Facts
Location | |
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy |
Area in total | |
41,290 sq km
|
Coastline
| |
0 km (landlocked) |
| Terrain |
|
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes |
Climate
|
|
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers |
Elevation extremes | |
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
| Natural hazards |
|
avalanches, landslides, flash floods |
| Natural Resources |
|
hydropower potential, timber, salt |
Population
| |
7,523,934 |
| Age structure |
|
0-14 years:16.3%
15-64 years: 68.1%
65 years and over: 15.6%
Median age: total: 40.1 years
male: 39 years
female: 41.1 years |
| Ethnic groups |
|
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% |
| Religions |
|
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1%
|
| 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 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census) |
| National holiday |
|
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August |
| GDP |
|
1.8% |
| GDP - per capita |
|
$32,300
|
| Government type |
|
formally a confederation, but similar in structure to a federal republic |
Capital |
|
Bern |
| Head of State |
|
President Moritz LEUENBERGER |
| Major Trading Partners |
|
EU (esp. Germany, France, Italy, UK), US, Japan
|
| Agriculture products |
|
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs |
| Industries |
|
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments |
| Currency |
|
Swiss franc (CHF) |
| Internet country code |
|
.ch |
| Internet users |
|
1,384,800 (2005) |
| Dialing Code |
|
41 |
| Electricity |
|
230 V, 50 Hz
|
| Tipping |
|
A 15 percent service charge is included in almost all bills, so no additional tip is necessary. |
Flag |
|
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