1996 Edition

Description

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

Location

47 00 N, 8 00 E -- Central Europe, east of France Flag ----

Area

comparative area

slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

land area

39,770 sq km

total area

41,290 sq km

Climate

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

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

natural hazards

avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Geographic note

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

International disputes

none

Irrigated land

250 sq km (1989)

Land boundaries

border countries

Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

total

1,852 km

Land use

arable land

10%

forest and woodland

26%

meadows and pastures

40%

other

23%

permanent crops

1%

Location

Central Europe, east of France

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural resources

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Terrain

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

highest point

Dufourspitze 4,634 m

lowest point

Lake Maggiore 195 m

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 638,728; female 610,546) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,495,325; female 2,405,226) 65 years and over: 15% (male 424,394; female 632,841) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

11.35 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

9.64 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

total population

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Infant mortality rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4%

note

figures for Swiss nationals only: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.82 years (1996 est.)

male

74.58 years

total population

77.62 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)

female

NA%

male

NA%

total population

99%

Nationality

adjective

Swiss

noun

Swiss (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

7,207,060 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

0.59% (1996 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)

Sex ratio

all ages

0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female

Swiss nationals

German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Total fertility rate

1.47 children born/woman (1996 est.)

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

Capital

Bern

Constitution

29 May 1874

Council of States

(German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati); elections last held throughout 1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) PRD 17, PDC 17, UDC 4, PSS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1, Ticino League 1

Data code

SZ

Diplomatic representation in US

chancery

2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI

telephone

[1] (202) 745-7900

Executive branch

cabinet

Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale) was elected for a four-year term by the Federal Assembly from among its own members

chief of state and head of government

President Jean-Pascal DELAMURAZ (1996 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice President Arnold KOLLER (term runs concurrently with that of president); the president is appointed each year from the Federal Council by the Federal Assembly

FAX

[1] (202) 387-2564

[41] (31) 357 73 44

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco

consulate(s) general

Zurich

Flag

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

Independence

1 August 1291

International organization participation

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G- 8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Judicial branch

Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale)

Name of country

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)

National Council

(German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale); elections last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) PRD 45, PSS 54, PDC 34, UDC 30, GPS 8, LPS 7, FPS 6, LdU 6, SD 3, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2

National holiday

Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Political parties and leaders

Radical Free Democratic Party (PRD), Franz STEINEGGER, president; Social Democratic Party (PSS), Peter BODENMANN, president; Christian Democratic People's Party (PDC), Anton COTTIER, president; Swiss People's Party (UDC), Hans UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Verena DIENER, president; Freedom Party (FPS), Roland BORER; Liberal Party (LPS), Christoph EYMANN, president; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Monica WEBER, president; Ticino League, Giuliano BIGNASCA, president; and other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (SD), Workers' Party (PdA), and the Evangelical People's Party (EVP); note - see elections

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Type of government

federal republic

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant)

embassy

Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[41] (31) 357 70 11

Agriculture

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Budget

expenditures

$36.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995)

revenues

$31 billion

Currency

1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Economic aid

donor

ODA, $793 million (1993)

Economic overview

Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and stable modern economy with a per capita GDP roughly 10% above that of the big West European economies, is experiencing short-term difficulties. After recovering slowly in 1994-95 from recession, the Swiss economy remains weak, mainly because of the strong Swiss franc and weak growth in Swiss export market, especially in other European countries. Over the near term, growth may average barely 1%, with more than one-half of this increase resulting from growth in inventories. Weak domestic consumer demand is the principal culprit; stagnation in real disposable income is combining with a reluctance to reduce saving rates in the face of an uncertain employment outlook. Switzerland's leading sectors, including financial services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose machines, will therefore be more reliant on export markets at the same time they are being squeezed by the strong franc. Consequently, growth in machinery and equipment investment, for example, is expected to taper off. On the other side, import growth has been fueled by the strong franc; there are growing indications that Swiss manufacturers are substituting imported inputs for domestic ones.

Electricity

capacity

15,430,000 kW

consumption per capita

6,699 kWh (1993)

production

58 billion kWh

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.1810 (January 1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991)

Exports

$69.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities

machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing

partners

Western Europe 63.1% (EU countries 56%, other 7.1%), US 8.8%, Japan 3.4%

External debt

$NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $158.5 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture

3%

industry

33.5%

services

63.5% (1991)

GDP per capita

$22,400 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

1.2% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

money-laundering center; transit country for South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Imports

$68.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities

agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials

partners

Western Europe 79.2% (EU countries 72.3%, other 6.9%), US 6.4%

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.8% (1995 est.)

Labor force

3.48 million (900,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)

by occupation

services 50%, industry and crafts 34%, government 10%, agriculture and forestry 6% (1992)

Unemployment rate

3.3% (1995)

Branches

Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $3.74 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49

1,893,587

males fit for military service

1,623,414

males reach military age (20) annually

41,425 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 265, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

excellent domestic and international services

domestic

extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks

international

satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Telephones

5,622,976 (1986 est.)

Television broadcast stations

18 (repeaters 1,322)

Televisions

2.513 million (1994 est.) Defense

Airports

total

67

with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m

13

with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m

4

with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m

5

with paved runways over 3 047 m

4

with paved runways under 914 m

40

with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m

1 (1995 est.)

Highways

paved

71,118 km (including 1,514 km of expressways)

total

71,118 km

unpaved

0 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

bulk 14, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)

total

23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 410,581 GRT/727,744 DWT

Pipelines

crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports

Basel

Railways

narrow gauge

1,255 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,181 km nongovernment owned)

other

1,181 km NA-m gauge (1995)

standard gauge

3,283 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 310 km nongovernment owned)

total

5,719 km (1,432 km double track)

Waterways

65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes