1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
41,440 km2; 10% arable, 43% meadows and pastures, 20% waste or urban, 24% forested, 3% inland water
Land boundaries
1,884 km
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
total population—69% German, 19% French, 10% Italian, 1% Romansch, 1% other; Swiss nationals—74% German, 20% French, 4% Italian, 1% Romansch, 1% other
Labor force
2.6 million, about one-tenth foreign workers, mostly Italian; 16% agriculture and forestry, 47% industry and crafts, 20% trade and transportation, 5% professions, 2% in public service, 10% domestic and other; approximately 0.2% unemployed in September 1980
Language
Swiss nationals—74% German, 20% French, 4% Italian, 1% Romansch, 1% other; total population—69% German, 19% French, 10% Italian, 1% Romansch, 1% other
Literacy
98%
Nationality
noun—Swiss (sing. & pl.); adjective—Swiss
Organized labor
20% of labor force
Population
6,407,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate −0.3%
Religion
53% Protestant, 46% Roman Catholic
Government
Branches
bicameral parliament has legislative authority; federal council (Bundesrat) has executive authority; justice left chiefly to cantons
Capital
Bern
Communists
about 5,000 members
Elections
held every four years; next elections 1983 Political parties and leaders: Social Democratic Party (SPS), Helmut Hubacher, president; Radical Democratic Party (FDP), Yann Richter, president; Christian Democratic Peopled Party (CVP), Hans Wyer, president; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Fritz Hofmann, chairman; Communist Party (PdA), Armand Magnin, chairman; National Action Party (N.A.), Hans Zwicky, chairman Voting strength (1979 election): 25.5% FDP, 25.5% SPS, 22.0% CVP, 11.5% SVP, 4.0% LdU, 4.0% LPS, 1.5% PdA, 1.5% EVP, 4.5% others
Government leader
Fritz HONEGGER, President (1982, rotates annually)
Legal system
civil law system influenced by customary law; constitution adopted 1874, amended since; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; legal education at Universities of Bern, Geneva, and Lausanne, and four other university schools of law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Member of
ADB, Council of Europe, DAC, EFTA, ELDO (observer), ESRO, FAO, GATT, IAEA, ICAC, ICAO, ICO, IEA, IFAD, ILO, IMCO, IPU, ITU, IWC—International Wheat Council, OECD, UN (permanent observer), UNESCO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WSG, WTO
National holiday
1 August
Official name
Swiss Confederation
Other parties
Landesring (LdU); Republican Movement (Rep); Liberal Party (LPS); Evangelical Peopled Party (EVP); Maoist Party (POSH/PSA)
Political subdivisions
23 cantons (3 divided into half cantons)
Suffrage
universal over age 20
Type
federal republic
Economy
Agriculture
dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient; food shortages — fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat; caloric intake, 3,190 calories per day per capita (1969-70)
Aid
donor: bilateral economic aid committed (ODA and OOF), $860 million (1970-79)
Budget
receipts $8.33 billion, expenditures $8.87 billion, deficit $0.54 billion (1980)
Electric power
15,000,000 kW capacity (1980); 48.162 billion kWh produced (1980), 7,610 kWh per capita Exports: $29.27 billion (f.o.b., 1980); principal items—machinery and equipment, chemicals, precision instruments, metal products, textiles, foodstuffs
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$90.31 billion (1980), $14,270 per capita; 61% consumption, 26% investment, 13% government, −0.9% net foreign balance; real growth rate 0.4% (1980)
Imports
$35,174 billion (c.i.f., 1980); principal items—machinery and transportation equipment, metals and metal products, foodstuffs, chemicals, textile fibers and yarns
Major industries
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Major trade partners
60% EC, 23% other developed, 4% Communist, 12% LDCs
Monetary conversion rate
US$1.00=1.96 Swiss francs (1981 average)
Shortages
practically all important raw materials except hydroelectric energy
Communications
Airfields
80 total, 71 usable; 41 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over 3,660 m, 7 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 14 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
83 major transport aircraft, including 1 leased out
Highways
£2,145 km total (all paved), of which 18,620 km are canton and 1,057 km are national highways (740 km autobahn)
Inland waterways
65 km; Rhine River-Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Constanz; in addition, there are 12 navigable lakes ranging in size from Lake Geneva to Hallwilersee
Pipelines
314 km crude oil; 1,046 km natural gas
Ports
1 major (Basel), 2 minor (all inland)
Railroads
5,098 km total; 2,895 km government owned (SBB), 2,822 km standard gauge (1.435 m); 73 km narrow gauge (LOO m); 1,339 km double track, 99% electrified; 2,203 km nongovernment owned, 710 km standard gauge (1.435 m), 1,418 km meter-gauge (1.00 m), 75 km 0.790-meter gauge, 100% electrified
Telecommunications
excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services; 4.45 million telephones (70.0 per 100 popl.); 6 AM, 200 FM, and 1,125 TV stations; 1 satellite station with 2 Atlantic Ocean antennas
Military and Security
Major ground units
no active combat units
Military budget
proposed for fiscal year ending 31 December 1982, $2,018 million; 20.1% of proposed central government budget
Military manpower
males 15-49, 1,656,000; 1,435,000 fit for military service; 50,000 reach military age (20) annually