Switzerland

Not to be confused with Swaziland.

"Swiss" redirects here. For other uses, see Swiss (disambiguation) and Switzerland (disambiguation).

Swiss Confederation [Confoederatio Helvetica] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) [Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) [Confédération suisse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) [Confederazione Svizzera] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) [Confederaziun svizra] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: [Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Latin) (traditional) "One for all, all for one"
Anthem: Swiss Psalm
Location of Switzerland (orange) in Europe (white)
Capital	Berne (federal capital)
Largest city	Zürich
Official languages	Swiss German, French, Italian, Romansh
Government	Direct democracy Federal republic
• Federal Council	M. Leuenberger P. Couchepin (VP 07) S. Schmid M. Calmy-Rey (Pres. 07) C. Blocher H.-R. Merz D. Leuthard
Independence
• de facto	22 September 1499
• Recognised	24 October 1648
• Restored	7 August 1815
• Federal state	12 September 1848
• Water (%)	4.2
Population
• 2006 estimate	7,507,000 (94th)
• 2000 census	7,288,010
GDP (PPP)	2005 estimate
• Total	$264.1 billion (39th)
• Per capita	$32,300 (10th)
GDP (nominal)	2005 estimate
• Total	$367.5 billion (18th)
• Per capita	$50,532 (4th)
Gini (2000)	33.7 medium inequality
HDI (2004)	0.947  (9th)
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF)
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Calling code	41
ISO 3166 code	CH
Internet TLD	.ch
Switzerland portal

Switzerland (German: Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera, Romansh: Svizracode: roh promoted to code: rm ), officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked alpine country in Western Europe. This small multi-lingual country, of a little over 7 million people, has four national languages, German, French, Italian, and Romansch. Swiss Standard German is written and used in formal situations, while the (significantly different) dialects commonly spoken are called "Swiss German". The country is bordered by Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Liechtenstein. It dates its independence to 1291; historically it was a confederation, and it has been a federation since 1848, with a current division into 26 cantons.

Switzerland has a strong economy in finance and banking, rates highly in international economic standards despite its small size, and maintains a long and strong tradition of political and military neutrality. This background allows Switzerland to host various international organizations, such as the United Nations, which, though headquartered in New York City, has many departments in Switzerland. The safety, security, and scenic beauty of the country, for walking, hiking, and skiing, give it a strong and robust tourism sector.

[Confoederatio Helvetica] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), the country's official Latin name, means Helvetic Confederation. The use of Latin avoids having to favour one of the four national languages. The abbreviation (CH) is used for the same reason. The titles commonly used in French ([Confédération suisse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)), Italian ([Confederazione Svizzera] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) and Romansh ([Confederaziun svizra] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) translate as "Swiss Confederation", while the German name of [Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) translates literally as "Swiss Oath Fellowship" or "Swiss Commonwealth of the Covenant". The term for a native of Switzerland is Swiss (German Schweizer, singular male [Schweizer] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), female [Schweizerin] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help); French [Suisses] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), male [Suisse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), female either [Suisse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) or [Suissesse] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help); Italian [Svizzeri] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), male [Svizzero] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), female [Svizzera] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)).

History

Main article: History of Switzerland

Old Swiss Confederacy

Main article: Old Swiss Confederacy

In 1291, the three forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter. The charter united the signatories in the struggle against Habsburg rule, the family then possessing the Duchy of Austria in the Holy Roman Empire. At the Battle of Morgarten on 15 November 1315, the Swiss defeated the Habsburg army and secured the existence of the Swiss Confederation within the Holy Roman Empire.

By 1353 the three original cantons had been joined by the cantons of Glarus and Zug and the city states of Lucerne, Zürich and Berne, forming the "Old Confederacy" of eight states that persisted during much of the 15th century (although Zürich was expelled from the confederation during the 1440s due to a territorial conflict) and led to a significant increase of power and wealth of the federation, in particular due to the victories over Charles the Bold of Burgundy during the 1470s, and the success of the Swiss mercenaries. The traditional listing order of the cantons of Switzerland reflects this state, listing the eight "Old Cantons" first, with the city states preceding the founding cantons, followed by cantons that joined the federation after 1481, in historical order. The Swiss victory in the Swabian War against the Swabian League of emperor Maximilian I in 1499 amounted to de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire.

The expansion of the federation, and the reputation of invincibility acquired during the earlier wars, suffered a first setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano. The success of Zwingli's Reformation in some cantons led to inter-cantonal wars in 1529 and 1531 (Kappeler Kriege). Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality ([ancient régime] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)). In Early Modern Switzerland, the conflict between Catholic and Protestant cantons persisted, erupting in further violence at the battles of Villmergen in 1656 and 1712, and the growing authoritarianism of the patriciate families combined with a financial crisis in the wake of the Thirty Years' War led to the Swiss peasant war of 1653.

