Switzerland

Radio broadcast stations

AM 7, FM 50, shortwave 1 (1997)

Radios

2.8 million (1996)

Telephone system

excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Telephones

5.24 million (1996 est.); 307,000 cellular telephone subscribers (1994 est.)

Television broadcast stations

108 (1997)

Televisions

2.647 million licenses (1996)

Agriculture--products

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Budget

revenues: $32.66 billion expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.)

Currency

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

Debt--external

$NA

Economic aid--donor

ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)

Economy--overview

Switzerland, a fundamentally prosperous and stable modern economy with a per capita GDP 15%-20% above that of the big West European economies, experienced an export-driven upturn in its economy in 1998. The downturn in the global economy, however, will have a cooling effect on the 1998 boom in the Swiss export sector, including financial services, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and special-purpose machines. A major downturn in the Swiss economy should still be avoided, as consumer and capital spending have picked up and will keep the economy moving in 1999. GDP growth in 1999 is expected to come in around 1.4%. The growing political and economic union of Europe suggests that Switzerland's time-honored neutral separation is becoming increasingly obsolete. Thus, when the surrounding trade partners launched the euro on 1 January 1999, their firms began prodding Swiss exporters and importers to keep their accounts in euros.

Electricity--consumption

53.765 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports

24.2 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports

23.15 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production

54.815 billion kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source

fossil fuel: 3.99% hydro: 52.73% nuclear: 43.27% other: 0.01% (1996)

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SFR) per US$1--1.3837 (January 1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994)

Exports

$94.4 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

machinery 29%, chemicals 28%, metals, watches, agricultural products (1997)

Exports--partners

EU 61% (Germany 23%, France 9%, Italy 8%, UK 6%, Austria 3%), US 10%, Japan 4% (1997)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity--$191.8 billion (1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector

agriculture: 2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995)

GDP--per capita

purchasing power parity?$26,400 (1998 est.)

GDP--real growth rate

2% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9% highest 10%: 28.6% (1982)

Imports

$95.5 billion (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

machinery 22%, chemicals 16%, vehicles, metals, agricultural products, textiles (1997)

Imports--partners

EU 79% (Germany 32%, France 12%, Italy 10%, Netherlands 5%, UK 5%),, US 7%, Japan 3% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate

6% (1998 est.)

Industries

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0% (1998)

Labor force

3.8 million (850,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian)

Labor force--by occupation

services 67%, manufacturing and construction 29%, agriculture and forestry 4% (1995)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

3.6% (1998 est.)

Area

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

Area--comparative

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Environment--current issues

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

Environment--international 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: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Geography--note

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

Irrigated land

250 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

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

Location

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

Natural hazards

avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Natural resources

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Terrain

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Administrative divisions

26 cantons (cantons, singular--canton in French; cantoni, singular--cantone in Italian; kantone, singular--kanton 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

Capital

Bern

Constitution

29 May 1874

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Madeleine May KUNIN embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco

Executive branch

chief of state: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1999); Vice President Adolf OGI (since 1 January 1999); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) 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 NA December 1998 (next to be held NA December 1999) election results: Ruth DREIFUSS elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote--Ruth DREIFUSS 75%; Adolf OGI elected vice president; percent of legislative vote --NA

Flag description

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

Government type

federal republic

Independence

1 August 1291

International organization participation

ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, 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

Judicial branch

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

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

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats--members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats--members are elected by popular vote on a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms) elections: Council of States--last held throughout 1997 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council--last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held probably 24 October 1999) election results: Council of States--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--FDP 17, CVP 16, SVP 5, SPS 5, LPS 2, LdU 1; National Council--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--FDP 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

National holiday

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

Political parties and leaders

Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida 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 president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida (Landesring der Unabhaengigen or LdU, Alliance des Independants or Party (Schweizer Demokraten or SD, Democrates Suisses or DS, Democratici Svizzeri or DS), Liberal Party (Liberale Partei der Schweiz or LPS, Parti Liberal Suisse or PLS, Partito Liberale Svizzero or PLS), 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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland did not participate in either World War I or II. The political and economic integration of Europe since World War II may be rendering obsolete Switzerland's concern for neutrality.

Military branches

Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards

Military expenditures--dollar figure

$3.1 billion (1999)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

1.2% (1999)

Military manpower--availability

males age 15-49: 1,867,290 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service

males age 15-49: 1,592,696 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--military age

20 years of age

Military manpower--reaching military age annually

males: 41,204 (1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 17% (male 639,970; female 611,876) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,509,988; female 2,417,580) 65 years and over: 15% (male 444,482; female 651,571) (1999 est.)

Birth rate

10.53 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate

9.06 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Infant mortality rate

4.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages

German 63.7%, French 19.2%, Italian 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.99 years male: 75.83 years female: 82.32 years (1999 est.)

Literacy

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

Nationality

noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss

Net migration rate

0.49 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population

7,275,467 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate

0.2% (1999 est.)

Religions

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

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 total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes--international

none

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

67 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways

total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 15 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways

total: 25 under 914 m: 25 (1998 est.)

Highways

total: 71,048 km (including 1,613 km of expressways) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1997 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 20 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 412,459 GRT/724,995 DWT ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 1, chemical tanker 5, oil tanker 1 (1998 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km

Ports and harbors

Basel

Railways

total: 4,479 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,304 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,057 km electrified); 10 km 0.750-m or 0.800-m gauge (1996)

Waterways

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