*Switzerland, Geography

Location:
  Western Europe, between France and Austria
Map references:
  Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
 total area:
  41,290 km2
 land area:
  39,770 km2
 comparative area:
  slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
  total 1,852 km, Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein
  41 km, Germany 334 km
Coastline:
  0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
  none; landlocked
International disputes:
  none
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
Natural resources:
  hydropower potential, timber, salt
Land use:
 arable land:
  10%
 permanent crops:
  1%
 meadows and pastures:
  40%
 forest and woodland:
  26%
 other:
  23%
Irrigated land:
  250 km2 (1989)
Environment:
  dominated by Alps
Note:
  landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with
  southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in
  Europe

*Switzerland, People

Population:
  6,986,621 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
  0.83% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
  12.37 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
  9.24 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
  5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
  6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
 total population:
  77.99 years
 male:
  74.6 years
 female:
  81.54 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
  1.6 children born/woman (1993 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%
Religions:
  Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)
Languages:
  German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4%
 note:
  these are figures for Swiss nationals only -
  German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%
Literacy:
  age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
 total population:
  99%
 male:
  NA%
 female:
  NA%
Labor force:
  3.31 million (904,095 foreign workers, mostly Italian)
 by occupation:
  services 50%, industry and crafts 33%, government 10%, agriculture and
  forestry 6%, other 1% (1989)

*Switzerland, Government

Names:
 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)
Digraph:
  SZ
Type:
  federal republic
Capital:
  Bern
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
Independence:
  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
National holiday:
  Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Political parties and leaders:
  Free Democratic Party (FDP), Bruno HUNZIKER, president; Social Democratic
  Party (SPS), Helmut HUBACHER, chairman; Christian Democratic People's Party
  (CVP), Eva SEGMULLER-WEBER, chairman; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Hans
  UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Peter SCHMID, president; Automobile
  Party (AP), DREYER; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Dr. Franz JAEGER,
  president; Swiss Democratic Party (SD), NA; Evangelical People's Party
  (EVP), Max DUNKI, president; Workers' Party (PdA; Communist), Jean
  SPIELMANN, general secretary; Ticino League, leader NA; Liberal Party (LPS),
  Gilbert COUTAU, president
Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal
Elections:
 Council of States:
  last held throughout 1991 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of
  vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) FDP 18, CVP 16, SVP 4, SPS 3, LPS 3,
  LdU 1, Ticino League 1
 National Council:
  last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results -
  percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) FDP 44, SPS 42, CVP 37, SVP
  25, GPS 14, LPS 10, AP 8, LdU 6, SD 5, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2, other
  2
Executive branch:
  president, vice president, Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French -
  Conseil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale)

*Switzerland, Government

Legislative branch:
  bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee
  Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale) consists of an upper council or
  Council of States (German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian -
  Consiglio degli Stati) and a lower council or National Council (German -
  Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale)
Judicial branch:
  Federal Supreme Court
Leaders:
 Chief of State and Head of Government:
  President Adolf OGI (1993 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice
  President Otto STICH (term runs concurrently with that of president)
Member of:
  AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM
  (coopeating country), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-8, G-10, GATT,
  IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
  INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTRC, NAM
  (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
  UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Edouard BRUNNER
 chancery:
  2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
 telephone:
  (202) 745-7900
 FAX:
  (202) 387-2564
 consulates general:
  Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
 chief of mission:
  Ambassador Joseph B. GILDENHORN
 embassy:
  Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
 mailing address:
  use embassy street address
 telephone:
  [41] (31) 437-011
 FAX:
  [41] (31) 437-344
 branch office:
  Geneva
 consulate general:
  Zurich
Flag:   red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not
  extend to the edges of the flag

*Switzerland, Economy

Overview:
  Switzerland's economy - one of the most prosperous and stable in the world -
  is nonetheless undergoing a painful adjustment after both the inflationary
  boom of the late-1980s and the electorate's rejection late last year of
  membership in the European Economic Area. Stubborn inflation and a soft
  economy have afflicted Switzerland. Despite slow growth in 1991-92, the
  Swiss central bank had been unable to ease monetary policy in the past three
  years because of the threat to the Swiss franc posed by high German interest
  rates. As a result, unemployment is forecast to rise from 3% in 1992 to more
  than 4% in 1993, with inflation moving down from 4% to 3%. The voters'
  rejection in December 1992 of a referendum on membership in the EEA which
  was supported by most political, business, and financial leaders has raised
  doubts that the country can maintain its preeminent prosperity and
  leadership in commercial banking in the 21st century. Despite these
  problems, Swiss per capita output, general living standards, education and
  science, health care, and diet remain unsurpassed in Europe. The country has
  few natural resources except for the scenic natural beauty that has made it
  a world leader in tourism. Management-labor relations remain generally
  harmonious.
National product:
  GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $152.3 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
  -0.6% (1992)
National product per capita:
  $22,300 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  4.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
  3% (1992 est.)
Budget:
  revenues $24.0 billion; expenditures $23.8 billion, including capital
  expenditures of $NA (1990)
Exports:
  $62.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
 commodities:
  machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs,
  textiles and clothing
 partners:
  Western Europe 64% (EC countries 56%, other 8%), US 9%, Japan 4%
Imports:
  $68.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
 commodities:
  agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals,
  textiles, construction materials
 partners:
  Western Europe 78% (EC countries 71%, other 7%), US 6%
External debt:
  $NA
Industrial production:   growth rate 0.4% (1991 est.)
Electricity:
  17,710,000 kW capacity; 56,000 million kWh produced, 8,200 kWh per capita
  (1992)
Industries:
  machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Agriculture:
  dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient in food; must
  import fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs,
  fruits, vegetables, meat

*Switzerland, Economy

Economic aid:
  donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion
Currency:
  1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates:
  Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4781 (January 1993),
  1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988)
Fiscal year:
  calendar year

*Switzerland, Communications

Railroads:
  4,418 km total; 3,073 km are government owned and 1,345 km are nongovernment
  owned; the government network consists of 2,999 km 1.435-meter standard
  gauge and 74 km 1.000-meter narrow gauge track; 1,432 km double track, 99%
  electrified; the nongovernment network consists of 510 km 1.435-meter
  standard gauge, and 835 km 1.000-meter gauge, 100% electrified
Highways:
  62,145 km total (all paved); 18,620 km are canton, 1,057 km are national
  highways (740 km autobahn), 42,468 km are communal roads
Inland waterways:
  65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable
  lakes
Pipelines:
  crude oil 314 km, natural gas 1,506 km
Ports:
  Basel (river port)
Merchant marine:
  23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 308,725 GRT/548,244 DWT; includes 5
  cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 5 chemical tanker, 2 specialized tanker, 8
  bulk, 1 oil tanker
Airports:
 total:
  66
 usable:
  65
 with permanent-surface runways:
  42  with runways over 3,659 m:
  2
 with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
  5
 with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
  18
Telecommunications:
  excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services; 5,890,000
  telephones; extensive cable and microwave networks; broadcast stations - 7
  AM, 265 FM, 18 (1,322 repeaters) TV; communications satellite earth station
  operating in the INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) system

*Switzerland, Defense Forces

Branches:
  Army (Air Force is part of the Army), Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Manpower availability:
  males age 15-49 1,852,213; fit for military service 1,590,308; reach
  military age (20) annually 44,124 (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
  exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion, 1.7% of GDP (1993 est.)