2008 Edition

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.

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-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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 2.52 cu km/yr (24%/74%/2%) per capita: 348 cu m/yr (2002)

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 8 00 E

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (2003)

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: 9.91% permanent crops: 0.58% other: 89.51% (2005)

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

Total renewable water resources

53.3 cu km (2005)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.8% (male 623,213/female 577,430) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,605,044/female 2,562,354) 65 years and over: 16% (male 501,699/female 711,780) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

9.62 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

5.8% of GDP (2005)

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.4% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

13,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 4.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

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 (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census) note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.74 years male: 77.91 years female: 83.71 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 40.7 years male: 39.6 years female: 41.7 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss

Net migration rate

2.21 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

7,581,520 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

0.329% (2008 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 15 years male: 15 years female: 15 years (2006)

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 (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.44 children born/woman (2008 est.)

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

Capital

name: Bern geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

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

Country name

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

Executive branch

chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its 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 a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 12 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 80.0%; Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%

FAX

[1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

[41] (031) 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

formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic

Independence

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, 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 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; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to 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 on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011) 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 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13; note - seating for the Council of States as of December 2007 is CVP 16, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 2

National holiday

Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Political parties and leaders

Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, 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 (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; 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]; 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]; and other minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Budget

revenues: $150.6 billion expenditures: $141.5 billion (2007 est.)

Central bank discount rate

2.05% (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

3.15% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Swiss franc (CHF)

Currency code

CHF

Current account balance

$72.35 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.34 trillion (30 June 2007)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

33.7 (2000)

Economic aid - donor

ODA, $1.646 billion (2006)

Economy - overview

Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safehaven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05, and jumped to 2.9% in 2006, and 2.6% in 2007. Unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average.

Electricity - consumption

58.77 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

36.88 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

34.82 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

64.56 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)

Exchange rates

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003)

Exports

$200.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports - partners

Germany 20.3%, US 9.7%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.4%, UK 5.1% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1.5% industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$40,100 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.1% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$423.9 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$303.2 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 25.9% (2000)

Imports

$187.1 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles

Imports - partners

Germany 32.6%, Italy 10.8%, France 9.5%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.6%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.2% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

6.5% (2006 est.)

Industries

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.7% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.5% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

3.954 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 4.6% industry: 26.3% services: 69.1% (1998)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$938.6 billion (2005)

Natural gas - consumption

3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

3.232 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

244,900 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - exports

9,370 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

274,900 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

3,202 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

NA

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

44.2% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$75.37 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$605.6 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$306.4 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$855.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$213.9 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$450.7 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

2.8% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.ch

Internet hosts

3.437 million (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)

Internet users

4.61 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

7.1 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 100 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

5 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

8.096 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions

3.31 million (1997)

Airports

65 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 16 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 23 under 914 m: 23 (2007)

Heliports

2 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 35 by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 9, chemical tanker 6, container 6, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 106 (Antigua and Barbuda 8, Bahamas 1, France 3, Italy 8, Liberia 13, Malta 20, Marshall Islands 12, Panama 25, Portugal 2, Russia 3, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 6, Singapore 2, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 1) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 1,781 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Basel

Railways

total: 4,839 km standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways

total: 71,298 km paved: 71,298 km (includes 1,758 of expressways) (2006)

Waterways

65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,852,580 females age 16-49: 1,807,667 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,513,984 females age 16-49: 1,478,761 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 49,205 female: 45,220 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

1% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

19 years of age for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; the Swiss Constitution states that "every Swiss male is obliged to do military service"; every Swiss male has to serve at least 260 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by seven 3-week intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2008)

Swiss Armed Forces

Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2007)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008