2019 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 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, 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

Land

39,997 sq km

Total

41,277 sq km

Water

1,280 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

Highest Point

Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Lowest Point

Lake Maggiore 195 m

Mean Elevation

1,350 m

Environment Current Issues

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; chemical contaminants and erosion damage the soil and limit productivity; 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

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

630 sq km (2012)

Land Boundaries

Border Countries

Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km

Total

1,770 km

Land Use

Agricultural Land

38.7% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Arable Land

10.2% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Crops

0.6% (2011 est.)

Agricultural Land Permanent Pasture

27.9% (2011 est.)

Forest

31.5% (2011 est.)

Other

29.8% (2011 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

Population Distribution

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

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

15.23% (male 650,151 /female 612,479)

15 24 Years

10.69% (male 453,003 /female 433,101)

25 54 Years

42.88% (male 1,781,425 /female 1,774,124)

55 64 Years

12.88% (male 535,457 /female 532,454)

65 Years And Over

18.34% (male 672,024 /female 848,591) (2018 est.)

Birth Rate

10.5 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

72.9% (2012)

Current Health Expenditure

12.2% (2016)

Death Rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency Ratios

Elderly Dependency Ratio

26.8 (2015 est.)

Potential Support Ratio

3.7 (2015 est.)

Total Dependency Ratio

48.8 (2015 est.)

Youth Dependency Ratio

22 (2015 est.)

Drinking Water Source

Improved Rural

100% of population

Improved Total

100% of population

Improved Urban

100% of population

Unimproved Rural

0% of population

Unimproved Total

0% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0% of population

Education Expenditures

5.1% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic Groups

Swiss 69.5%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.6%, French 2%, Kosovar 1.1%, other 17.3%, unspecified .1% (2018 est.)

Hospital Bed Density

4.7 beds/1,000 population (2013)

Infant Mortality Rate

Female

3.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages

German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.6%, French (official) 22.9%, Italian (official) 8.2%, English 5.4%, Portuguese 3.7%, Albanian 3.2%, Serbo-Croatian 2.5%, Spanish 2.4%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.7% (2017 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Female

85.2 years

Male

80.4 years

Total Population

82.7 years (2018 est.)

Major Urban Areas Population

1.383 million Zurich, 426,000 BERN (capital) (2019)

Maternal Mortality Rate

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median Age

Female

43.5 years

Male

41.5 years

Total

42.5 years (2018 est.)

Mother's Mean Age at First Birth

30.7 years (2014 est.)

Nationality

Adjective

Swiss

Noun

Swiss (singular and plural)

Net Migration Rate

4.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity Adult Prevalence Rate

19.5% (2016)

Physicians Density

4.24 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

Population

8,292,809 (July 2018 est.)

Population Growth Rate

0.68% (2018 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 35.9%, Protestant 23.8%, other Christian 5.9%, Muslim 5.4%, Jewish 0.3%, other 1.4%, none 26%, unspecified 1.4% (2017 est.)

Sanitation Facility Access

Improved Rural

99.8% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Total

99.9% of population (2015 est.)

Improved Urban

99.9% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Rural

0.2% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Total

0.1% of population (2015 est.)

Unimproved Urban

0.1% of population (2015 est.)

School Life Expectancy Primary To Tertiary Education

Female

16 years (2016)

Male

16 years

Total

16 years

Sex Ratio

0 14 Years

1.06 male(s)/female

15 24 Years

1.05 male(s)/female

25 54 Years

1 male(s)/female

55 64 Years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 Years And Over

0.79 male(s)/female

At Birth

1.06 male(s)/female

Total Population

0.97 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total Fertility Rate

1.56 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment Youth Ages 15 24

Female

8% (2017 est.)

Male

8.1%

Total

8.1%

Urbanization

Rate Of Urbanization

0.88% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Urban Population

73.8% of total population (2019)

Administrative Divisions

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

Capital

Daylight Saving Time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Geographic Coordinates

46 55 N, 7 28 E

Name

Bern

Time Difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

Citizenship By Birth

no

Citizenship By Descent Only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland

Dual Citizenship Recognized

yes

Residency Requirement For Naturalization

12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

Constitution

Amendments

proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2016 (2016)

History

previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000

Country Name

Abbreviation

CH

Conventional Long Form

Swiss Confederation

Conventional Short Form

Switzerland

Etymology

name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy that formed in the 14th century

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 Edward "Ed" MCMULLEN, Jr. (since 21 November 2017) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

Embassy

Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

Fax

[41] (031) 357-73-20

Mailing Address

use embassy street address

Telephone

[41] (031) 357-70-11

Diplomatic Representation In The Us

Chancery

2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief Of Mission

Ambassador Martin Werner DAHINDEN (since 18 November 2014)

Consulate's General

Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco

Fax

[1] (202) 387-2564

Telephone

[1] (202) 745-7900

Executive Branch

Cabinet

Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by members by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

Chief Of State

President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2019); Vice President Simonetta SOMMARUGA (since 1 January 2019); note - the Federal Council, which is comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president (chief of state and head of government)

Election Results

Ueli MAURER elected president; Federal Assembly vote - 201 of 209; Simonetta SOMMARUGA elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 196 of 216

Elections Appointments

president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on 5 December 2018 (next to be held in December 2019)

Head Of Government

President of the Swiss Confederation Ueli MAURER (since 1 January 2019); Vice President Simonetta SOMMARUGA (since 1 January 2019)

Flag Description

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

Government Type

federal republic (formally a confederation)

Independence

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

International Law Organization Participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International Organization Participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial Branch

Highest Courts

Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions)

Judge Selection And Term Of Office

judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly

Subordinate Courts

Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

Legal System

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character

Legislative Branch

Description

description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of: Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in multi-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons which use proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law) National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 195 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms) (e.g. 2019)

Election Results

Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 13, FDP 12, SDP 12, SVP 6, other 3; composition - men 39, women 6, percent of women 13.3% National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 25.6%, SP 16.8%, FDP 15.1%, Green Party 13.2%, CVP 11.4%, GLP 7.8%, other 8.6%; seats by party - SVP 53, SP 39, FDP 29, Green Party 28, CVP 25, GLP 16, other 10; composition - men 137, women 63, percent of women 31.5%; note - total Assembly percent of women 28.1% (e.g. 2019)

Elections

Council of States - last held in most cantons on 18 October 2015 (each canton determines when the next election will be held) National Council - last held on 20 October 2019 (next to be held on 2023) (e.g. 2019)

National Anthem

Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG

National Holiday

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day

National Symbol S

Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white

Political Parties And Leaders

Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero or PPD, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Gerhard PFISTER] Conservative Democratic Party (Buergerlich-Demokratische Partei Schweiz or BDP, Parti Bourgeois Democratique Suisse or PBD, Partito Borghese Democratico Svizzero or PBD, Partido burgais democratica Svizera or PBD) [Martin LANDOLT] Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Petra GOESSI] Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Juerg GROSSEN] 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) [Regula RYTZ] Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Christian LEVRAT] Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Albert ROESTI] other minor parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture Products

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs, dairy products

Budget

Expenditures

234.4 billion (2017 est.)

Revenues

242.1 billion (2017 est.)

