cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term
Election/appointment process: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term
Most recent election date: 11 December 2024
Election results: 2024: Karin KELLER-SUTTER elected president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) 168 of 203; Guy PARLEMIN (SVP) elected vice president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - 196 of 219
2023: Viola AMHERD elected president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - Viola AMHERD (The Center) 158 of 204; Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 138 of 196
2022: Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223
Expected date of next election: December 2025
Note: the Federal Council, composed of 7 federal councilors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung - Assemblée fédérale - Assemblea federale)
Legislative structure: bicameral

Flag description: red square with an equal-armed white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

National anthem
Title: the Swiss anthem has four names: 'Schweizerpsalm' [German] 'Cantique Suisse' [French] 'Salmo svizzero,' [Italian] 'Psalm svizzer' [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)
Lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG
History: adopted 1981; all four of the versions (German, French, Italian, Romansch) are considered official

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 1.3% (2024 est.); 0.7% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.3% (2024 est.); 0.7% (2023 est.); 3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.1% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 11.3% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 25.8% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.2% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 73.3% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -62% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0.6% (2024 est.)
Industry: 24.7% (2024 est.)
Services: 72% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 5.153 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 4.2% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 4.2% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 4.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $153.795 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $152.488 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $675.059 billion (2024 est.); $654.175 billion (2023 est.); $628.737 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds, base metal watches (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $582.554 billion (2024 est.); $556.351 billion (2023 est.); $518.002 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars, jewelry (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 26.502 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 55.643 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 33.856 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 27.462 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 4.81 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 34.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 126,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 300 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 156,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 194,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Natural gas
Consumption: 2.915 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 2.869 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 33.306 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 195,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 27.528 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 5.583 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 99.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 3.003 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 34 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 10.9 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 97% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 4.33 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 49 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 0.7% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 66 (2025)

Heliports: 52 (2025)

Railways
Total: 5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network

Merchant marine
Total: 17 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Liechtenstein)