Napoleonic era

Mediation act, made by the first Consul of the French Republic, between parties which divide Switzerland

In 1798, the armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country and effectively abolished the cantons. The new regime, known as the Helvetic Republic, was highly unpopular. It had been imposed by a foreign invading army and destroyed centuries of tradition, including the right to worship, and made Switzerland nothing more than a French satellite state. Uprisings were common and only the presence of French troops kept them from seceding. The fierce French suppression of the Nidwalden Revolt in September of 1798 is an example of the suppressing presence of the French army and the local population's resistance to the occupation.

When war broke out between France and other countries, Switzerland found itself being invaded by other outside forces from Austria and Russia. The Swiss were divided mainly between "Republicans" who were in favour of a centralized government, and "Federalists" who wanted to restore autonomy to the cantons. In 1803, Napoleon organized a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides in Paris. The result was the Act of Mediation which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 cantons. Henceforth much of Swiss politics would concern balancing the cantons' tradition of self-rule with the need for a central government. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna fully re-established Swiss independence and the European powers agreed to permanently recognize Swiss neutrality. At this time, Switzerland experienced its last increase in territory to date, with the admission of the cantons of Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva.

Federal state

1548 view of Zug

The restoration of the power to the patriciate was only temporary. After a period of unrest with repeated violent clashes such as the Züriputsch of 1839, civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons in 1845 (the Sonderbundskrieg). The war lasted for less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties. Most of these, however, died through friendly fire.

However minor the Sonderbundskrieg seems to be when compared with other European riots and wars in the 19th century, it nevertheless had a major impact on both the psychology, as well as the society of the Swiss and Switzerland. The war made all Swiss understand the need for unity, the need for strength towards its European neighbors. Swiss people from all stratas of society, whether Catholic, Protestant, or from the liberal or conservative current, realized that the cantons would profit more if their economic and religious interest were merged. Giving credit to those who favored the power of the cantons (the Sonerbund Kantone), the national assembly was divided among Ständerat (similar to the Senate in the United States), and the Nationalrat (the U.S. House of Representatives). Thus, the interests of the Federationalists was given account for. Switzerland adopted the use of referenda and a federal constitution in 1848. This constitution provided for a central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. The constitution was amended extensively in 1874 in order to take into account the rise in population, the Industrial Revolution and the settling of a single currency. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters.

In 1893, the constitution was revised with unusually strong elements of direct democracy, which remains unique even today. Since then, continued political, economic, and social improvement has characterised Swiss history.

Modern history

Main article: Modern history of Switzerland

1890 painting from canton Valais

the Matterhorn in canton Valais

File:ZurichNight.jpg

The Grossmünster cathedral & waterfront in modern day Zürich

The major powers respected Switzerland's neutrality during World War I. In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, and in 1963 the Council of Europe.

During World War II, detailed invasion plans were drawn up by the Germans, but Switzerland was never attacked. Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, economic concessions to Germany, and good fortune as larger events during the war delayed an invasion. Attempts by Switzerland's small Nazi party to cause an Anschluss with Germany failed miserably, largely due to Switzerland's multicultural heritage, strong sense of national identity, and long tradition of direct democracy and civil liberties. The Swiss press vigorously criticized the Third Reich, often infuriating its leadership. Under General Henri Guisan, a massive mobilization of militia forces was ordered. The Swiss military strategy was changed from one of static defence at the borders to protect the economic heartland, to a strategy of organized long-term attrition and withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps known as the Réduit. Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides in the conflict and often mediated communications between the Axis and Allied powers.

Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and by the Axis. Both sides openly exerted pressure on Switzerland not to trade with the other. Economic cooperation and extension of credit to the Third Reich varied according to the perceived likelihood of invasion, and the availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached their zenith after a crucial rail link through Vichy France was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland completely surrounded by the Axis. Switzerland relied on trade for half of its food and essentially all of its fuel, but controlled vital trans-alpine rail tunnels between Germany and Italy. Switzerland's most important exports during the war were precision machine tools, watches, jewel bearings (used in bombsights), electricity, and dairy products. During World War Two, the Swiss franc was the only remaining major freely convertible currency in the world, and both the Allies and the Germans sold large amounts of gold to the Swiss National Bank. Between 1940 and 1945, the German Reichsbank sold 1.3 billion francs worth of gold to Swiss Banks in exchange for Swiss francs and other foreign currency. Hundreds of millions of francs worth of this gold was monetary gold plundered from the central banks of occupied countries. 581,000 francs of "Melmer" gold taken from Holocaust victims in eastern Europe was sold to Swiss banks. In total, trade between Germany and Switzerland contributed about 0.5% to the German war effort but did not significantly lengthen the war.

