Factsheet -- Switzerland 2005

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

Switzerland lies in the heart of Western Europe. It borders Germany in the north, Austria and Liechtenstein in the east, Italy in the south and France in the west. Switzerland is a small, mountainous country, covering a part of the central Alps and the northern pre-Alps. With its mountains and hills, rivers and lakes, Switzerland boasts a diverse landscape despite measuring only 220 kilometres (137 miles) from north to south and 350 kilometres (217 miles) from west to east. The Jura, the Plateau and the Alps form the three main geographic regions of the country.

Switzerland is characterised by a wealth of biological and natural resources concentrated in a small area. At Lake Maggiore in the south, palm trees thrive at 193 metres (633 ft.) above sea level, while less than 100 kilometres (60 miles) away in the Alps, many mountain peaks are snow-capped all year long.

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Another characteristic of the Alps are the glaciers, which cover a surface of about 1,300 square kilometres (502 sq miles). The biggest one in Switzerland is the 23-kilometre/14.3 miles-long Aletsch glacier, a part of the "Jungfrau Aletsch Bietschhorn" UNESCO world heritage site.

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Weather data:

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The Alps occupy 60% of Switzerland's surface area. At the centre of the Swiss Alps lies the Gotthard range. The rail and road tunnels going through this range provide the most direct route between Italy and northern Europe. The Gotthard is also a continental watershed: the Rhine flows into the North Sea, the Rhone into the western Mediterranean, the Ticino into the Adriatic and the Inn into the Black Sea.

Berne

Lugano

Average temperatures in July:

18.5°C (65.3° F)

22°C (71.6°F)

Average temperatures in January:

0°C (32°F)

2°C (35.6°F)

Average annual precipitation:

986 mm (38.8 inches)

915 mm (36 inches)

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The Alps: 48 Swiss mountain peaks are higher than 4,000 metres (13,120 ft) above sea level.

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Jura (10%), average altitude 700 metres (2.297 ft.) above sea level Plateau (30%), average altitude 580 metres (1.902 ft.) a.s.l Alps (60%), average altitude 1,700 metres (5.577 ft.) a.s.l

Maximum distances between borders: North-south: 220.1 km (136.8 miles) West-east: 348.4 km (216.5 miles) Total surface area: 41,284.6 km² (15,940.1 sq miles)

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Highest point: Dufour Peak, canton Valais 4,634 metres (15.200 ft.)a.s.l

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Lowest point: Lake Maggiore, canton Ticino 193 metres (633 ft.) a.s.l

The highest include: Dom

4,545 m./14,910 ft.

Weisshorn

4,505 m./14,780 ft.

Matterhorn

4,478 m./14,690 ft.

Jungfrau

4,158 m./13,640 ft.

Eiger

3,970 m./13,020 ft.

Piz Palü

3,905 m./12,810 ft.

Titlis

3,239 m./10,630 ft.

Pilatus

2,120 m./6,955 ft.

History of transalpine routes: 1882

Opening of the Gotthard railway

1913

Opening of the Simplon railway tunnel (canton Valais)

1980

Opening of the Gotthard road tunnel

1999-2015

Construction of the new transalpine railway project (NEAT)

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POPULATION

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

7.3 million people – one thousandth (0.1%) of the global population – live in Switzerland. Of these, about 1.5 million, or 20%, are foreigners. Switzerland's population density of 183 people per square kilometre is high. The distribution of the population varies greatly, with only 10% living in the Alpine region.

Switzerland is divided between different language regions and reflects a number of cultures. Its central position between three important European cultures (the German-speaking region, France, and Italy) have led to this historically determined linguistic and cultural diversity. Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Rumantsch.

Since 1972 the number of births has fallen below the death rate. The fertility rate stands at 1.3 children per woman. The proportion of the older generation and pensioners is increasing (the over-65s today comprise 15.4% of the total population); the number of people in employment is decreasing. This ageing process is predicted to continue over the next years, putting more pressure on the old-age pensions system. Average life expectancy is 83 for women, 78 for men. Population (2001):

7.26 million

Population density:

183 people per square kilometre/ 474 people per square mile

Foreigners in Switzerland (2001):

1,457,802 (20.1%)

German 63.7% French 20.4% Italian 6.5% Rumantsch 0.5% Non-national languages 8.9%

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Women

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Protestant Roman Catholic other none

Well-known Swiss cultural figures

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Architecture: Le Corbusier (1887-1965) Christian Menn (1927-) Mario Botta (1943-) Peter Zumthor (1943-) Jacques Herzog (1950-) Pierre de Meuron (1950-)

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Men

Religion (2000)

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Population pyramid Age

Geographic distribution of the national languages (2000 census)

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Number of people

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Writers: Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Jeremias Gotthelf (1797-1854) Gottfried Keller (1819-1890) Johanna Spyri (1827-1901) Charles Ferdinand Ramuz (1878-1947) Robert Walser (1878-1956) Max Frisch (1911-1991) Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921-1999) Jacques Chessex (1934-)

Art: Albert Anker (1831-1910) Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918) Paul Klee (1879-1940) Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966) Max Bill (1908-1994) Jean Tinguely (1925-1991) Pipilotti Rist (1962-) Music: Arthur Honegger (composer; 1892-1955) Stefan Eicher (singer; 1960-) DJ Bobo (singer; 1968-)

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Film: Arthur Cohn (producer; 1928-) Ursula Andress (actress; 1936-) Marc Foster (director; 1967-)

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

ECONOMY

Switzerland has no raw materials to speak of. Its most important "natural resource" is education. The Swiss economy is not based on mass production, but on the development and production of individual goods of high quality. Switzerland is dependent on a highly qualified and welleducated workforce. A good education system is therefore the basis for the competitiveness of the Swiss economy.

Switzerland owes the high standard of its economy to its liberal market system, political stability and close ties with foreign economies. The state creates the necessary framework and only intervenes when this is deemed to be in the general interest. As Switzerland is a small country its home market is limited. Switzerland is a big exporter and importer of goods, with services and trade accounting for a higher percentage of GDP than in many other countries. The Swiss economy is mainly geared towards the provision of services. 71 per cent of the workforce is employed in the tertiary sector (services), 25 per cent in the secondary sector (industry) and four per cent in the primary sector (farming).

Education system:

primary, secondary and tertiary levels

Compulsory schooling:

9 years

Vocational training:

60% of all young people opt for an apprenticeship (lasting two to four years)

Further education:

12 Universities und 60 specialised higher education institutes

Insurance, banks, trade, tourism

Main industries:

Engineering, electronics, metallurgy, chemicals and pharmaceuticals

Exports:

machines, chemicals, watches, jewellery, precision instruments

Currency:

Swiss Franc (CHF)

Public spending

Level of education by language region (2002) 1 2 3 4

German-speaking region French-speaking region Italian-speaking region Switzerland as a whole Compulsory schooling Vocational training Higher vocational training Universities

Education expenditure by state (2001): 23.35 bn CHF / 14.5 bn USD / 15.4 bn EUR * Research expenditure (2000):

10.7 bn CHF / 8.8 bn USD / 6.6 bn EUR 2.7% of GDP

Main research areas:

Biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, environmental and medical technology, information and communications technologies

* exchange rate of January 2001

Main services:

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Social welfare Education Health Traffic Finances and taxes General administration Justice, police, fire National defence Other

Actual economic indicators: www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/en/index/themen.html

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FEDERALISM

POLITICAL STRUCTURE

The modern Confederation of Switzerland was established in 1848 after a loose association of autonomous cantons were united within one state. They had fought one another in a civil war (the war of the separate league, or Sonderbundskrieg, of 1847) and their peaceful co-existence was only made possible with the establishment of a decentralised, federalist state structure in which solidarity between the cantons played an important role.

Switzerland has a unique political system. Unlike in most democratic states, there is no opposition party, and the system is one of compromise. The involvement of all citizens – irrespective of language or region – in the political process is very important. National cohesion is ensured both by federalism and by direct democracy – giving everyone a say in decision-making. There are two instruments of direct democracy in Switzerland:

Switzerland is a federal state with its political structure on three levels: - Government - 26 cantons - c. 2,900 communes

Popular initiative: Voters can propose a change to the constitution. For a vote to take place, 100,000 signatures must be collected within 18 months. Referendum: Voters can call for a referendum to challenge legislation already approved by parliament. If any person or group opposed to the new law manages to collect 50,000 signatures within 100 days, the issue is put to a nationwide vote.

Swiss cantonal and communal boundaries

Type of state: Federal Republic with direct democracy Capital: Bern National day: August 1st

Right to vote: All Swiss citizens from the age of 18 Nationwide referenda: On average held on four weekends a year

Parliament: Two-chamber system Chamber representing the people: National Council (200 members) Chamber representing the cantons: Council of States (46 members) Government: Seven members from four different parties The members take it in turns to hold the annually rotating presidency

Cantons ZH BE LU UR SZ OW NW GL ZG

Zurich Bern Lucerne Uri Schwyz Obwalden Nidwalden Glarus Zug

FR SO BS BL SH AR AI SG GR

Fribourg Solothurn Basel Town Basel Country Schaffhausen Appenzell Outer-Rhodes Appenzell Inner-Rhodes St. Gallen Graubünden

AG TG TI VD VS NE GE JU

Aargau Thurgau Ticino Vaud Valais Neuchâtel Geneva Jura

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Sources, maps: Federal Statistical Office, Neuchâtel (www.bfs.admin.ch) ©2005 Presence Switzerland PRS (www.presence.ch)

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