There's more to Switzerland than the Alps, cheese, banks and chocolate! There are small villages nestled in rugged mountains, green pastures surrounding crystal lakes, and legendary art and architecture.
Switzerland lies at the crossroads of several major European cultures that have heavily influenced the country's languages and culture. Switzerland is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is multilingual and has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. Yes, four official languages: German (63.7% total population in the north, east and center of the country; French (20.4%; 21.0%) to the west; Italian (6.5%; 4.3%) in the south; Romansh, a Romance language spoken locally by a small minority (0.5%; 0.6%) in the southeastern canton of Graubünden.
Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau or "middleland", and the Jura mountains along the northwestern border with France. The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country, comprising about 60% of the country's total area. The most famous mountain is the Matterhorn (4,478 m) in Valais and Pennine Alps bordering Italy.
The more populous northern part of the country, comprising about 30% of the country's total area, is called the Middle Land. It has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds, or vegetables and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. There are large lakes found here and the biggest Swiss cities are in this area of the country. The largest lake is Lake Geneva, in the West of Switzerland. The Rhone River is the main tributary to Lake Geneva.
The Swiss climate is usually temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from glacial conditions on the mountaintops to the often pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. Summers tend to be warm and humid at times with periodic rainfall so they are ideal for pastures and grazing. The winters in the mountains alternate with sun and snow, while the lower lands tend to be more cloudy and foggy in winter.
Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 states called cantons. Berne is the seat of the federal authorities, while the country's economic centers are its three global cities, Geneva, Basel, and Zürich. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product. Zürich and Geneva have respectively been ranked as having the first and second highest quality of life in the world.
Switzerland has a long history of neutrality — it has not been at war since 1815 — and hosts many international organizations, including the Red Cross, the World Trade Organization and one of the U.N.'s two European offices. However, Switzerland is not a member of the European Union.
Geneva, the French-speaking city of Calvin and Rousseau, the Red Cross and many other international organizations, lies at the tip of its lake, from which the Rhône flows. In the Lake Geneva region are Lausanne, known for its cathedral and the Olympic Museum; Zurich is a lakeside metropolis without factory stacks; a garden city between wooded hills where German is the language. Centuries-old guildhouses have been converted into restaurants. The twin Gothic towers of the Grossmünster church are a landmark, and Fraumünster church features the splendid Chagall stained-glass windows.
Basel, the ancient city straddling the Rhine, is a center of art and research. It boasts a sandstone cathedral, a world-class fine arts museum, and is famous for its annual three-day Carnival.
Lucerne, on an idyllic lake surrounded by the Alps, is known for its medieval wooden bridge, its Water Tower and the Dying Lion Monument to the Swiss Guards of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Bern, the capital, has a remarkably preserved Old Town, complete with a medieval bear pit. The Bernese Oberland (highland) is dominated by the Jungfrau, which rises more than 13,000 feet. The gateway town is lovely Interlaken.
Ticino is the Italian-speaking area of Switzerland. The major towns include Locarno and Lugano, sun-blessed cities on the shores of mountain-backed lakes. The Valais region stretches from the Rhône glacier down to Lake Geneva. The Rhône plain leads to such alpine resorts as Zermatt, Saas Fee and Verbier.
The Graubünden region to the east is the center of the distinctive Romansh culture and language. Some 150 valleys crease the mountainous landscape. Popular resort areas include St. Moritz, Davos, Arosa and Flims.
Montreux, is the home of the popular summer jazz festival. The Castle of Chillon is nearby.
Switzerland has a stable, modern, and one of the most capitalist economies in the world. It has the 2nd highest European rating after Ireland in the Index of Economic Freedom 2008, while also providing large coverage through public services. The nominal per capita GDP is higher than those of the larger western European economies and Japan, ranking 6th behind Luxembourg, Norway, Qatar, Iceland and Ireland. Switzerland has overwhelmingly private sector economy and low tax rates by Western standards; overall taxation is one of the smallest of developed countries.
The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Switzerland's economy as the second most competitive in the world. For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin. In 2005 the median household income in Switzerland was an estimated 95,000 CHF, the equivalent of roughly 81,000 USD (as of Nov. 2008) in purchasing power parity, which is similar to wealthy American states like California.
Despite a dearth of natural resources, Switzerland is one of the world's most advanced and prosperous nations. Per capita income is among the highest in the world, as are wages. Trade has been the key to prosperity in Switzerland. The country is dependent upon export markets to generate income while dependent upon imports for raw materials and to expand the range of goods and services available in the country. Switzerland has liberal investment and trade policies, with the exception of agriculture, and a conservative fiscal policy. The Swiss legal system is highly developed; commercial law is well defined; and solid laws and policies protect investments. The Swiss franc is one of the world's soundest currencies, and the country is known for its high standard of banking and financial services. Switzerland is a member of a number of international economic organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
CIA World Factbook
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