2023 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

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

327 sq km (2016)

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% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)

forest

31.5% (2018 est.)

other

29.8% (2018 est.)

Location

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rhein (Rhine)  river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

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

15.49% (male 683,053/female 643,067)

15-64 years

65.13% (male 2,800,880/female 2,777,109)

65 years and over

19.38% (2023 est.) (male 745,501/female 914,150)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

3.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

9.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

10.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

71.6% (2017)

Current health expenditure

11.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

28.7

potential support ratio

3.5 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

51.6

youth dependency ratio

22.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.)

note

note: data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

4.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

Infant mortality rate

female

2.6 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9%; note - German, French, Italian, and Romansh are all national and official languages; shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language (2019 est.)

major-language sample(s)

Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

85.8 years

male

81.9 years

total population

83.8 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

Major urban areas - population

1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

44.8 years

male

43.3 years

total

44 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

31.1 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Swiss

noun

Swiss (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.5% (2016)

Physicians density

4.38 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

8,563,760 (2023 est.)

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

Population growth rate

0.78% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

17 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.82 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

22.9% (2020 est.)

male

28.1% (2020 est.)

total

25.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

74.2% of total population (2023)

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 (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

note

note: the canton names are in the official language(s) of the canton with the exception of Geneve and Luzern, where the conventional names (Geneva and Lucerne) have been added in parentheses; 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

origin of the name is uncertain but may derive from a 2nd century B.C. Celtic place name, possibly "berna" meaning "cleft," that was subsequently adopted by a Roman settlement

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 2018

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 Swiss Confederacy that formed in the late 13th 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 Scott C. MILLER (since 11 January 2022) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

email address and website

https://ch.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

FAX

[41] (031) 357-73-20

mailing address

5110 Bern Place, Washington DC  20521-5110

telephone

[41] (031) 357-70-11

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2900 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Jacques Henri PITTELOUD (since 16 September 2019)

consulate(s)

Boston

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

washington@eda.admin.chhttps://www.eda.admin.ch/washington

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 the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

chief of state

President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2023); note - the Federal Council, comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president

election results

2023:  Viola AMHERD (The Center) elected president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 158 of 204; Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 138 of 1962022:  Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223  

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 12 December 2023 (next to be held in December 2024)

head of government

President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2023)

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)

note

note: in 1863, a newly formed international relief organization convening in Geneva, Switzerland sought to come up with an identifying flag or logo; they chose the inverse of the Swiss flag - a red cross on a white field - as their symbol; today that organization is known throughout the world as the International Red Cross

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, 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, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

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

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 two-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons, which use list 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; 194 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)

election results

Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - The Center 13, FDP.The Liberals 12, SP 9, SVP 6, Green Party 5, other 1; composition (as of 22 Oct 2023) - men 30, women 16, percent of women 34.8% National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 28.6%, SP 18%, The Center 14.6%, FDP.The Liberals 14.4%, Green Party 9.4%, GLP 7.2%, EDU 1.2, EDV/PEV 1.9%, MCR/MCG .5%, other 4%; seats by party - SVP 62, SP 41, The Center 29, FDP.The Liberals 28, Green Party 23, GLP 10, EDU 2, EDV/PEV 2, MCR/MCG 2, other 1; composition (as of October 2023) - men 123, women 77, percent of women 38.5%; note - overall Federal Assembly percent of women 37.8%

elections

Council of States - last held in most cantons on 22 October 2023 (each canton determines when the next election will be held)National Council - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held on 31 October 2027)

National anthem

lyrics/music

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

name

the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)

note

note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is official in each of those languages

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Old City of Berne (c); Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (n); Monte San Giorgio (n); Abbey of St Gall (c); Three Castles, Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (c); La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (c); Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (c)

total World Heritage Sites

13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)

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

The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) [Gerhard PFISTER] (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party)Evangelical Peoples' Party or EVP/PEV [Lilian STUDER]Federal Democrats or EDU [Daniel FRISCHKNECH]Geneva Citizens Movement or MCR/MCG [Ana ROCH]Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Jurg 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) [Balthasar GLATTLI]The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Thierry BURKART]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) [Cedric WERMUTH and Mattea MEYER]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) [Marco CHIESA]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, pork, barley, apples, maize, beef, grapes

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

9.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$230.383 billion (2018 est.)

note

note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets

revenues

$239.767 billion (2018 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AAA (2000)

Moody's rating

Aaa (1982)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (1988)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$30.806 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$11.067 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$59.159 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$1.931 trillion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$1.909 trillion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, non-EU European economy; renowned banking and financial hub; extremely low unemployment; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; fairly high public debt

Exchange rates

Currency

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

0.985 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

0.978 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

0.994 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.939 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.914 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$478.505 billion (2019 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$474.236 billion (2020 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$571.376 billion (2021 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

note

note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland

Exports - commodities

gold, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, watches, jewelry (2019)

Exports - partners

Germany 16%, United States 14%, United Kingdom 8%, China 7%, France 6%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019)

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)

$731.502 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

33.1 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

19% (2007)

lowest 10%

7.5%

Imports

Imports 2019

$413.404 billion (2019 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$429.979 billion (2020 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$480.522 billion (2021 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

gold, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)

Imports - partners

Germany 21%, Italy 8%, France 6%, United States 6%, United Kingdom 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

7.91% (2021 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.36% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-0.73% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

0.58% (2021 est.)

Labor force

4.963 million (2021 est.)

