| Switzerland |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Switzerland | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland 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, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality.

Switzerland | Geography | Top of Page

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

Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

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: 10% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 32% other: 28% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: | 250 sq km (1993 est.)

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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

Switzerland | People | Top of Page

Population: | 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929) 15-64 years: 67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408) 65 years and over: 15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 0.27% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 79.73 years male: 76.85 years female: 82.76 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.46% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 17,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 150 (1999 est.)

Nationality: | noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss

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

Religions: | Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)

Languages: | German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Switzerland | Government | Top of Page

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: | federal republic

Capital: | Bern

Administrative divisions: | 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, 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: | 29 May 1874

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 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); 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 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 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72%

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 - 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 a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18

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

Political parties and leaders: | 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) [Adalbert DURRER, president]; 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) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, 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) [Christiane BRUNNER, 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, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44

Flag description: | red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Switzerland | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1.5% (2000 est.)

Labor force: | 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: | services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: | 1.9% (2000 est.)

Budget: | revenues: $32.66 billion expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)

Industries: | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate: | 8.6% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: | 66.768 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 3.44% hydro: 59.16% nuclear: 35.43% other: 1.97% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 51.862 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 31.955 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 21.723 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports: | $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners: | EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999)

Imports: | $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

Imports - partners: | EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999)

Debt - external: | $NA

Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Currency: | Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code: | CHF

Exchange rates: | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996)

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Switzerland | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 4.82 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 1.967 million (1999)

Telephone system: | general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: 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)

Radios: | 7.1 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: | 3.31 million (1997)

Internet country code: | .ch

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users: | 2.4 million (2000)

Switzerland | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | total: 4,492 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998)

Highways: | total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) paved: 71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999)

Waterways: | 65 km note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: | crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors: | Basel

Merchant marine: | total: 24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: | 67 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 15 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 25 under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.)

Switzerland | Military | Top of Page

Military branches: | Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military manpower - military age: | 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 1,849,034 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 1,570,918 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 42,597 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $3.1 billion (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.2% (FY98)

Switzerland | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none

Illicit drugs: | because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin