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Switzerland
The Swiss Confederation is a small landlocked federal state in central Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. The country has a strong tradition of political and military neutrality, but also of international co-operation, as it is home to many international organisations. It is also known as Confoederatio Helvetica (CH), Latin for Swiss Confederation. Official languages German, French, History Italian, Romansh Capital Berne Largest City Zurich In 1291, representatives of the three President of the forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Confederation2003: Unterwalden signed the Eternal Alliance. Pascal Couchepin This united them in the struggle against "foreign" rule by the Habsburgs, who Federal Council Kaspar Villiger then held the German imperial throne of Moritz Leuenberger the Holy Roman Empire. At the Battle of Pascal Couchepin Morgarten in 1315, the Swiss defeated Ruth Metzler-Arnold the Habsburg army and secured Joseph Deiss quasi-independence as the Swiss Samuel Schmid Confederation. Micheline Calmy-Rey Area Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, - Total European countries recognised - % waterRanked 132nd Switzerland's independence from the Holy 41'285 km2 Roman Empire and its neutrality. In 3.7% 1798, armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland. The Congress of Population Vienna of 1815 re-established Swiss - Total (2001) independence and the European powers - DensityRanked 92nd agreed to permanently recognise Swiss 7'261'200 neutrality. 176/km2 Independence Switzerland adopted a federal - Declared constitution in 1848, amending it - Recognised extensively in 1874 and establishing Federal state Eternal Alliance federal responsibility for defense, August 1, 1291 trade, and legal matters. Since then, October 24, 1648 continued political, economic, and 1848 social improvement has characterised Currency Swiss Franc (CHF) Swiss history. The Swiss are known for their historic neutrality and did not Time zone UTC +1 participate in either world war. In 2002 National anthem Swiss Psalm Switzerland finally became a full member Internet TLD.CH of the United Nations. Calling Code41 Politics Under the 1999 constitution, cantons hold all powers not specifically delegated to the federation. The bicameral Swiss parliament, the Federal Assembly, is the primary seat of power. Both houses, the Council of States and the National Council, have equal powers in all respects, including the right to introduce legislation. The 46 members of the Council of States (two from each canton and one from former half cantons) are directly elected in each canton, whereas the 200 members of the National Council are elected directly under a system of proportional representation. Members of both houses serve for 4 years. Through referenda people may challenge any law voted by federal parliament and through initiatives introduce amendments of the federal constitution, making Switzerland a semi-direct democracy. The top executive body is the Federal Council, a collegial body of seven members. Although the constitution provides that the Assembly elects and supervises the members of the Council, the latter has gradually assumed a preeminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven. During a one year term, he assumes special representative functions. Since 1959, the four major parties are represented in the Federal Council according to the "magic formula": 2 Christian Democrats, 2 from the Social Democrats, 2 Free Democrats, and 1 from the People's Party. The function of the Federal Supreme Courts is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms. Cantons The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons: * Aargau (Argovia) * Nidwalden * * Appenzell Inner Rhodes (Innerrhoden) * * Obwalden * * Appenzell Outer Rhodes (Ausserrhoden) * * Schaffhausen * Basel-City (Basel-Stadt) * * Schwyz * Basel-Country (Basel-Landschaft) * * Solothurn (Soleure) * Berne (Bern) * St. Gallen (Sankt * Fribourg (Freiburg) Gallen) * Geneva (Genve) * Thurgau (Thurgovia) * Glarus * Ticino * Grisons (Graubnden/Grischun/Grigioni) * Uri * Jura * Valais (Wallis) * Lucerne (Luzern) * Vaud * Neuchtel * Zug * Zurich Cantons marked by a * are represented by only one councilor in the Council of States Cantons are divided in a total of 2,889 municipalities. Geography The Swiss landscape is characterised by the Alps, a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Amongst the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4'634 m, are found countless valleys, some with glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhne, the Inn, the Aare or the Ticino, flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zurich, Lake Neuchtel, and Lake Constance and farther down. The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be fairly mountainous such as with the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but it can vary greatly locally, from the harsh conditions on the high mountains to the pleasant mediterranean clime at Switzerland's southern tip. Economy Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP higher than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the European Union's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalise trade ties. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Switzerland is however a member of the European Free Trade Association. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. The GDP growth rate dipped to 1.6% in 2001, and the government projects that it will slow further to 1.3% in 2002. Demographics Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the country's languages and cultural practices. Switzerland has four official languages: German (64%) in the north and centre, French (19%) to the west, Italian (8%) in the south, and finally Romansh, a Romance language spoken by a small minority (<1%) in the southeastern canton Grisons. The German spoken here is predominantly a Swiss dialect known as Swiss German, but newspapers and some broadcasts use High German. Many Swiss speak more than one language and resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 20% of the population. The largest religion in Switzerland is Roman Catholicism, to which some 43% of the population adhere. Various Protestant faiths number some 35% of the population, and immigration has established Islam (4%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (2%) as sizable minority religions. The remainder belongs to very small minorities or is unaffiliated. The stability and prosperity of Switzerland, combined with a linguistically and religiously diverse population has led some to describe the country as a consociational state. Culture The Swiss are noted for their banks, their chocolate, their cheese, their watches, and their private boarding schools.
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