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Introduction Switzerland
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. |
Geography Switzerland
Location:
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: 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
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 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides, flash floods
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
Environment - 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
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
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
People Switzerland
Population:
7,523,934 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 16.3% (male 637,585/female 591,297)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,585,062/female 2,539,345)
65 years and over: 15.6% (male 480,198/female 690,447) (2006 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.1 years
male: 39 years
female: 41.1 years (2006 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.43% (2006 est.)
Birth rate:
9.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate:
8.49 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.34 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.84 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.51 years
male: 77.69 years
female: 83.48 years (2006 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.43 children born/woman (2006 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.4% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
13,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss
Ethnic groups:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)
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 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
Government Switzerland
Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian)
Government type:
formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal republic
Capital:
Bern
Administrative divisions:
26 cantons (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
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
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 8 January 2006); Vice President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 8 January 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 8 January 2006); Vice President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 8 January 2006); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own 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 one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 7 December 2005 (next to be held December 2006)
election results: Moritz LUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA; Micheline CALMY-REY elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA
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 - consists of two representatives from each canton and one 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 are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14
Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; 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) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; 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) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
Economy Switzerland
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 by 2.7% 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 outstanding 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. The agreement with the US awaits US Senate approval. 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 Switzerland's long history of bank secrecy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$324.5 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
$316.4 billion (2009 est.)
$322.6 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$523.8 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.6% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
-1.9% (2009 est.)
1.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$42,600 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$41,600 (2009 est.)
$42,600 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 27.7%
services: 71.1% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.218 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.4%
industry: 23.4%
services: 73.2% (2010)
Unemployment rate:
3.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
3.7% (2009 est.)
Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
total: 8.2%
country comparison to the world: 113
male: 7.69%
female: 8.71% (2009)
Population below poverty line:
6.9% (2010)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 7.5%
highest 10%: 19% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.7 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 95
33.1 (1992)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.5% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Budget:
revenues: $183.8 billion
expenditures: $181.6 billion
note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal accounts (2010 est.)
Taxes and other revenues:
35.1% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 60
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-):
0.4% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 36
Public debt:
38.7% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
39.2% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
-0.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.5% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
0.75% (31 December 2009 est.)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
2.73% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 182
2.75% (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$459.7 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$388 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of broad money:
$982.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17
$857.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.12 trillion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$1.003 trillion (31 December 2009 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.229 trillion (31 December 2010)
country comparison to the world: 14
$1.071 trillion (31 December 2009)
$862.7 billion (31 December 2008)
Agriculture - products:
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance
Industrial production growth rate:
6.2% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Electricity - production:
64.08 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - consumption:
57.5 billion kWh (2009)
country comparison to the world: 41
Electricity - exports:
33.53 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
2.157 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
3,488 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 99
Oil - consumption:
242,700 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51
Oil - exports:
9,851 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
Oil - imports:
272,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 193
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
Natural gas - consumption:
3.625 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
Natural gas - imports:
3.625 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
Current account balance:
$70.36 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
$38.97 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$232.6 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$206.1 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 7.9%, France 7.7%, UK 5.9% (2010)
Imports:
$226.3 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$204.7 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners:
Germany 32%, Italy 10.2%, France 8.5%, US 5.3%, Netherlands 4.5%, Austria 4.3% (2010)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$270.3 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9
$135.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.2 trillion (30 September 2010)
country comparison to the world: 14
$1.305 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$576.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 10
$530.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$911.5 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 5
$841.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -
1.0429 (2010)
1.0881 (2009)
1.0774 (2008)
1.1973 (2007)
1.2539 (2006)
Communications Switzerland
Telephones - main lines in use:
5,262,600 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
6.275 million (2004)
Telephone system:
general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Television broadcast stations:
115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
.ch
Internet hosts:
1,823,012 (2005)
Internet users:
4,944,438 (2005)
Transportation Switzerland
Airports:
65 (2005)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 16 (2005)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2005)
Heliports:
2 (2005)
Pipelines:
gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)
Railways:
total: 4,527 km
standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)
Roadways:
total: 71,220 km
paved: 71,220 km (including 1,726 of expressways) (2003)
Waterways:
65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003)
Merchant marine:
total: 25 ships (1000 GRT or over) 468,821 GRT/778,115 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 9, chemical tanker 2, container 4, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 2 (Monaco 2)
registered in other countries: 306 (Antigua and Barbuda 4, The Bahamas 7, Belize 2, Bermuda 1, Cyprus 6, French Southern and Antarctic Lands 1, Germany 1, Indonesia 2, Ireland 1, Italy 7, Liberia 7, Malta 21, Marshall Islands 11, Mauritius 2, Morocco 1, Panama 206, Portugal 3, Russia 8, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 10, Tonga 1, Turkey 1, Vanuatu 2) (2005)
Ports and terminals:
Basel
Source: The World Factbook |
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