Over the course of the war, Switzerland interned 300,000 refugees. 104,000 of these were foreign troops interned according to the Rights and Duties of Neutral Powers outlined in the Hague Conventions. The rest were foreign civilians and were either interned or granted tolerance or residence permits by the cantonal authorities. Refugees were not allowed to hold jobs. 60,000 of the refugees were civilians escaping persecution by the Nazis. Of these, 26,000 to 27,000 were Jews. Between 10,000 and 25,000 civilian refugees were refused entry. At the beginning of the war, Switzerland had a Jewish population of about 25,000 and a total population of about 4 million.

Within Switzerland at the time of the conflict there was moderate polarization. Some were pacifists. Some took sides according to international capitalism or international communism. Others leaned more towards their language group, with some in French-speaking areas more pro-Allied, and some in Swiss-German areas more pro-Axis. The government attempted to thwart the activities of any individual, party, or faction in Switzerland that acted with extremism or attempted to break the unity of the nation. The Swiss-German speaking areas moved linguistically further away from the standard (high) German spoken in Germany, with more emphasis on local Swiss dialects.

In the 1990s, controversy over a class-action lawsuit brought in Brooklyn, New York over Jewish assets in Holocaust-era bank accounts prompted the Swiss government to commission the most recent and authoritative study of Switzerland's interaction with the Nazi regime. The final report by this independent panel of international scholars, known as the Bergier Commission, was issued in 2002.

Women were granted the right to vote in the first Swiss cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971, and after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden in 1990. After suffrage at the federal level women quickly rose in political significance, with the first woman on the seven member high council being Elisabeth Kopp from 1984-1989. The first female president was Ruth Dreifuss, elected in 1998 to become president during 1999. (The Swiss president is elected every year from those among the seven member high council). The second female president currently holds the 2007 Swiss high office, Micheline Calmy-Rey. She is originally from the French-speaking western area of canton Valais (Wallis in Swiss German). She is presently joined on the seven member cabinet/high council by a second woman, Doris Leuthard, from the canton Aargau ("Argovie" in French). In 1979, areas from inside the previous borders in the canton of Bern attained independence from the Bernese, forming the new canton of Jura. On 18 April 1999 the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revised federal constitution.

In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving the Vatican as the last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA, but is not a member of the European Economic Area. An application for membership in the European Union was sent in May 1992, but not advanced since the EEA was rejected in December 1992 when Switzerland was the only country to launch a referendum on the EEA. There have since been several referenda on the EU issue, with a mixed reaction to these from the population. However, Swiss law is gradually being adjusted to conform with that of the EU and the government has signed a number of bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been completely surrounded by the EU since Austria's membership in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to join the Schengen treaty, a result that was regarded by EU commentators as a sign of support by Switzerland, a country that is traditionally perceived as independent, neutral, or isolationist.

For more on the issue of membership in the EU, see Switzerland and the European Union.

Politics

Main article: Politics of Switzerland

Federal Palace in Bern, Seat of the Swiss government

The Federal Constitution adopted in 1848 is the legal foundation of the Federation. It ensures the rights of individuals and citizen participation in public affairs, divides the powers between the Confederation and the cantons and defines federal jurisdictions. Under the Federal Constitution, there are three main governing bodies: the bicameral parliament (legislative), the Federal Council (executive) and the Federal Court (judicial).

The parliament consists of two houses: the Council of States which has 46 representatives (two from each canton and one from each half-canton) who are elected under a system determined by each canton, and the National Council, which consists of 200 members who are elected under a system of proportional representation. Members of both houses serve for 4 years. When both houses are in joint session, they are known collectively as the United Federal Assembly. Through referenda, citizens may challenge any law passed by parliament and through initiatives, introduce amendments to the federal constitution, making Switzerland a direct democracy.

Under the 1999 constitution, cantons hold all powers not specifically delegated to the federation.

The top executive body and collective Head of State 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 for a four-year mandate, the latter (and its administration) has gradually assumed a pre-eminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven to assume special representative functions for a one-year term, yet also maintains the role of his cabinet position.

From 1959 to December 2003, the four major parties were represented in the Federal Council according to the "magic formula", proportional to their representation in federal parliament: 2 Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC), 2 from the Social Democrats (SPS/PSS), 2 Liberal Democrats (FDP/PRD), and 1 from the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC). This traditional distribution of seats, however, is not backed up by any law, and in the 2003 elections to the Federal Council the CVP/PDC lost their second seat to the SVP/UDC, which became the strongest party in Switzerland's legislative the same year.

