Introduction
The beautiful mountainous country of Switzerland is
surrounded by Germany to the north, Italy to the south, Austria and
Liechtenstein to the east and France to the west. The Alps and the Jura
Mountains cover more than half of Switzerland. The Matterhorn, Eiger and
Jung Frau are mountains recognized throughout the world. Consequently, the
country is a haven for mountaineering and skiing. The Swiss have a long
history of independence, neutrality, banking and producing precision
instruments. Most of the people live on a plateau that extends across the
middle of the country. In this region are most of Switzerland's industries
and its richest farmlands. Switzerland's capital is Bern, and its largest
city is Zurich.
Statistics
Country name
Swiss Confederation
Common name: Switzerland
Nationality
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
Independence
August 1, 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Location
Central Alpine Europe, surrounded by Germany, Italy, Austria, and France
Area
41,290 sq km, slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Border Countries
Austria on the east -- 164 km, Liechtenstein on the east -- 41 km, France
on the west -- 573 km, Italy on the south -- 740 km, Germany 334 km
Terrain
Mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau
of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 meters
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 meters
Coastline
Zero km (landlocked)
Climate
Temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters;
cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Industries
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Population
7.2 million (July 2001 est.)
Ethnic groups
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Languages
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%,
Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Religions
Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
Government type
federal republic
Constitution
29 May 1874
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