Switzerland

Geography

Location: Central Europe, between France and Austria

Map references: Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area 41,290 sq km
land area 39,770 sq km
comparative area slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total 1,852 km, Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none; landlocked

International disputes: none

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

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:
arable land 10%
permanent crops 1%
meadows and pastures 40%
forest and woodland 26%
other 23%

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1989)

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
natural hazards subject to avalanches, landslides, flash floods
international agreements party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe

People

Population: 7,040,119 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.7% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 12.23 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 9.2 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 3.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 6.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population 78.17 years
male 74.8 years
female 81.71 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Nationality:
noun Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective Swiss

Ethnic divisions:
total population German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Swiss nationals German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)

Languages: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4%
note figures for Swiss nationals only - German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population 99%
male NA%
female NA%

Labor force: 3.31 million (904,095 foreign workers, mostly Italian)
by occupation services 50%, industry and crafts 33%, government 10%, agriculture and forestry 6%, other 1% (1989)

Government

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

Digraph: SZ

Type: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government President Otto STICH (1994 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (term runs concurrently with that of president)
cabinet Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale); elected by the Federal Assembly from own members

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale)
Council of States (German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati) elections last held throughout 1991 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) FDP 18, CVP 16, SVP 4, SPS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1, Ticino League 1
National Council (German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale) elections last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) FDP 44, SPS 42, CVP 37, SVP 25, GPS 14, LPS 10, AP 8, LdU 6, SD 5, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2, other 2

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders: Free Democratic Party (FDP), Bruno HUNZIKER, president; Social Democratic Party (SPS), Helmut HUBACHER, chairman; Christian Democratic People's Party (CVP), Eva SEGMULLER-WEBER, chairman; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Hans UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Peter SCHMID, president; Automobile Party (AP), DREYER; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Dr. Franz JAEGER, president; Swiss Democratic Party (SD), NA; Evangelical People's Party (EVP), Max DUNKI, president; Workers' Party (PdA; Communist), Jean SPIELMANN, general secretary; Ticino League, leader NA; Liberal Party (LPS), Gilbert COUTAU, president

Member of: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM (cooperating), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-8, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTRC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI
chancery 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone (202) 745-7900
FAX (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael C. POLT
embassy Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address use embassy street address
telephone [41] (31) 357-7011
FAX [41] (31) 357-7344
branch office Geneva
consulate(s) general Zurich

Flag: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

Economy

Overview: Switzerland's economy - one of the most prosperous and stable in the world - is nonetheless undergoing a painful adjustment after both the inflationary boom of the late-1980s and the electorate's rejection of membership in the European Economic Area in 1992. The Swiss finally emerged from a three-year recession in mid-1993 and posted a -0.6% GDP growth for the year. After a three-year struggle with inflation, the Swiss central bank's tight monetary policies have begun to pay off. Inflation slowed to 3.3% in 1993 from about 4% in 1992 and is expected to slow down further to 1.5% in 1994. Unemployment, however, will continue to be a problem over the near term. Swiss unemployment reached 5.1% in 1993 and will likely remain at that level through 1994 before declining in 1995. The voters' rejection of a referendum on membership in the EEA, which was supported by most political, business, and financial leaders has raised doubts that the country can maintain its preeminent prosperity and leadership in commercial banking in the twenty-first century. Despite these problems, Swiss per capita output, general living standards, education and science, health care, and diet remain unsurpassed in Europe. The country has few natural resources except for the scenic natural beauty that has made it a world leader in tourism. Management-labor relations remain generally harmonious.

National product: GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $149.1 billion (1993)

National product real growth rate: -0.6% (1993)

National product per capita: $21,300 (1993)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1993 est.)

Unemployment rate: 5.1% (1993 est.)

Budget:
revenues $23.7 billion
expenditures $26.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993 est.)

Exports: $63 billion (f.o.b., 1993)
commodities machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing
partners Western Europe 63.1% (EC countries 56%, other 7.1%), US 8.8%, Japan 3.4%

Imports: $60.7 billion (c.i.f., 1993)
commodities agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials
partners Western Europe 79.2% (EC countries 72.3%, other 6.9%), US 6.4%

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate 0% (1993 est.)

Electricity:
capacity 17,710,000 kW
production 56 billion kWh
consumption per capita 8,200 kWh (1992)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Agriculture: dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient in food; must import fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs, fruits, vegetables, meat

Illicit drugs: money-laundering center

Economic aid:
donor ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.715 (January 1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Railroads: 4,418 km total; 3,073 km are government owned and 1,345 km are nongovernment owned; the government network consists of 2,999 km 1.435-meter standard gauge and 74 km 1.000-meter narrow gauge track; 1,432 km double track, 99% electrified; the nongovernment network consists of 510 km 1.435-meter standard gauge, and 835 km 1.000-meter gauge, 100% electrified

Highways:
total 71,106 km
paved 71,106 km (including 1,502 km of expressways)

Inland waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports: Basel (river port)

Merchant marine: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 337,455 GRT/592,213 DWT, bulk 10, cargo 4, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, specialized tanker 1

Airports:
total 70
usable 69
with permanent-surface runways 42
with runways over 3,659 m 3
with runways 2,440-3,659 m 4
with runways 1,220-2,439 m 18

Telecommunications: excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services; 5,890,000 telephones; extensive cable and microwave networks; broadcast stations - 7 AM, 265 FM, 18 (1,322 repeaters) TV; communications satellite earth station operating in the INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) system

Defense Forces

Branches: Army (Air Force is part of the Army), Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Manpower availability: males age 15-49 1,853,075; fit for military service 1,589,288; reach military age (20) annually 43,005 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $3.4 billion, 1.7% of GDP (1993)