The function of the Federal Supreme Court is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for six-year terms.

See also: International relations of Switzerland and Voting in Switzerland

The Zytglogge clock tower in the capital Berne

Direct democracy

Swiss citizens are subject to three legal jurisdictions: the commune, canton and federal levels. The 1848 federal constitution defines a system of direct democracy (sometimes called half-direct democracy since it is complemented by the more commonplace institutions of a parliamentary democracy.) The instruments of Swiss direct democracy at the federal level, known as civil rights (droits civiques, Volksrechte), include the right to submit a constitutional initiative and a referendum, both of which may overturn parliamentary decisions.

By calling a federal referendum a group of citizens may challenge a law that has been passed by Parliament, if they can gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days. If so, a national vote is scheduled where voters decide by a simple majority whether to accept or reject the law. Eight cantons together can also call a referendum on a federal law.

Similarly, the federal constitutional initiative allows citizens to put a constitutional amendment to a national vote, if they can get 100,000 voters to sign the proposed amendment within 18 months. Parliament can complement the proposed amendment with a counter-proposal, with voters having to indicate a preference on the ballot in case both proposals are accepted. Constitutional amendments, whether introduced by initiative or in Parliament, must be accepted by a double majority of both the national popular vote and a majority of the cantonal popular votes.

International institutions in Switzerland

An unusual number of international institutions have their seats in Switzerland, in part due to its policy of neutrality. The Red Cross was founded there in 1863 and still has its institutional centre in the country. It is not a member of the European Union; the Swiss people rejected membership in a referendum in the early 1990s. Switzerland was one of the last countries to join the United Nations, in 2002, even though Geneva is the second biggest centre for the United Nations after New York, and Switzerland was a founding member of the League of Nations.

Energy politics

The energy generated in Switzerland comprises around 40% nuclear power and 60% from hydroelectricity.

On 18 May, 2003, a popular initiative named Moratorium Plus asked about an extension of an existing law forbidding the building of new nuclear power plants. Both were turned down: Moratorium Plus by a margin of 41.6% for and 58.4% opposed, and Electricity Without Nuclear by a margin of 33.7% for and 66.3% opposed. The former ten-year moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants was the result of a citizens' initiative voted on in 1990 which had passed with 54.5% Yes vs. 45.5% No votes (see Nuclear power phase-out in Switzerland for details). There is currently talk of a new nuclear plant in the Canton of Bern.

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is the office responsible for all questions relating to energy supply and energy use within the Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC).See also SwissEnergy.

Cantons (states)

Main article: Cantons of Switzerland

Valais

Ticino

Grisons

Geneva

Vaud

Neuchâtel

Jura

Bern

Thurgau

Zurich

Aargau

Lucerne

Solothurn

Basel-Landschaft

Schaffhausen

Uri

Schwyz

Glarus

St. Gallen

Appenzell Innerrhoden

Appenzell Ausserrhoden

Obwalden

Nidwalden

Zug

Fribourg

Basel-Stadt

France

Italy

Liechten-
stein

Austria

Germany

The canton of Schwyz in the centre of Switzerland

The Swiss National Park in canton Graubünden

The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons:

Aargau Appenzell Innerrhoden* Appenzell Ausserrhoden* Basel-Stadt* Basel-Landschaft* Bern Fribourg Geneva Glarus Graubünden Jura Lucerne

Neuchâtel Nidwalden* Obwalden* Schaffhausen Schwyz Solothurn St. Gallen Thurgau Ticino Uri Valais Vaud Zug Zürich

*These cantons are represented by only one councillor in the Council of States.

Their populations vary between 15,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,253,500 (Zürich), and their area between 37 km² (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km² (Graubünden). The Cantons comprise a total of 2,889 municipalities.

Within Switzerland there are two enclaves: Büsingen belongs to Germany, Campione d'Italia belongs to Italy.

In a referendum held in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg on 11 May 1919 over 80% of those voting supported a proposal that the state should join the Swiss Confederation. However, this was prevented by the opposition of the Austrian Government, the Allies, Swiss liberals, the Swiss-Italians and the Swiss-French.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Switzerland

general map of Switzerland

Wintertime view of Sent

Morcote in warmer southern Ticino

Map of Switzerland (detailed)

With an area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi), Switzerland is a relatively small country. The population is about 7.4 million, resulting in an average population density of 182 people per square kilometre (472/sq mi). However the more mountainous southern half of the country is far more sparsely populated than this statistic shows. The northern half has a somewhat greater density than the statistic shows, as it is comprised of more hospitable hilly terrain, partly forested and partly cleared, as well as several large lakes.

Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau or "middleland", and the Jura mountains along the northwest border with France. The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Among the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufourspitze at 4,634 metres (15,203 Template:Ft), are found countless valleys, many with waterfalls and glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, Rhône, Inn, Aare, and Ticino flow finally into the largest Swiss lakes such as Lake Geneva (Lac Leman), Lake Zürich, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Constance. The smaller lakes near the mountains tend to be a brilliant turquoise color, especially in the summer.

The most famous mountain is the Matterhorn (4478 m) in Kanton Wallis and Pennine Alps bordering Italy. The highest mountain, the Dufourspitze or Monte Rosa, is very close to it yet not as well known. The section of the Bernese Alps above the deep glacial Lauterbrunnen Valley containing 72 waterfalls is also well known for the Jungfrau (4,158m), Mönch, Eiger group of peaks, and the many picturesque valleys in the region. In the southeast the long Engadin Valley, encompassing the St Moritz area in canton Graubünden, is also quite known and the highest peak here is the Piz Bernina (4,049 m).

The northern section and more populous part of the country is called the Middle Land. It has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open meadow, usually with grazing herds, or vegetables and fruits growing, but it can still be somewhat mountainous. There are large lakes found here and the biggest Swiss cities are in this area of the country. This section, particularly the west, is also referred to as the "Seeland"...the land of lakes...and the largest lake is Lake Geneva (Lac Leman in French), at the westernmost of Switzerland. The Rhone river flows into this largest Swiss lake from canton Valais, and then exits at the border with France around the city of Geneva. The smaller Jura Mountains are in the northwest of the country, and form part of the border with France.

The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from glacial conditions on the mountain tops to the often pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. The summer tends to be warm and humid at times with periodic rain so it is ideal for pastures and grazing. The winters in the mountains alternate with sun and snow, while the lower lands tends to be more cloudy and foggy in winter. A weather phenomenon known as the Föhn can occur at all times of the year, even in winter, and is characterized by a wind with warm Mediterranean air. The driest conditions persist in the southern valleys of the Wallis/Valais above which valuable saffron is harvested and many grapes are grown, the Graubünden also tends to be somewhat drier in climate and slightly colder, yet with plentiful snow in winter. The wettest conditions persist in the high Alps and in the Ticino which has much sun yet heavy bursts of rain from time to time. The east tends to be colder than the west of Switzerland, yet anywhere up high in the mountains can experience a cold spell at any time of the year. Precipitation tends to be spread moderately throughout the year, with minor variations across the seasons depending on locale. Autumn frequently tends to be the driest season, yet the weather patterns in Switzerland can be highly variable from year to year, and very difficult to predict.

Switzerland's eco-systems can be particularly vulnerable, due to the many delicate valleys separated by high mountains, often forming unique ecologies. The mountainous regions themselves are also vulnerable, with a rich range of plants not found at other altitudes, and experience some pressure from visitors and grazing. The treeline in the mountains of Switzerland has retreated down 1000ft over the years, largely due to herding and grazing pressures.

See also: Swisstopo topographical survey, List of lakes of Switzerland, List of rivers of Switzerland, List of mountain passes in Switzerland.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Switzerland

Tourism is important in the Engadin valley above St. Moritz

Winemaking near Lake Biel

Cheese making and dairying is an important Swiss industry

Switzerland has a prosperous and stable modern market economy, with a nominal per capita GDP that is higher than those of the big western European economies, United States and Japan, though on a PPP basis, it ranks tenth. The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Switzerland's economy as the most competitive in the world. For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin. However, since the early 1990s it has suffered from slow growth and, in 2005, fell to fourth among European countries with populations above one million in terms of nominal Gross Domestic Product per capita behind Ireland, Denmark and Norway and to the tenth position in terms of Gross Domestic Product per capita at purchasing power parity (also behind the European countries Austria and Iceland; (see list). Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association.

Banking, tourism, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals are very important industries in Switzerland. The manufacture of precision instruments for engineering is important, as is watchmaking, and the biological sciences industries as well enjoy a high place in the Swiss economy. The many international organizations in Switzerland contribute to the Swiss economy and labor market.

In recent years, the Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the European Union in many ways, in an effort to enhance their international competitiveness. The economy has been growing most recently at around 3% per year. Full EU membership is a long-term objective of some in the Swiss government, but there is considerable popular sentiment against this supported by the conservative SVP party. The western more French-speaking areas tend to be more pro-EU.

The government has established an Integration Office under the Department of Foreign and Economic Affairs. To minimise the negative consequences of Switzerland's isolation from the rest of Europe, Bern and Brussels signed seven agreements, called bilateral agreements, to further liberalise trade ties. These agreements were signed in 1999 and took effect in 2001. This first series of bilateral agreements included the free movement of persons. A second series covering nine areas was signed in 2004 and awaits ratification. The second series includes the Schengen treaty and the Dublin Convention. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Switzerland most recently (2006) approved a billion euro supportative investment in the poorer eastern European countries in support of cooperation and positive ties to the EU as a whole. They have also been under EU and sometimes international pressure to open up their bank secrecy and to raise their tax rates into compliance with the EU. Preparatory discussions are being opened on four new areas: opening up the electricity market, participation in the European GPS system Galileo, cooperating with the European centre for disease prevention and recognising certificates of origin for food products. Switzerland voted against membership in the European Economic Area in December 1992 and has since maintained and developed its relationships with the European Union and European countries through bilateral agreements. Any internal debate on the subject has been suspended since March 2001, when the Swiss people refused in a popular vote to start accession negotiations with the EU. Both Switzerland and Norway have consistently voted against EU membership, although the votes have been very close.

See also: List of Swiss companies, Swiss bank, and Merchant Marine of Switzerland

Switzerland due to its size is heavily active in recycling and anti-littering bans, all garbage (except dangerous items, batteries etc.) in Switzerland must be disposed of in government approved bags which can only be bought from local shops and grocery stores. These special bags include a pollution tax thereby urging people to use less. Swiss health officials and police often open up garbage which has been deposited in the wrong bags. They search for evidence such as old bills which connect the bag to the household/person they originated from. Fines for not using proper bags range from 200-500 Francs. Switzerland is one of the top recyclers in the world with roughly 98% of all recyclable items being recycled. Switzerland is also the only country in the Kyoto Treaty to have met their CO₂ emission goals.

Demographics

Main articles: Swiss (people) and Demographics of Switzerland

Main languages in Switzerland:

   German (63.7%)

   French (20.4%)

   Italian (6.5%)

   Romansh (0.5%)

Switzerland lies at the crossroads of several major European cultures that have heavily influenced the country's languages and culture. Switzerland has four official languages: German (64%) in the north and centre; French (20.4%) to the west; Italian (6.5%) in the south; and Romansh (a Romance language), that is spoken locally by a small minority (< 1%) in the southeastern canton of Graubünden. (Some dialects of Franco-Provençal have speakers in rural communities in the region where French is spoken. This language has no legal status). The federal government is obliged to communicate in the four official languages. In the federal parliament, German, French, Italian and Romansh are the official languages and simultaneous translation is provided. The German spoken in Switzerland is predominantly a group of dialects collectively known as Swiss German, but written communication and broadcasts typically use Swiss Standard German. Similarly, there are some dialects in the other speaking part of Switzerland, called Swiss French and Ticinese (a dialect of Italian). Also the official languages (German, French and Italian) borrow some terms not understood outside of Switzerland, i.e. terms from other languages (German Billette from French), from similar term in another language (Italian azione used not as act but as discount from German Aktion). Learning one of the other national languages at school is obligatory for all Swiss, so most Swiss are supposed to be at least bilingual (in reality, many Swiss are more fluent in English than in their own country's other languages, particularly the German-speaking Swiss).

Resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 21% of the population. Most of these are from European Union countries (Italians being the largest group, at 4%), with smaller numbers from the rest of the world, including refugees from the former Yugoslavia (5%) and Turks (1%).

Further information: List of Swiss people

The country has seen growth in the population of Hmong, Lao and Vietnamese people, and also immigrants from Mexico and South America.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Switzerland

The Notre Dame de Valere

Switzerland has no country-wide state religion, though most of the cantons (except for Geneva and Neuchâtel) recognize official churches, in all cases including the Catholic Church and the Swiss Reformed Church, in some cantons also the Old Catholic Church and Jewish congregations. These churches are financed by official taxation of adherents.

Christianity is the predominant religion of Switzerland, divided between the Catholic Church (41.8% of the population) and various Protestant denominations (40%). Immigration has brought Islam (4.3%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (1.8%) as sizeable minority religions. The 2005 Eurobarometer poll found 48% to be theist, 39% expressing belief in "a spirit or life force", 9% atheist and 4% agnostic.

Cathedral Notre-Dame of Lausanne in the French speaking west.

