Switzerland

                                  Geography


Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area:
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km

AreaÑcomparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein
41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

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 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 2%
permanent pastures: 28%
forests and woodland: 32%
other: 28% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods

EnvironmentÑcurrent issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and
open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

EnvironmentÑinternational agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94,
Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

GeographyÑnote: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe;
along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest
elevations in Europe

                                   People


Population: 7,260,357 (July 1998 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 17% (male 642,365; female 613,931)
15-64 years: 68% (male 2,506,653; female 2,415,647)
65 years and over: 15% (male 436,804; female 644,957) (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.22% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 10.81 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 9.03 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: 0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 4.92 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.88 years
male: 75.71 years
female: 82.22 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss

Ethnic groups: total populationÑGerman 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%,
Romansch 1%, other 6%
note: Swiss nationalsÑGerman 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other
1%

Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, no religion 8.9%
(1990)

Languages: German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other
8.9%
note: figures for Swiss nationals only: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%,
Romansch 1%, other 1%

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (1980 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA%

                                 Government


Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation
Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)

Data code: SZ

Government type: federal republic

National capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singularÑcanton in French;
cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singularÑkanton in German);
Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg,
Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel,
Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau,
Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1
August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review
of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general
obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice
President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); noteÑthe president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice
President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); noteÑthe president is both
the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Federal Council or GermanÑBundesrat, FrenchÑConseil Federal,
Italian - Consiglio Federale elected by the Federal Assembly from among its
own members for a four-year term
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from
among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run
concurrently; election last held 10 December 1997 (next to be held NA
December 1998)
election results: Flavio COTTI elected president; percent of Federal
Assembly voteÑFlavio COTTI 90%; Ruth DREIFUSS elected vice president;
percent of legislative vote - Ruth DREIFUSS 69%

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly or GermanÑBundesversammlung,
FrenchÑAssemblee Federale, ItalianÑAssemblea Federale consists of the
Council of States or GermanÑStanderat, FrenchÑConseil des Etats,
ItalianÑConsiglio degli Stati (46 seats; members are elected two from each
canton and one from each half canton to serve four-year terms) and the
National Council or German - Nationalrat, FrenchÑConseil National,
ItalianÑConsiglio Nazionale (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote
on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of StatesÑlast held throughout 1997 (each canton
determines when the next election will be held); National CouncilÑlast held
20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24 October 1999)
election results: Council of StatesÑpercent of vote by partyÑNA; seats by
party - FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National CouncilÑpercent
of vote by partyÑNA; seats by partyÑFDP 45, SPS 54, CVP 34, SVP 29, Greens
9, LPS 7, FPS 7, LdU 3, EVP 2, SD 3, PdAdS 3, Ticino League 1, EDU 1, FRAP
1, CSP 1

Judicial branch: Federal Supreme Court, judges elected for six-year terms by
the Federal Assembly

Political parties and leaders: Radical Free Democratic Party
(Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti
Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or
PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, president]; Social Democratic Party
(Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or
PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la
Svizra or PSS) [Ursula KOCH, president]; Christian Democratic People's Party
(Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti
Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare
Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Adalbert
DURRER, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP,
Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica da Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; Green Party
(Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts,
Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La
Verda) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Freedom Party or FPS [Roland BORER];
Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or
PLS, Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS) [Francois Jeanneset, president];
Alliance of Independents' Party (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU,
Alliance des Independants or AdI) [Daniel ANDRES, president]; Ticino League
(Lega dei Ticinesi) [Giuliano BIGNASCA, president]; and other minor parties
including Swiss Democratic Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates
Suisses or DS, Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Workers' Party (Parti Suisse du
Travail or PST, Partei der Arbeit der Schweiz or PdAdS, Partito Svizzero del
Lavoro or PSdL), Evangelical People's Party (Evangelische Volkspartei der
Schweiz or EVP, Parti Evangelique Suisse or PEV, Partito Evangelico Svizzero
or PEV), and the Union of Federal Democrats (Eidgenossisch-Demokratische
Union or EDU, Union Democratique Federale or UDF, Unione Democratica
Federale or UDF); noteÑsee elections

International organization participation: ACCT, AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G- 8, G-10,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer),
MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN
(observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNMOT,
UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO (since April 1997)
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and
San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN (since 8 August 1996)
embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44

