Switzerland

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Switzerland's Information


Capital	Bern
Languages	German (or Swiss German) (official) 63%, French (official) 22.7%, Italian (official) 8.1%, English 4.9%, Portuguese 3.7%, Albanian 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.4%, Spanish 2.2%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 7.1%
Ethnic Groups	German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religion	Roman Catholic 37.3%, Protestant 24.9%, other Christian 5.8%, Muslim 5.1%, other 1.4%, Jewish 0.2%, none 23.9%, unspecified 1.3% (2015 est.)
Government	Federal republic (formally a confederation)
Independance	1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Area	41,277.00 km²
Water Area	1,280.00 km²
Land Area	39,997.00 km²
Population	8,179,294.00 Population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement
Location	Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
No. Bordering Countries	5
Bordering Countries	Austria 158 km, France 525 km, Italy 698 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 348 km
GDP(PPP)	$496,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$59,400.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Germany, the United States, and Hong Kong.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, and agricultural products.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery, chemicals, and vehicles.
Climate	Mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus
Terrain	Mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Where is Switzerland?

Located in Central Europe, Switzerland has a 1,770.00 km border with Austria (158 km), France (525 km), Italy (698 km), Liechtenstein (41 km) and Germany (348 km).

Located in the west part of central Switzerland, Bern is the Federal Capital of the country with more than a quarter of the residents being foreign-born. This medieval city is the fourth most populous city in Switzerland with 36 municipalities. Most of the entire city is a UNESCO world heritage site with many well maintained medieval structures that attract tourists from all over the world. Throughout the year, the warm and temperate city receives some form of precipitation with no real dry season.

Geography

Switzerland has a mean elevation of 1,350 m above sea level.

It has a desert climate with hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Its terrain is mostly mountainous with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and lakes.

Population

Switzerland has a population of 8,179,294 making it the 97th largest in the world. The majority of the population lives in the northern and western areas.

German, French, and Italian are official languages. The major ethnic groups are described as German, French, and Italina. The population is mostly Roman Catholic and Protestant.

The official languages of Switzerland are German, French, Italian, and Romansh. These languages have slight variations from their international use and, within the country, also has some variations from region to region. Most schools teach English but it is not among the official languages. This country is linguistically diverse because of its geographic position and the fact that it opened its borders to many immigrant communities who continue to influence the linguistic andscape. German is the language of the majority. Switzerland also has minority languages from Scandinavian, Slavonian, Asian and African origins.

Government

Switzerland is an independent country. The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291. Its constitution was last ratified in 1999.

Switzerland is a semi-direct federal democracy where citizens can vote on any matter of national importance like a change in law or a referendum. The government consists of the Federal Council, Federal Supreme Court, and the National Council and Council of State. The executive elects a president amongst themselves on an annual basis who is a ceremonial head of state. The executive and legislature conduct their business in the Federal Palace in Bern and the executive lives in the estate of Lohn. In Switzerland, the citizens of voting age vote through post or directly going the polling station.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Switzerland's GDP is $496,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $59,400.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 39th largest economy and its citizens the 17th richest in the world. The currency of Switzerland is the Franc (CHF).

Its major export partners are Germany, the United States, and Hong Kong. Its main exports are machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, and agricultural products. Its major import partners are Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Its major imports include machinery, chemicals, and vehicles.

Flag

The Swiss Flag, or simply the Swiss, has its roots in the twelfth-century Swiss Confederacy movements. With permission from the Holy Roman Empire, the cantons first displayed the insignia on their military uniforms and later as flags. During the different periods of war and peace, the flag changed in dimension and properties but remained in the sole use of the military until late twentieth century when the country officially adopted the flag. The Swiss is one of only two square flags in the world. Today, the flag is one of the most recognizable in the world and some international humanitarian agencies have adopted its use.