The country is historically about evenly balanced between Catholic and Protestant, with a confusing patchwork of majorities over most of the country. Some cantons, such as Appenzell, are even officially divided into Catholic and Protestant sections. The larger cities (Bern, Zürich and Basel) are predominantly Protestant. Central Switzerland, as well as the Ticino, is traditionally Catholic. The Swiss constitution of 1848, under the recent impression of the clashes of Catholic vs. Protestant cantons that culminated in the Sonderbundskrieg, consciously defines a consociational state, allowing the peaceful co-existence of Catholics and Protestants. A 1980 initiative calling for the complete separation of church and state was clearly rejected, with only 21.1% voting in support.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Switzerland

The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours and its international sentiment, but over the years a distinctive culture with some regional differences and an independent streak has developed. In particular, French-speaking regions have tended to orient themselves slightly more on French culture and tend to be more pro EU. Swiss German speaking areas may perhaps be seen more orientated on German culture and can be more traditionalist and neutralist, and Italian-speaking areas can have more of an Italian culture. A region may be in some ways strongly culturally connected to the neighbouring country that shares its language. The linguistically isolated Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is also robust and strives to maintain its very rare linguistic tradition. It is difficult to speak of a homogeneous Swiss culture and it is more complicated than mere language differences. Those living in the cities have a somewhat different culture than those in the mountains and small villages. So a French speaker from the mountains may be more culturally similar to a Schwiizertüütsch speaker from the mountains than to a fellow French speaker from a city. The fundamental ideals of the country tend to be what most strongly binds everyone culturally. As it is a small country this as well tends to hold people together even though their languages may be different. A one hour train ride is all it takes to get to a region speaking a different language, so there is naturally heavy interaction between the various language groups.

Many mountain areas have a strong highly energetic ski town culture in winter, and a calmer hiking/wandering culture in summer. Some areas throughout the year have a recreational culture that caters to tourism, yet the quieter seasons are spring and autumn when there are fewer visitors and a higher ratio of Swiss. A traditional farmer and herder culture also predominates in many areas, and this connection to the land and agriculture is a strong glue holding all the Swiss together. Even though most no longer actually farm themselves, the small farms are omnipresent outside the cities, and as well many Swiss at least have a small garden plot or many window boxes with geraniums and other flowers. There is a very strong pro-nature sentiment in Switzerland, as typically occurs in countries with such beautiful scenery, and this is supported by such Swiss institutions as Pro-Natura. There is also a broad modern international-youth-culture throughout Switzerland that would be applicable to many countries, and the general European-Western culture has a strong influence on Switzerland as well.

A predominant cultural tendency in Switzerland is responsibility, safety, and respect for the rule of law with people even hesitant to cross the street unless the walk sign is green. Switzerland has traditionally had a very low rate and reputation for crime, yet many Swiss are concerned the crime rates have been slightly increasing with the large influxes of immigrants. On occasion, as reported in the newspapers, there are instances of a mugging, robbery, or attack on the streets of a big city, yet this is still quite rare, and even young women or children will walk unaccompanied through the forests or cities. The Swiss are well known for their affinity for cleanliness and punctuality, which is often the source of jokes. This reputation is not unfounded with Switzerland possessing one of the best road and public transportation networks in the world. Like many European nations the Swiss are big fans of football (soccer) and the national team or 'Nati' is widely supported. Swiss wrestling or "Schwingen" is an old tradition from the rural central cantons. It consists of two competitors who wear bag-like cloth shorts over their normal pants and attempt to cause the opposing player to fall or be pinned down on the ground. Schwingen is played on a circular arena of sawdust.

A number of culturally active Swiss have chosen to move abroad, in the historical past, many times as of limited opportunities and a difficult economic situation in Switzerland. These days the opportunities and economic prospects within Switzerland are excellent for Swiss citizens, with plentiful work opportunities that give preference to a Swiss citizen, and one million job openings filled by foreigners (1/4 the work force), one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world, and a solid safety net of social services and aid to the jobless, yet many Swiss still choose to live abroad. The reasons vary, yet the Swiss have a fascination with foreign lands and a history of international diplomacy and peaceful involvement. Also Switzerland is a small country, so many feel they need to live somewhere larger or that seems to them as more important or exciting. Many then come back or just make temporary excursions. At the same time, the neutrality of Switzerland and the low taxes have attracted many creative people from all over the world, and the population is very diverse with many cultures represented at least on a small scale. On the news stands in even moderate sized towns there are papers in dozens of languages, representing many countries even far from Switzerland. In war times the tradition of political asylum helped to attract artists, scientists, and political figures. Recently a reputation for safety, security, and cleanliness, good economic prospects with low taxes, a high level of infrastructure, and beautiful scenery encourage many companies and also individual immigrants (both legal and illegal). Recently Switzerland has experienced more traditionalism and a turning inwards from some quarters, with a reluctance and hesitation towards more foreigners coming to the small country, especially those coming illegally or that the Swiss fear have begun to abuse the asylum and immigration systems.

