service obligation: 7.5 months (Army), 7-15 months (Navy), 8-12
months (Air Force); the Swedish Parliament has abolished compulsory
military service, with exclusively voluntary recruitment as of July
2010; conscription remains an option in emergencies; after
completing initial service, soldiers have a reserve commitment until
age 47 (2010)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 2,065,782
females age 16-49: 1,995,451 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 1,709,592
females age 16-49: 1,649,875 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 58,937
female: 56,225 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.5% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 98
Transnational Issues ::Sweden
Disputes - international:
none
page last updated on January 20, 2011
======================================================================
@Switzerland (Europe)
Introduction ::Switzerland
Background:
The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance
among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined
the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence
from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848,
subsequently modified in 1874, replaced the confederation with a
centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and
neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and
the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The
political and economic integration of Europe over the past half
century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international
organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its
neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN
member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and
international organizations but retains a strong commitment to
neutrality.
Geography ::Switzerland
Location:
Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Geographic coordinates:
47 00 N, 8 00 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,277 sq km
country comparison to the world: 135
land: 39,997 sq km
water: 1,280 sq km
Area - comparative:
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: 9.91%
permanent crops: 0.58%
other: 89.51% (2005)
Irrigated land:
250 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
53.3 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 2.52 cu km/yr (24%/74%/2%)
per capita: 348 cu m/yr (2002)
Natural hazards:
avalanches, landslides; flash floods
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-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has
the highest elevations in the Alps
People ::Switzerland
Population:
7,623,438 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Age structure:
0-14 years: 15.6% (male 616,561/female 571,610)
15-64 years: 68.1% (male 2,609,673/female 2,567,245)
65 years and over: 16.3% (male 514,761/female 724,617) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 41.3 years
male: 40.3 years
female: 42.4 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.223% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 180
Birth rate:
9.56 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204
Death rate:
8.65 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83
Net migration rate:
1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 49
Urbanization:
urban population: 73% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.5% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.054 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.12 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 203
male: 4.58 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 80.97 years
country comparison to the world: 15
male: 78.14 years
female: 83.95 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.46 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 192
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.6% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
25,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 500 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
Nationality:
noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss
Ethnic groups:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%,
other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000
census)
Languages:
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official)
6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish
1.1%, English 1%, Romansch (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and
official languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 16 years
female: 15 years (2008)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2007)
country comparison to the world: 53
Government ::Switzerland
Country name:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German);
Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian);
Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)
local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera
(Italian); Svizra (Romansh)
Government type:
formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal
republic
Capital:
name: Bern
geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
Administrative divisions:
26 cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone
in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell
Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura,
Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen,
Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
note: 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden,
Appenzell-Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden,
Obwalden - are styled half cantons because they elect only one
member to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a
majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are
required, these six cantons only have a half vote
Independence:
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
National holiday:
Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Constitution:
revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament
18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially
entered into force 1 January 2000
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 of the Swiss Confederation Micheline
CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Eveline
WIDMER-SCHLUMPF (since 1 January 2011); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal
Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head
of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as
federal president, represent the Council
head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Micheline
CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2011); Vice President Eveline
WIDMER-SCHLUMPF (since 1 January 2011)
cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal
(in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) is elected by the
Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal
Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a
one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last
held on 8 December 2010 (next to be held in early December 2011)
election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; number of
Federal Assembly votes - 106 of 189; Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF elected
vice president; current Vice President Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF is
slated to become president on 1 January 2012
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;
membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from
each half canton; members serve four-year terms) and the National
Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French),
Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members elected by
popular vote on the basis of proportional representation serve
four-year terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons in October
2007 (each canton determines when the next election will be held);
National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in
October 2011)
election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 3; National
Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%,
CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS
43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13
Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the
Federal Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste
Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida
Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ueli LEUENBERGER]; Christian
Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der
Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito
Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida
Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY];
Free Democratic Party or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen,
PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali) [Fulvio PELLI]; 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) [Christian LEVRAT];
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union
Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC,
Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Toni BRUNNER]; and other minor
parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia
Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO,
IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA
(observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Manuel SAGER
chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900
FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564
consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San
Francisco
consulate(s): Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Donald S. BEYER, Jr.
embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11
FAX: [41] (031) 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; various medieval legends
purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as
identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first
attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)
National anthem:
name: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo
svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)
lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French],
Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS
[Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG
note: unofficially adopted 1961, official adoption 1981; the anthem
has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition
(in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official
languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is
official in each of those languages
Economy ::Switzerland
Economy - overview:
Switzerland is a peaceful, prosperous, and modern market economy
with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per
capita GDP among the highest in the world. Switzerland's economy
benefits from a highly developed service sector, led by financial
services, and a manufacturing industry that specializes in
high-technology, knowledge-based production. The Swiss have brought
their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's, in
order to enhance their international competitiveness, but some trade
protectionism remains, particularly for its small agricultural
sector. The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn
put Switzerland in a recession in 2009 as global export demand
stalled. The Swiss National Bank during this period effectively
implemented a zero-interest rate policy in a bid to boost the
economy and prevent appreciation of the franc. Switzerland's economy
grew 2.8% in 2010, when Bern implemented a third fiscal stimulus
program, but its prized banking sector has recently faced
significant challenges. The country's largest banks suffered sizable
losses in 2008-09, leading its largest bank to accept a government
rescue deal in late 2008. Switzerland has also come under increasing
pressure from individual neighboring countries, the EU, the US, and
international institutions to reform its banking secrecy laws.
