Switzerland

Swiss ConfederationSchweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),

federal republicIndependence 1 August 1291

Switzerland as the 1996 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 90 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBern

Position47 00 N, 8 00 E

Area41,290 sq km

LocationCentral Europe, east of France

Populationas each edition published it

7.21 million July 1996 est. · 6.74m in 1990

Population growth% a year

0.59% 1996 est. · 0.83% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 40.2 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

77.62 years 1996 est. · 77.99 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.47 children per woman 1996 est. · 1.6 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1996 est. · 5 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$22,400 1995 est. · $22,300 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

1.2% 1995 est. · -0.6% in 1993

Geography

Central Europe, east of France

15 fields

Land useshare of 41,290 sq km

arable land 10%permanent crops 1%meadows and pastures 40%forest and woodland 26%other 23%irrigated 250 sq km (1989)

Area

41,290sq km

land area: 39,770 sq kmcomparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

Coastline

0km

(landlocked)Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Land boundaries

1,852km

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

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

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

Geographic note

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

People

16 fields

Population

7,207,060

(July 1996 est.)growth rate: 0.59% (1996 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1996 est.)

Birth

11.35Death

9.64Net migration

4.2

Religions(1980)

Roman Catholic 47.6%Protestant 44.3%other 8.1% (1980)

Literacy

15and over can read and write

age · (1980 est.)total population: 99%male: NA%female: NA%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 17% (male 638,728; female 610,546)
15-64 years:: 68% (male 2,495,325; female 2,405,226)
65 years and over:: 15% (male 424,394; female 632,841) (July 1996 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:: 0.67 male(s)/female
all ages:: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate

5.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population:: 77.62 years
male:: 74.58 years
female:: 80.82 years (1996 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic divisions

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

Swiss nationals

German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Languages

German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4% note: figures for Swiss nationals only: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Government

Federal republic

22 fields

Legislature, 46 seatsone dot, one seat

PRD 17PDC 17UDC 4PSS 3LPS 3LdU 1Ticino League 1

Legislature, 200 seatsone dot, one seat

PRD 45PSS 54PDC 34UDC 30GPS 8LPS 7FPS 6LdU 6SD 3EVP 3PdA 2Ticino League 2

Name of country

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)

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

National holiday

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

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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government:: President Jean-Pascal DELAMURAZ (1996 calendar year; presidency rotates annually);
Vice President Arnold KOLLER (term runs concurrently with that of president);
the president is appointed each year from the Federal Council by the Federal Assembly
cabinet:: Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale) was elected for a four-year term by the Federal Assembly from among its own members

Legislative branch

bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale)

Council of States

(German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian - Consiglio degli Stati);
elections last held throughout 1995 (next to be held NA 1999);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (46 total) PRD 17, PDC 17, UDC 4, PSS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1, Ticino League 1

National Council

(German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale);
elections last held 20 October 1995 (next to be held NA October 1999);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (200 total) PRD 45, PSS 54, PDC 34, UDC 30, GPS 8, LPS 7, FPS 6, LdU 6, SD 3, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Radical Free Democratic Party (PRD), Franz STEINEGGER, president;
Social Democratic Party (PSS), Peter BODENMANN, president;
Christian Democratic People's Party (PDC), Anton COTTIER, president;
Swiss People's Party (UDC), Hans UHLMANN, president;
Green Party (GPS), Verena DIENER, president;
Freedom Party (FPS), Roland BORER;
Liberal Party (LPS), Christoph EYMANN, president;
Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Monica WEBER, president;
Ticino League, Giuliano BIGNASCA, president;
and other minor parties including Swiss Democratic Party (SD), Workers' Party (PdA), and the Evangelical People's Party (EVP);
note - see elections

International organization participation

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, MTCR, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN (observer), UNAMIR, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Carlo JAGMETTI
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, Pago Pago (American Samoa), and San Francisco

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:: Ambassador (vacant)
embassy:: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [41] (31) 357 70 11

FAX

[41] (31) 357 73 44; consulate(s) general: Zurich

Flag

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

Economy

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 short-term | difficulties.

21 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$22,400

(1995 est.)

Real growth rate

1.2%

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1995 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.3%

(1995)

GDP composition by sector(1991)

agriculture 3%industry 33.5%services 63.5% (1991)

Budget

Revenues

$31 billionExpenditures

$36.9 billion (1995)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Installed generating capacity, 15,430,000 kW

Electricity production

58 billionElectricity consumption per capita

6,699 (1993)

Economic overview

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 short-term difficulties. After recovering slowly in 1994-95 from recession, the Swiss economy remains weak, mainly because of the strong Swiss franc and weak growth in Swiss export market, especially in other European countries.

Over the near term, growth may average barely 1%, with more than one-half of this increase resulting from growth in inventories. Weak domestic consumer demand is the principal culprit; stagnation in real disposable income is combining 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, will therefore be more reliant on export markets at the same time they are being squeezed by the strong franc. Consequently, growth in machinery and equipment investment, for example, is expected to taper off.

On the other side, import growth has been fueled by the strong franc; there are growing indications that Swiss manufacturers are substituting imported inputs for domestic ones.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $158.5 billion (1995 est.)

Labor force

3.48 million (900,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian); by occupation: services 50%, industry and crafts 34%, government 10%, agriculture and forestry 6% (1992)

Industries

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments

Agriculture

grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs

Illicit drugs

money-laundering center; transit country for South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin

Exports

$69.6 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)

commodities:: machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs, textiles and clothing
partners:: Western Europe 63.1% (EU countries 56%, other 7.1%), US 8.8%, Japan 3.4%

Imports

$68.2 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)

commodities:: agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals, textiles, construction materials
partners:: Western Europe 79.2% (EU countries 72.3%, other 6.9%), US 6.4%

External debt

$NA

Economic aid

donor: ODA, $793 million (1993)

Currency

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

Exchange rates

Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.1810 (January 1996), 1.1825 (1995), 1.3677 (1994), 1.4776 (1993), 1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Transportation

7 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right · 67 in all

over 3 047 m

2 438 to 3 047 m

1 524 to 2 437 m

914 to 1 523 m

under 914 m

PavedUnpaved

Networkskm

Highways

71,118Railways

5,719Waterways

Highways: paved: 71,118 km (including 1,514 km of expressways) · unpaved: 0 km (1992 est.) · Railways: (1,432 km double track) · standard gauge: 3,283 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 310 km nongovernment owned) · narrow gauge: 1,255 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,181 km nongovernment owned) · other: 1,181 km NA-m gauge (1995) · Waterways: ; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes

Railways

total:: 5,719 km (1,432 km double track)
standard gauge:: 3,283 km 1.435-m gauge (99% electrified; 310 km nongovernment owned)
narrow gauge:: 1,255 km 1.000-m gauge (99% electrified; 1,181 km nongovernment owned)
other:: 1,181 km NA-m gauge (1995)

Highways

total:: 71,118 km
paved:: 71,118 km (including 1,514 km of expressways)
unpaved:: 0 km (1992 est.)

Waterways

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

total:: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 410,581 GRT/727,744 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 14, cargo 1, chemical tanker 4, oil tanker 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 1, specialized tanker 1 (1995 est.)

Communications

Army, Air Force and Antiaircraft Command, Frontier | Guards, Fortification Guards

9 fields

Fixed lines

5,622,976

(1986 est.)

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)

males age 15-49:: 1,893,587
males fit for military service:: 1,623,414
males reach military age (20) annually:: 41,425 (1996 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $3.74 billion, 1.4% of GDP (1995)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Switzerland.” The World Factbook 1996. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/switzerland/1996.

How to cite ← 1995 edition 1997 edition →