Budget Surplus Or Deficit

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central Bank Discount Rate

31 December 2009

0.75%

31 December 2016

0.5%

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

31 December 2016

2.65%

31 December 2017

2.6%

Current Account Balance

2016

$63.16 billion

2017

$66.55 billion

Debt External

31 March 2015

$1.663 trillion

31 March 2016

$1.664 trillion

Distribution Of Family Income Gini Index

1992

33.1

2014

29.5

Economy Overview

Switzerland, a country that espouses neutrality, is a prosperous and modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in high-technology, knowledge-based production. Its economic and political stability, transparent legal system, exceptional infrastructure, efficient capital markets, and low corporate tax rates also make Switzerland one of the world's most competitive economies.The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to gain access to the Union’s Single Market and enhance the country’s international competitiveness. Some trade protectionism remains, however, particularly for its small agricultural sector. The fate of the Swiss economy is tightly linked to that of its neighbors in the euro zone, which purchases half of Swiss exports. The global financial crisis of 2008 and resulting economic downturn in 2009 stalled demand for Swiss exports and put Switzerland into a recession. During this period, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) implemented a zero-interest rate policy to boost the economy, as well as to prevent appreciation of the franc, and Switzerland's economy began to recover in 2010.The sovereign debt crises unfolding in neighboring euro-zone countries, however, coupled with economic instability in Russia and other Eastern European economies drove up demand for the Swiss franc by investors seeking a safehaven currency. In January 2015, the SNB abandoned the Swiss franc’s peg to the euro, roiling global currency markets and making active SNB intervention a necessary hallmark of present-day Swiss monetary policy. The independent SNB has upheld its zero interest rate policy and conducted major market interventions to prevent further appreciation of the Swiss franc, but parliamentarians have urged it to do more to weaken the currency. The franc's strength has made Swiss exports less competitive and weakened the country's growth outlook; GDP growth fell below 2% per year from 2011 through 2017.In recent years, Switzerland has responded to increasing pressure from neighboring countries and trading partners to reform its banking secrecy laws, by agreeing to conform to OECD regulations on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion. The Swiss Government has also renegotiated its double taxation agreements with numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate OECD standards.

Exchange Rates

2013

0.9152

2014

0.9627

2015

0.9852

2016

0.9852

2017

0.9875

Currency

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

Exports

2016

$318.1 billion

2017

$313.5 billion

Exports Commodities

machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products

Exports Partners

Germany 15.2%, US 12.3%, China 8.2%, India 6.7%, France 5.7%, UK 5.7%, Hong Kong 5.4%, Italy 5.3% (2017)

Fiscal Year

calendar year

GDP Composition By End Use

Exports Of Goods And Services

65.1% (2017 est.)

Government Consumption

12% (2017 est.)

Household Consumption

53.7% (2017 est.)

Imports Of Goods And Services

-54% (2017 est.)

Investment In Fixed Capital

24.5% (2017 est.)

Investment In Inventories

-1.4% (2017 est.)

GDP Composition By Sector Of Origin

Agriculture

0.7% (2017 est.)

Industry

25.6% (2017 est.)

Services

73.7% (2017 est.)

GDP Official Exchange Rate

$679 billion (2017 est.)

GDP Per Capita Ppp

2015

$61,500

2016

$61,800

2017

$62,100

GDP Purchasing Power Parity

2015

$506.5 billion

2016

$514.5 billion

2017

$523.1 billion

GDP Real Growth Rate

2015

1.3%

2016

1.6%

2017

1.7%

Gross National Saving

2015

33.9% of GDP

2016

32.3% of GDP

2017

33.8% of GDP

Household Income Or Consumption By Percentage Share

Highest 10

19% (2007)

Lowest 10

7.5%

Imports

2016

$266.3 billion

2017

$264.5 billion

Imports Commodities

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

Imports Partners

Germany 20.9%, US 7.9%, Italy 7.6%, UK 7.3%, France 6.8%, China 5% (2017)

Industrial Production Growth Rate

3.4% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation Rate Consumer Prices

2016

-0.4%

2017

0.5%

Labor Force

5.159 million (2017 est.)

Labor Force By Occupation

Agriculture

3.3%

Industry

19.8%

Services

76.9% (2015)

Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares

31 December 2013

$1.541 trillion

31 December 2014

$1.495 trillion

31 December 2015

$1.519 trillion

Population Below Poverty Line

6.6% (2014 est.)

Public Debt

2016

41.8% of GDP

2017

41.8% of GDP

Reserves Of Foreign Exchange And Gold

31 December 2016

$679.3 billion

31 December 2017

$811.2 billion

Stock Of Broad Money

31 December 2016

$555.7 billion

31 December 2017

$621.8 billion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment Abroad

31 December 2016

$1.528 trillion

31 December 2017

$1.701 trillion

Stock Of Direct Foreign Investment at Home

31 December 2016

$1.217 trillion

31 December 2017

$1.489 trillion

Stock Of Domestic Credit

31 December 2016

$1.166 trillion

31 December 2017

$1.253 trillion

Stock Of Narrow Money

31 December 2016

$555.7 billion

31 December 2017

$621.8 billion

Taxes And Other Revenues

35.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment Rate

2016

3.3%

2017

3.2%

Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Consumption Of Energy

38.95 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Exports

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Imports

57,400 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude Oil Production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude Oil Proved Reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity Access

100% (2016)

Electricity Consumption

58.46 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Exports

30.17 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity From Fossil Fuels

3% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity From Hydroelectric Plants

67% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Nuclear Fuels

18% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity From Other Renewable Sources

13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity Imports

34.1 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity Installed Generating Capacity

20.84 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity Production

59.01 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Natural Gas Consumption

3.709 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Imports

3.681 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural Gas Proved Reserves

NA cu m (1 January 2011 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Consumption

223,900 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Exports

7,345 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Imports

165,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Refined Petroleum Products Production

61,550 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Broadband Fixed Subscriptions

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

47 (2017 est.)

Total

3.85 million

Broadcast Media

the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage ) (2019)

Internet Country Code

.ch

Internet Users

Percent Of Population

89.4% (July 2016 est.)

Total

7,312,744

Telephone System

Domestic

ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity and infrastructure; fixed-line 45 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership 137 per 100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks (2018)

General Assessment

highly developed telecommunications infrastructure with extensive domestic and international services; one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Europe; although not a member of the EU, Switzerland follows the EU's telecom framework, and regulations; broad DSL infrastructure and cable broadband network with good competition; LTE, DOCSIS3.1 and 5G promotions by the govt (2018)

International

country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Telephones Fixed Lines

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

45 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

3,672,500

Telephones Mobile Cellular

Subscriptions Per 100 Inhabitants

137 (2017 est.)

Total Subscriptions

11.292 million

Airports

63 (2013)

Airports With Paved Runways

1 524 To 2 437 M

12 (2013)

2 438 To 3 047 M

2 (2013)

914 To 1 523 M

6 (2013)

Over 3 047 M

3 (2013)

Total

40 (2013)

Under 914 M

17 (2013)

Airports With Unpaved Runways

Total

23 (2013)

Under 914 M

23 (2013)

Civil Aircraft Registration Country Code Prefix

HB (2016)

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant Marine

By Type

bulk carrier 24, general cargo 4, oil tanker 2 (2019)

Total

30 includes Liechtenstein

National Air Transport System

Annual Freight Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

1,322,379,468 mt-km (2015)

Annual Passenger Traffic On Registered Air Carriers

26,843,991 (2015)

Inventory Of Registered Aircraft Operated By Air Carriers

163 (2015)

Number Of Registered Air Carriers

12 (2015)

Pipelines

1,800 km gas, 94 km oil (of which 60 are inactive), 17 km refined products (2017)

Ports And Terminals

Basel (Rhine)

Railways

Narrow Gauge

1,630 km 1.200-m gauge (2 km electrified) (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015)

Standard Gauge

3,836 km 1.435-m gauge (3,634 km electrified) (2015)

Total

5,690 km (includes 19 km in neighboring countries) (2015)

Roadways

Paved

71,557 km (includes 1,458 of expressways)(2017)

Total

71,557 km (2017)

Waterways

1,292 km (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport) (2010)

Military And Security Forces

Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2019)

Military Expenditures

2014

0.66% of GDP

2015

0.66% of GDP

2016

0.68% of GDP

2017

0.68% of GDP

2018

0.68% of GDP

Military Service Age And Obligation

18-30 years of age generally for male compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary male and female military service; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2019)

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

Refugees And Internally Displaced Persons

Refugees Country Of Origin

34,072 (Eritrea), 16,565 (Syria), 12,282 (Afghanistan), 5,744 (Sri Lanka) (2018)

Stateless Persons

49 (2018)