Consequently, the government agreed to conform to OECD regulations
on administrative assistance in tax matters, including tax evasion.
The government has renegotiated its double taxation agreements with
numerous countries, including the US, to incorporate the OECD
standard, and it is working with Germany and the UK to resolve
outsanding issues, particularly the possibility of imposing taxes on
bank deposits held by foreigners. Parliament passed the first five
double-taxation agreements, including that with the US, in March
2010, but the agreements are subject to public referendum. In 2009,
Swiss financial regulators ordered the country's largest bank to
reveal at Washington's behest the names of US account-holders
suspected of using the bank to commit tax fraud. These steps will
have a lasting impact on Switzerland's long history of bank secrecy.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$326.9 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
$318 billion (2009 est.)
$324.1 billion (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$522.4 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.8% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
-1.9% (2009 est.)
1.9% (2008 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$42,900 (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
$41,800 (2009 est.)
$42,800 (2008 est.)
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 27.5%
services: 71.2% (2010 est.)
Labor force:
4.13 million (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 3.8%
industry: 23.9%
services: 72.3% (2009)
Unemployment rate:
3.9% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35
3.7% (2009 est.)
Population below poverty line:
7.4% (2009)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 7.5%
highest 10%: 19% (2007)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
33.7 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 93
33.1 (1992)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.9% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 89
Public debt:
39.6% of GDP (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 73
40.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
0.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
-0.5% (2009 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
0.05% (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 140
0.05% (31 December 2008)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
2.75% (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
3.34% (31 December 2008 est.)
Stock of narrow money:
$384.2 billion (31 December 2010 est)
country comparison to the world: 11
$334.9 billion (31 December 2009 est)
Stock of broad money:
$834.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
$764.9 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of domestic credit:
$992.6 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
$923.1 billion (31 December 2008)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$1.071 trillion (31 December 2009)
country comparison to the world: 12
$862.7 billion (31 December 2008)
$1.275 trillion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments,
tourism, banking, and insurance
Industrial production growth rate:
2.7% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 117
Electricity - production:
59.1 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42
Electricity - consumption:
62 billion kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Electricity - exports:
49.9 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Electricity - imports:
46.6 billion kWh (2009 est.)
Oil - production:
3,488 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Oil - consumption:
280,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46
Oil - exports:
12,230 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 94
Oil - imports:
269,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 121
Natural gas - consumption:
3.282 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Natural gas - imports:
3.282 billion cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 39
Natural gas - proved reserves:
NA cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
Current account balance:
$49.35 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
$54.01 billion (2009 est.)
Exports:
$235.2 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$208.5 billion (2009 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners:
Germany 20.98%, US 9.09%, France 8.62%, Italy 8.08%, Austria 5.38%
(2009)
Imports:
$220.4 billion (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$192.8 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products,
textiles
Imports - partners:
Germany 27.19%, Italy 10.42%, US 9.61%, France 7.69%, Netherlands
4.35% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$NA (31 December 2010 est.)
$135.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Debt - external:
$1.19 trillion (30 June 2010)
country comparison to the world: 13
$1.305 trillion (31 December 2008)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$514 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
$496.8 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$814.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 8
$806.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0723 (2010), 1.0881 (2009),
1.0774 (2008), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006)
Communications ::Switzerland
Telephones - main lines in use:
4.65 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 32
Telephones - mobile cellular:
9.255 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 69
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed telecommunications
infrastructure with excellent domestic and international services
domestic: ranked among leading countries for fixed-line teledensity
and infrastructure; mobile-cellular subscribership roughly 120 per
100 persons; extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks
international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Broadcast media:
the publicly-owned radio and television broadcaster, Swiss
Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 7 national television
networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 2 in Italian, and 2 in French;
private commercial television stations broadcast regionally and
locally; television broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and
France are widely accessed using multi-channel cable and satellite
TV services; SRG/SSR operates 18 radio stations that, along with
private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage (2008)
Internet country code:
.ch
Internet hosts:
4.816 million (2010)
country comparison to the world: 17
Internet users:
6.152 million (2009)
country comparison to the world: 42
Transportation ::Switzerland
Airports:
65 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 76
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 17 (2010)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2010)
Heliports:
1 (2010)
Pipelines:
gas 1,662 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2009)
Railways:
total: 4,888 km
country comparison to the world: 36
standard gauge: 3,397 km 1.435-m gauge (3,142 km electrified)