Population below poverty line

16% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights, currency and deposits, debt securities, loans, insurance, pensions and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the Government Financial Systems Manual 2001 system are debt, except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options

Public debt 2018

18.68% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

18.95% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

20.91% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$607.619 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$593.185 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$618.228 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.14% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-2.38% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.22% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$70,900 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$68,700 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$71,000 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$854.929 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$1.083 trillion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$1.11 trillion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

9.37% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

4.39% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.82% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

5.32% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

8.8%

male

9.4%

total

9.1% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

319,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

6.926 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

31.494 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

38.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

150,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

139,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

56.407 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports

32.549 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports

26.988 billion kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

22.921 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.19 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

4.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

56.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

34.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

3.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

137.918 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

3,616,169,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

3,577,884,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

2.97GW (2023)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1

Number of operational nuclear reactors

4 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

28.8% (2021)

Percent of total energy produced

34.2% (2021)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

60,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

220,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

300 bbl/day (2021 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 (2020 est.)

total

4,028,238 (2020 est.)

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

96% (2021 est.)

total

8.352 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership is 127 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Switzerland has one of the highest broadband penetration rates within Europe, with a focus on services of at least 1Gb/s; this has been supported by sympathetic regulatory measures as well as by cooperative agreements between the main telcos, and with local utilities; fast fiber is complemented by 5G services reaching about 97% of the population by early 2021; together, these networks will soon enable the telcos to provide ultra-fast broadband services nationally, ahead of most other countries in the region; the competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs; 5G services offered by the MNOs offer data rates of up to 2Gb/s, and although various cantons have called a halt to extensions of 5G, citing health concerns, the regulator and environment ministry have put in place measures aimed at ensuring that network roll outs can continue without disruption; with the migration of subscribers to LTE and 5G networks, the MNOs have been able to begin closing down their GSM networks and repurpose physical assets and spectrum; although not a member of the EU, the country’s economic integration has meant that its telecom market deregulation has followed the EU’s liberalization framework, including the recent regulations on international voice roaming; this report presents an analysis of Switzerland’s fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure (2021)

international

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

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

2,956,500 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

127 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

11,060,700 (2021 est.)

Airports

63 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

40

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

23

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HB

Heliports

2 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 16, general cargo 1, other 3 (includes Liechtenstein)

total

20 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,841,310,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

28,857,994 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

179

number of registered air carriers

6 (2020)

Pipelines

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

Ports and terminals

river port(s)

Basel (Rhine)

Railways

total

5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network

Roadways

paved

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

total

71,557 km (2017)

Waterways

1,292 km (2010) (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)

Military - note

the Swiss military is responsible for territorial defense, limited support to international disaster response and peacekeeping, and providing support to civil authorities when their resources are not sufficient to ward off threats to internal security or provide sufficient relief during disasters; Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality but does periodically participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military and peacekeeping operations; however, Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it contributed to the NATO-led Kosovo force (KFOR) in 1999 and, as of 2023, continued doing so with up to 165 personnelthe military is led by the Chief of the Armed Forces with an Armed Forces Staff and consists of a Joint Operations Command (JOC), an Armed Forces Logistics Organization, an Armed Forces Command Support Organization, and a Training and Education Command; the JOC controls, among other subordinate commands, the Air Force, the Land Forces, four territorial divisions, the Military Police Command, and the Special Forces Command; it is comprised of conscripts, militia, and a small professional component; the primary combat forces of the Army/Land Forces are three mechanized brigades, plus additional reserve brigades of armor, infantry, and mountain infantry forces; the four territorial divisions link the Army with the cantons; the Air Force is responsible for airspace protection (air sovereignty and air defense, including ground-based air defense), air transport, and airborne intelligence; it has about 50 US-origin multirole fighter aircraft (2023)

Military and security forces

Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (Heer; aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2023)

note

note: the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Federal Department of Justice and Police, while the Armed Forces report to the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection, and Sport

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000, including cadre/professionals, conscripts, and militia; the Swiss Armed Forces consist of a small core of cadre/professional personnel along with a mix of militia and 18-20,000 conscripts brought in each year for training (2022)

Military deployments

up to 165 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of military armaments to Switzerland; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

0.7% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

0.7% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.7% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 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 (2023)

note

note: conscientious objectors can choose 390 days of community service instead of military service; as of 2022, women comprised about 1% of the active Swiss military

Disputes - international

none identified

Illicit drugs

major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics; a significant importer and exporter of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine;

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

14,726 (Eritrea), 11,441 (Afghanistan), 8,039 (Syria), (mid-year 2022); 66,525 (Ukraine) (as of 1 December 2023)

stateless persons

891 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

Switzerland does not have its own national space agency; it does most of its research and development within the framework of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) activities and programs; the Swiss Space Office, under the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI), is the government body responsible for space matters, including implementing national space policy, coordinating space activities, serving as the government point of contact for space industry and scientific institutions, and representation with the ESA and other international partners; the Federal Commission on Space Affairs provides advice and recommendations to the Federal Council on space matters; the Committee on Space Research of the Swiss Academy of Sciences coordinates and stimulates space research in Switzerland (2023)

Space program overview

space program integrated within the ESA framework; manufactures satellites and satellite payloads and products/components for satellite launch vehicles, satellites (particularly remote sensing, navigational, and telecommunications), and ground stations, including electronics, fairings, laser and fiber optics, sensor and nano technologies, scientific instruments, and software; produces atomic clocks (for navigational needs); has a considerable space research effort and has provided scientific instruments for a range of ESA and other space programs; participates in international space programs such as the International Space Station; has relations with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, ESA and EU member states, Japan, and the US; the Swiss space industry is spread across approximately 100 businesses, most of which provide niche capabilities and supplies to large space companies (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

34.48 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.98 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

8.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

38.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)

forest

31.5% (2018 est.)

other

29.8% (2018 est.)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s)

Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rhein (Rhine)  river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

53.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

640 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

970 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

74.2% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

6.056 million tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

1.938 million tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

32% (2015 est.)