1998 Edition

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

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

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-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

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Geography-note

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Land use

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

Location

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

avalanches, landslides, flash floods

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 642,365; female 613,931) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,506,653; female 2,415,647) 65 years and over: 15% (male 436,804; female 644,957) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

10.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

9.03 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

total population-German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% note: Swiss nationals-German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Infant mortality rate

4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% note: figures for Swiss nationals only: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.88 years male: 75.71 years female: 82.22 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss

Net migration rate

0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

7,260,357 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

0.22% (1998 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, no religion 8.9% (1990)

Sex ratio

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: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (1998 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

Constitution

29 May 1874

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)

Data code

SZ

Executive branch

chief of state: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or German-Bundesrat, French-Conseil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale 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 10 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 1998) election results: Flavio COTTI elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote-Flavio COTTI 90%; Ruth DREIFUSS elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - Ruth DREIFUSS 69%

FAX

[1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN (since 8 August 1996) embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11

[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

Government type

federal republic

Independence

1 August 1291

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G8, 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), MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO (since April 1997) chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

Judicial branch

Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly Political parties and leaders: 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) [Ursula KOCH, president]; 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]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica da Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, 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]; Freedom Party or FPS [Roland BORER]; Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS, Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS) [Francois Jeanneset, president]; Alliance of Independents' Party (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU, Alliance des Independants or AdI) [Daniel ANDRES, president]; Ticino League (Lega dei Ticinesi) [Giuliano BIGNASCA, president]; and other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates Suisses or DS, Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du Travail or PST, Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS, Partito Svizzero del Lavoro or PSdL), Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der Schweiz or EVP, Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV, Partito Evangelico Svizzero or PEV), and the Union of Federal Democrats (Eidgenossisch-Demokratische Union or EDU, Union Democratique Federale or UDF, Unione Democratica Federale or UDF); note-see elections

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 or German-Bundesversammlung, French-Assemblee Federale, Italian-Assemblea Federale consists of the Council of States or German-Standerat, French-Conseil des Etats, Italian-Consiglio degli Stati (46 seats; members are elected two from each canton and one from each half canton to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or German - Nationalrat, French-Conseil National, Italian-Consiglio Nazionale (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 throughout 1997 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council-last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24 October 1999) election results: Council of States-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National Council-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-FDP 45, SPS 54, CVP 34, SVP 29, Greens 9, LPS 7, FPS 7, LdU 3, EVP 2, SD 3, PdAdS 3, Ticino League 1, EDU 1, FRAP 1, CSP 1

National capital

Bern

National holiday

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture-products

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Budget

revenues: $25.8 billion expenditures: $30.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1997)

Currency

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

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $1.034 billion (1995)

Economy-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 continued economic difficulties. GDP growth was a minus 0.2% in 1996 and a weak plus 0.4% in 1997. Weak domestic consumer demand is partly at fault; stagnating real disposable income combines 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, therefore are more reliant on export markets. Exports should lead an upturn in Swiss economic performance in 1998-99, provided the franc does not appreciate substantially as a result of Swiss monetary policy or instability in the run up to EMU.

Electricity-capacity

14.27 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

6,850 kWh (1996 est.)

Electricity-production

55 billion kWh (1996)

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1-1.4757 (January 1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993)

Exports

total value: $99.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997) commodities: machinery 29%, chemicals 26%, metals 8%, agricultural products 4% (1996) partners: EU countries 61%, US 9%, Japan 4% (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$172.4 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995)

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$23,800 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

0.4% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $86.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997) commodities: machinery 22%, chemicals 20%, metals 8%, agricultural products 9% (1996) partners: EU 79%, US 7%, Japan 3% (1996)

Industrial production growth rate

0% (1996)

Industries

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Inflation rate-consumer price index

-0.1% (1997)

Labor force

total: 3.8 million (850,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) by occupation: services 67%, manufacturing and construction 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (1995)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 50 (state-owned 10, private 40, shortwave 1 (1997)

Radios

2.8 million (1996)

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

5.24 million (including 663 million car-mobile phones) (1996 est.)

Television broadcast stations

15 of which state-owned 5, private 10 (repeaters 1,322) (1997)

Televisions

2.647 million licenses (1996)

Unemployment rate

5% (1997 est.)

Airports

67 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 71,117 km (including 1,594 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 424,261 GRT/733,551 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km Ports and harbors: Basel

Railways

total: 5,249 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,741 km 1.435-m gauge (3,119 km electrified; 808 km nongovernment owned) narrow gauge: 1,438 km 1.000-m gauge (1,088 km electrified; 1,364 km nongovernment owned) other gauge: 70 km 0.750-m or 0.800-m gauge (1996)

Waterways

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

Military branches

Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$3.2 billion (1997)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

1.2% (1997)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 1,878,453 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 1,605,409 (1998 est.)

Military manpower-military age

20 years of age

Military manpower-reaching military age annually

males: 40,887 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

none

Illicit drugs

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