There are still the various traditional mountain dress styles worn on festive occasions with the traditional music styles and yodeling. However it tends to be the older generation more engaged in such activities, and it is easier to find the young generation listening to hip-hop, rock, and electronic ambient & rave music these days than to hear them yodeling. On wandering through the mountains though, the alphorn will frequently be heard playing, and this Swiss cultural institution still seems to be thriving. Also the Swiss card game Jass is still quite popular in some areas. The mountainous regions promote the most traditional Swiss culture and try to maintain some traditions in the face of the pressures of modern international cosmopolitan cultural homogenization. Many times this is partly geared toward tourism as well, and the William Tell performances held at Interlaken are primarily visited by tourists, and many of the attendees at the various Swiss festivals are tourists, creating a blend of culture that takes in the visitor. There is a wide array of festivals and celebrations sometimes even specific to particular villages, and these tend to be culturally specific to the Swiss and geared primarily for them and their children, yet usually are attended by some visitors as well. The cities maintain a handful of traditional celebrations such as the "zweibelimärit" in the capital Bern in November, yet tend mainly towards a modern international cosmopolitan culture with many theater performances, modern musical acts & concerts, art shows, film showings, and other such events like many modern cities. The Swiss National Independence Day, centered on the Rütli meadow in the center of Switzerland on August 1, is very popular with the Swiss themselves, and this celebration is a festive day across Switzerland, with large and impressive fireworks displays in all the towns, on the lakes, and even remote locations scattered across the mountainsides.

• 
  Folk dance in Lausanne
• 
  fondue
• 
  Appenzell farmer bringing his cows up to Schwägalp for the summer
• 
  A cityscape from the capital Berne
• 
  The Simmental ski area in the calmer summertime hiking season

See also: Music of Switzerland, Swiss cuisine, and SRG SSR idée suisse

The Swiss

The Swiss are a diplomatic, moderately conservative (by European standards) and very industrious people. Their near-perfectionist approach to work (and life in general) has contributed a great deal to the high level of organisation and sophistication seen in the Swiss socio-economic and political system. This has translated into a very high GDP per capita and standard of living - Swiss cities are often on the Top 10 list of places with the highest quality of life (Mercer Quality of Life survey).

The impact of Globalisation and the European Union on Switzerland is evident in the increasing foreign population, particularly in the major cities of Zurich and Geneva. The influx of foreigners into the country is generally perceived negatively on grounds that foreigners are believed to be the driving cause of increase in crime, Swiss unemployment, and littering. This has provided extreme right wing political parties like the SVP and the Schweizer Demokraten with a unique opportunity to increase their political clout. Some regions have also witnessed an increase in activity of racist and neo-Nazi groups.

See also

• 2004 in Switzerland, 2005 in Switzerland
• Communications in Switzerland
• Data codes for Switzerland
• Education in Switzerland
• Enlargement of the European Union - Switzerland
• Foreign relations of Switzerland
• List of cities in Switzerland
• List of Swiss people
• Military of Switzerland
• Public holidays in Switzerland
• Swiss citizenship
• Switzerland and the European Union
• Transport in Switzerland
• List of Swiss companies
• List of Switzerland-related topics

References

• Clive H. Church (2004). The Politics and Government of Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-69277-2.
• Dieter Fahrni (2003). An Outline History of Switzerland. From the Origins to the Present Day. 8th enlarged edition. Pro Helvetia, Zürich. ISBN 3-908102-61-8
• Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (2002-). Published electronically and in print simultaneously in three national languages of Switzerland.
• The Economist, "A special case: A survey of Switzerland". 14 February 2004.
• Swiss Statistics, official website of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office.
• CIA World Factbook - Switzerland

External links

Official Switzerland

• The Federal Authorities of the Swiss Confederation
• Your Gateway to Switzerland
• Maps from the Federal Office of Topography

History

• History of Switzerland: Primary Documents
• Historical Dictionary of Switzerland in German, French and Italian
• history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch

References

• Online Map
• The official Telephone Directory

Media

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung, a Swiss daily newspaper in German
• Le Temps, a Swiss daily newspaper in French
• Corriere Del Ticino, a Swiss daily newspaper in Italian
• swissinfo - News + Infos in 9 languages

Tourism

• Switzerland Tourism, a national tourism organization
• List of Swiss municipalities, all about Swiss municipalities
• [http://www.pictures-switzerland.com/ Pictures Switzerland

Energy

• SwissEnergy.