Switzerland
Swiss Confederation
Capital: Bern
History
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.
Geography
Metric Units
|
Total Area
|
41,277
sq km
|
| Land Boundaries |
1,852
km
|
| Border Countries |
Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km |
| Coastline |
0
km
|
| Terrain |
mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes |
| Minimum Elevation |
195
m
|
| Maximum Elevation |
4,634
m
|
| Climate |
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers |
| Natural Resources |
hydropower potential, timber, salt |
| Arable Land |
9.8% |
| Permanent Crops |
0.57% |
Economy
Budget & Debt
Trade
| Exports |
$300.4 billion |
| Export Items |
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products |
| Export Partners |
Germany 19.7%, US 11.1%, Italy 7.2%, France 7.1%, UK 5.4%, Hong Kong 3.9% (2012 est.) |
| Imports |
$287.7 billion |
| Import Items |
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals |
| Import Partners |
Germany 29.7%, Italy 10.2%, France 8.4%, US 5.6%, China 5.6%, Austria 5.2% (2012 est.) |
People
| Population |
7,996,026 |
| Population Growth |
0.85% |
| Ethnic Groups |
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% |
| Religion |
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) |
| Life Expectancy |
82.28 years |
| Infant Mortality |
0.97 deaths/1,000 live births |
| Maternal Mortality |
0.5 deaths/100,000 live births |
Energy