Flag description: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the
center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

                                   Economy


EconomyÑoverview: Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and stable modern
economy with a per capita GDP roughly 10% above that of the big West
European economies, is experiencing continued economic difficulties. GDP
growth was a minus 0.2% in 1996 and a weak plus 0.4% in 1997. Weak domestic
consumer demand is partly at fault; stagnating real disposable income
combines with a reluctance to reduce saving rates in the face of an
uncertain employment outlook. Switzerland's leading sectors, including
financial services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose
machines, therefore are more reliant on export markets. Exports should lead
an upturn in Swiss economic performance in 1998-99, provided the franc does
not appreciate substantially as a result of Swiss monetary policy or
instability in the run up to EMU.

GDP: purchasing power parityÑ$172.4 billion (1997 est.)

GDPÑreal growth rate: 0.4% (1997 est.)

GDPÑper capita: purchasing power parityÑ$23,800 (1997 est.)

GDPÑcomposition by sector:
agriculture: 2.8%
industry: 31.1%
services: 66.1% (1995)

Inflation rateÑconsumer price index: -0.1% (1997)

Labor force:
total: 3.8 million (850,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)
by occupation: services 67%, manufacturing and construction 29%, agriculture
and forestry 4% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1997 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $25.8 billion
expenditures: $30.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion
(1997)

Industries: machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Industrial production growth rate: 0% (1996)

ElectricityÑcapacity: 14.27 million kW (1995)

ElectricityÑproduction: 55 billion kWh (1996)

ElectricityÑconsumption per capita: 6,850 kWh (1996 est.)

AgricultureÑproducts: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Exports:
total value: $99.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)
commodities: machinery 29%, chemicals 26%, metals 8%, agricultural products
4% (1996)
partners: EU countries 61%, US 9%, Japan 4% (1996)

Imports:
total value: $86.6 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
commodities: machinery 22%, chemicals 20%, metals 8%, agricultural products
9% (1996)
partners: EU 79%, US 7%, Japan 3% (1996)

DebtÑexternal: $NA

Economic aid:
donor: ODA, $1.034 billion (1995)

Currency: 1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SFR) = 100 centimes, rappen, or
centesimi

Exchange rates: Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1Ñ1.4757
(January 1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994),
1.4776 (1993)

Fiscal year: calendar year

                               Communications


Telephones: 5.24 million (including 663 million car-mobile phones) (1996
est.)

Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services
domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: satellite earth stationsÑ2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and
Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 7, FM 50 (state-owned 10, private 40, shortwave
1 (1997)

Radios: 2.8 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: 15 of which state-owned 5, private 10
(repeaters 1,322) (1997)

Televisions: 2.647 million licenses (1996)

                               Transportation


Railways:
total: 5,249 km (1,564 km double track)
standard gauge: 3,741 km 1.435-m gauge (3,119 km electrified; 808 km
nongovernment owned)
narrow gauge: 1,438 km 1.000-m gauge (1,088 km electrified; 1,364 km
nongovernment owned)
other gauge: 70 km 0.750-m or 0.800-m gauge (1996)

Highways:
total: 71,117 km (including 1,594 km of expressways)
paved: NA km
unpaved: NA km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12
navigable lakes

Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors: Basel

Merchant marine:
total: 22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 424,261 GRT/733,551 DWT
ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 2,
roll-on/roll-off cargo 1 (1997 est.)

Airports: 67 (1997 est.)

AirportsÑwith paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 15 (1997 est.)

AirportsÑwith unpaved runways:
total: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 24 (1997 est.)

                                  Military


Military branches: Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military manpowerÑmilitary age: 20 years of age

Military manpowerÑavailability:
males age 15-49: 1,878,453 (1998 est.)

Military manpowerÑfit for military service:
males: 1,605,409 (1998 est.)

Military manpowerÑreaching military age annually:
males: 40,887 (1998 est.)

Military expendituresÑdollar figure: $3.2 billion (1997)

Military expendituresÑpercent of GDP: 1.2% (1997)

                            Transnational Issues


DisputesÑinternational: none

Illicit drugs: because of more stringent government regulations,
significantly less used as a money-laundering center; transit country for
and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin