{ "Introduction": { "Background": { "text": "

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 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, 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": { "Location": { "text": "Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy" }, "Geographic coordinates": { "text": "47 00 N, 8 00 E" }, "Map references": { "text": "Europe" }, "Area": { "total": { "text": "41,277 sq km" }, "land": { "text": "39,997 sq km" }, "water": { "text": "1,280 sq km" } }, "Area - comparative": { "text": "slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey" }, "Land boundaries": { "total": { "text": "1,770 km" }, "border countries": { "text": "Austria 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 km" } }, "Coastline": { "text": "0 km (landlocked)" }, "Maritime claims": { "text": "none (landlocked)" }, "Climate": { "text": "temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers" }, "Terrain": { "text": "mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes" }, "Elevation": { "highest point": { "text": "Dufourspitze 4,634 m" }, "lowest point": { "text": "Lake Maggiore 195 m" }, "mean elevation": { "text": "1,350 m" } }, "Natural resources": { "text": "hydropower potential, timber, salt" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "38.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "31.5% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "29.8% (2018 est.)" } }, "Irrigated land": { "text": "327 sq km (2016)" }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Rhine  river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement" }, "Natural hazards": { "text": "avalanches, landslides; flash floods" }, "Geography - note": { "text": "landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps" } }, "People and Society": { "Population": { "text": "8,563,760 (2023 est.)" }, "Nationality": { "noun": { "text": "Swiss (singular and plural)" }, "adjective": { "text": "Swiss" } }, "Ethnic groups": { "text": "Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.)", "note": "note: data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth" }, "Languages": { "Languages": { "text": "German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9%; note - German, French, Italian, and Romansh are all national and official languages; shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language (2019 est.)" }, "major-language sample(s)": { "text": "
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information." } }, "Religions": { "text": "Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)" }, "Age structure": { "0-14 years": { "text": "15.49% (male 683,053/female 643,067)" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "65.13% (male 2,800,880/female 2,777,109)" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "19.38% (2023 est.) (male 745,501/female 914,150)" } }, "Dependency ratios": { "total dependency ratio": { "text": "51.6" }, "youth dependency ratio": { "text": "22.8" }, "elderly dependency ratio": { "text": "28.7" }, "potential support ratio": { "text": "3.5 (2021 est.)" } }, "Median age": { "total": { "text": "42.7 years" }, "male": { "text": "41.7 years" }, "female": { "text": "43.7 years (2020 est.)" } }, "Population growth rate": { "text": "0.64% (2023 est.)" }, "Birth rate": { "text": "10.3 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Death rate": { "text": "8.37 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Net migration rate": { "text": "4.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)" }, "Population distribution": { "text": "population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement" }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "74.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Major urban areas - population": { "text": "1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)" }, "Sex ratio": { "at birth": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female" }, "0-14 years": { "text": "1.06 male(s)/female" }, "15-64 years": { "text": "1.01 male(s)/female" }, "65 years and over": { "text": "0.82 male(s)/female" }, "total population": { "text": "0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)" } }, "Mother's mean age at first birth": { "text": "31.1 years (2020 est.)" }, "Maternal mortality ratio": { "text": "7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)" }, "Infant mortality rate": { "total": { "text": "3.51 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "male": { "text": "4 deaths/1,000 live births" }, "female": { "text": "2.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)" } }, "Life expectancy at birth": { "total population": { "text": "83.42 years" }, "male": { "text": "81.12 years" }, "female": { "text": "85.86 years (2023 est.)" } }, "Total fertility rate": { "text": "1.58 children born/woman (2023 est.)" }, "Gross reproduction rate": { "text": "0.77 (2023 est.)" }, "Contraceptive prevalence rate": { "text": "71.6% (2017)" }, "Drinking water source": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 100% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 100% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 0% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Current health expenditure": { "text": "11.8% of GDP (2020)" }, "Physicians density": { "text": "4.38 physicians/1,000 population (2020)" }, "Hospital bed density": { "text": "4.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)" }, "Sanitation facility access": { "improved: urban": { "text": "urban: 100% of population" }, "improved: rural": { "text": "rural: 100% of population" }, "improved: total": { "text": "total: 100% of population" }, "unimproved: urban": { "text": "urban: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: rural": { "text": "rural: 0% of population" }, "unimproved: total": { "text": "total: 0% of population (2020 est.)" } }, "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": { "text": "19.5% (2016)" }, "Alcohol consumption per capita": { "total": { "text": "9.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "beer": { "text": "3.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "wine": { "text": "4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "spirits": { "text": "1.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" }, "other alcohols": { "text": "0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)" } }, "Tobacco use": { "total": { "text": "25.5% (2020 est.)" }, "male": { "text": "28.1% (2020 est.)" }, "female": { "text": "22.9% (2020 est.)" } }, "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": { "text": "NA" }, "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": { "text": "57.5% (2023 est.)" }, "Education expenditures": { "text": "5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Literacy": { "total population": { "text": "NA" }, "male": { "text": "NA" }, "female": { "text": "NA" } }, "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": { "total": { "text": "17 years" }, "male": { "text": "17 years" }, "female": { "text": "17 years (2020)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "9.1%" }, "male": { "text": "9.4%" }, "female": { "text": "8.8% (2021 est.)" } } }, "Environment": { "Environment - current issues": { "text": "air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; chemical contaminants and erosion damage the soil and limit productivity; loss of biodiversity" }, "Environment - international agreements": { "party to": { "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling" }, "signed, but not ratified": { "text": "none of the selected agreements" } }, "Climate": { "text": "temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers" }, "Land use": { "agricultural land": { "text": "38.7% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: arable land": { "text": "arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent crops": { "text": "permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)" }, "agricultural land: permanent pasture": { "text": "permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)" }, "forest": { "text": "31.5% (2018 est.)" }, "other": { "text": "29.8% (2018 est.)" } }, "Urbanization": { "urban population": { "text": "74.2% of total population (2023)" }, "rate of urbanization": { "text": "0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)" } }, "Revenue from forest resources": { "text": "0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Revenue from coal": { "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "Air pollutants": { "particulate matter emissions": { "text": "10.21 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)" }, "carbon dioxide emissions": { "text": "34.48 megatons (2016 est.)" }, "methane emissions": { "text": "4.98 megatons (2020 est.)" } }, "Waste and recycling": { "municipal solid waste generated annually": { "text": "6.056 million tons (2016 est.)" }, "municipal solid waste recycled annually": { "text": "1.938 million tons (2015 est.)" }, "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": { "text": "32% (2015 est.)" } }, "Major lakes (area sq km)": { "fresh water lake(s)": { "text": "Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km" } }, "Major rivers (by length in km)": { "text": "Rhine  river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth" }, "Major watersheds (area sq km)": { "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)" }, "Total water withdrawal": { "municipal": { "text": "970 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "industrial": { "text": "640 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" }, "agricultural": { "text": "160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Total renewable water resources": { "text": "53.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)" } }, "Government": { "Country name": { "conventional long form": { "text": "Swiss Confederation" }, "conventional short form": { "text": "Switzerland" }, "local long form": { "text": "Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German)/ Confederation Suisse (French)/ Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)/ Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)" }, "local short form": { "text": "Schweiz (German)/ Suisse (French)/ Svizzera (Italian)/ Svizra (Romansh)" }, "abbreviation": { "text": "CH" }, "etymology": { "text": "name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Swiss Confederacy that formed in the late 13th century" } }, "Government type": { "text": "federal republic (formally a confederation)" }, "Capital": { "name": { "text": "Bern" }, "geographic coordinates": { "text": "46 55 N, 7 28 E" }, "time difference": { "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)" }, "daylight saving time": { "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October" }, "etymology": { "text": "origin of the name is uncertain but may derive from a 2nd century B.C. Celtic place name, possibly \"berna\" meaning \"cleft,\" that was subsequently adopted by a Roman settlement" } }, "Administrative divisions": { "text": "26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich", "note": "note: the canton names are in the official language(s) of the canton with the exception of Geneve and Luzern, where the conventional names (Geneva and Lucerne) have been added in parentheses; 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote" }, "Independence": { "text": "1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)" }, "National holiday": { "text": "Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day" }, "Constitution": { "history": { "text": "previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000" }, "amendments": { "text": "proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the \"federal popular initiative\"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2018" } }, "Legal system": { "text": "civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character" }, "International law organization participation": { "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction" }, "Citizenship": { "citizenship by birth": { "text": "no" }, "citizenship by descent only": { "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland" }, "dual citizenship recognized": { "text": "yes" }, "residency requirement for naturalization": { "text": "12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application" } }, "Suffrage": { "text": "18 years of age; universal" }, "Executive branch": { "chief of state": { "text": "President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2023); note - the Federal Council, comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president" }, "head of government": { "text": "President of the Swiss Confederation Alain BERSET (since 1 January 2023); Vice President Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2023)" }, "cabinet": { "text": "Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term" }, "elections/appointments": { "text": "president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on 8 December 2022 (next to be held in December 2023)" }, "election results": { "text": "

2022:  Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD (The Center) elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223

2021: Ignazio CASSIS elected president for 2022; Federal Assembly vote - Ignazio CASSIS (FDP.The Liberals) 156 of 197 votes; Alain BERSET (SP) elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 158 of 204

2020: Guy PARMELIN elected president for 2021; Federal Assembly vote - Guy PARMELIN (SVP) 188 of 202 votes; Ignazio CASSIS (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president; Federal Assembly vote - 162 of 191

 

" } }, "Legislative branch": { "description": { "text": "bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of:
Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in two-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons, which use list proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law)
National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 194 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)" }, "elections": { "text": "
Council of States - last held in most cantons on 20 October 2019 (each canton determines when the next election will be held)
National Council - last held on 20 October 2019 (next to be held on 22 October 2023)" }, "election results": { "text": "
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - The Center 14, FDP.The Liberals 12, SP 7, Green Party 5, SVP 7, other 1; composition (as of mid-2023) - men 34, women 12, percent of women 26.1%
National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 25.6%, SP 16.8%, FDP.The Liberals 15.1%, Green Party 13.2%, The Center 11.4%, GLP 7.8%, other 4.5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SP 39, FDP.The Liberals 29, Green Party 30, The Center 31, GLP 16; composition (as of mid-2023) - men 116, women 84, percent of women 42.5%; note - overall Federal Assembly percent of women 41.5%" } }, "Judicial branch": { "highest court(s)": { "text": "Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions)" }, "judge selection and term of office": { "text": "judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly" }, "subordinate courts": { "text": "Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts" } }, "Political parties and leaders": { "text": "Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Juerg GROSSEN]
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) [Balthasar GLATTLI]
Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Cedric WERMUTH and Mattea MEYER]
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Marco CHIESA]
The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) [Gerhard PFISTER] (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party)
The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Thierry BURKART]" }, "International organization participation": { "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC" }, "Diplomatic representation in the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Jacques Henri PITTELOUD (since 16 September 2019)" }, "chancery": { "text": "2900 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008" }, "telephone": { "text": "[1] (202) 745-7900" }, "FAX": { "text": "[1] (202) 387-2564" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
washington@eda.admin.ch

https://www.eda.admin.ch/washington" }, "consulate(s) general": { "text": "Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco" }, "consulate(s)": { "text": "Boston" } }, "Diplomatic representation from the US": { "chief of mission": { "text": "Ambassador Scott MILLER (since 11 January 2022) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein" }, "embassy": { "text": "Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern" }, "mailing address": { "text": "5110 Bern Place, Washington DC  20521-5110" }, "telephone": { "text": "[41] (031) 357-70-11" }, "FAX": { "text": "[41] (031) 357-73-20" }, "email address and website": { "text": "
https://ch.usembassy.gov/" } }, "Flag description": { "text": "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)", "note": "note: in 1863, a newly formed international relief organization convening in Geneva, Switzerland sought to come up with an identifying flag or logo; they chose the inverse of the Swiss flag - a red cross on a white field - as their symbol; today that organization is known throughout the world as the International Red Cross" }, "National symbol(s)": { "text": "Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white" }, "National anthem": { "name": { "text": "the Swiss anthem has four names: \"Schweizerpsalm\" [German] \"Cantique Suisse\" [French] \"Salmo svizzero,\" [Italian] \"Psalm svizzer\" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)" }, "lyrics/music": { "text": "Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG" }, "note": "note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 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" }, "National heritage": { "total World Heritage Sites": { "text": "13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)" }, "selected World Heritage Site locales": { "text": "Old City of Berne (c); Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (n); Monte San Giorgio (n); Abbey of St Gall (c); Three Castles, Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (c); La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (c); Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (c)" } } }, "Economy": { "Economic overview": { "text": "high-income, non-EU European economy; renowned banking and financial hub; extremely low unemployment; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; fairly high public debt" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": { "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": { "text": "$618.228 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020": { "text": "$593.185 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019": { "text": "$607.619 billion (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "Real GDP growth rate": { "Real GDP growth rate 2021": { "text": "4.22% (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2020": { "text": "-2.38% (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP growth rate 2019": { "text": "1.14% (2019 est.)" } }, "Real GDP per capita": { "Real GDP per capita 2021": { "text": "$71,000 (2021 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2020": { "text": "$68,700 (2020 est.)" }, "Real GDP per capita 2019": { "text": "$70,900 (2019 est.)" }, "note": "note: data are in 2017 dollars" }, "GDP (official exchange rate)": { "text": "$731.502 billion (2019 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": { "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": { "text": "0.58% (2021 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020": { "text": "-0.73% (2020 est.)" }, "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019": { "text": "0.36% (2019 est.)" } }, "Credit ratings": { "Fitch rating": { "text": "AAA (2000)" }, "Moody's rating": { "text": "Aaa (1982)" }, "Standard & Poors rating": { "text": "AAA (1988)" }, "note": "note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained." }, "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": { "agriculture": { "text": "0.7% (2017 est.)" }, "industry": { "text": "25.6% (2017 est.)" }, "services": { "text": "73.7% (2017 est.)" } }, "GDP - composition, by end use": { "household consumption": { "text": "53.7% (2017 est.)" }, "government consumption": { "text": "12% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in fixed capital": { "text": "24.5% (2017 est.)" }, "investment in inventories": { "text": "-1.4% (2017 est.)" }, "exports of goods and services": { "text": "65.1% (2017 est.)" }, "imports of goods and services": { "text": "-54% (2017 est.)" } }, "Agricultural products": { "text": "milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, pork, barley, apples, maize, beef, grapes" }, "Industries": { "text": "machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals" }, "Industrial production growth rate": { "text": "7.91% (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force": { "text": "4.963 million (2021 est.)" }, "Labor force - by occupation": { "agriculture": { "text": "3.3%" }, "industry": { "text": "19.8%" }, "services": { "text": "76.9% (2015)" } }, "Unemployment rate": { "Unemployment rate 2021": { "text": "5.32% (2021 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2020": { "text": "4.82% (2020 est.)" }, "Unemployment rate 2019": { "text": "4.39% (2019 est.)" } }, "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": { "total": { "text": "9.1%" }, "male": { "text": "9.4%" }, "female": { "text": "8.8% (2021 est.)" } }, "Population below poverty line": { "text": "16% (2018 est.)" }, "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": { "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018": { "text": "33.1 (2018 est.)" } }, "Average household expenditures": { "on food": { "text": "9.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)" }, "on alcohol and tobacco": { "text": "3.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)" } }, "Household income or consumption by percentage share": { "lowest 10%": { "text": "7.5%" }, "highest 10%": { "text": "19% (2007)" } }, "Budget": { "revenues": { "text": "$239.767 billion (2018 est.)" }, "expenditures": { "text": "$230.383 billion (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets" }, "Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)": { "text": "1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)" }, "Public debt": { "Public debt 2020": { "text": "20.91% of GDP (2020 est.)" }, "Public debt 2019": { "text": "18.95% of GDP (2019 est.)" }, "Public debt 2018": { "text": "18.68% of GDP (2018 est.)" }, "note": "note: general government gross debt; gross debt consists of all liabilities that require payment or payments of interest and/or principal by the debtor to the creditor at a date or dates in the future; includes debt liabilities in the form of Special Drawing Rights, currency and deposits, debt securities, loans, insurance, pensions and standardized guarantee schemes, and other accounts payable; all liabilities in the Government Financial Systems Manual 2001 system are debt, except for equity and investment fund shares and financial derivatives and employee stock options" }, "Taxes and other revenues": { "text": "9.37% (of GDP) (2020 est.)" }, "Fiscal year": { "text": "calendar year" }, "Current account balance": { "Current account balance 2021": { "text": "$59.159 billion (2021 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2020": { "text": "$11.067 billion (2020 est.)" }, "Current account balance 2019": { "text": "$30.806 billion (2019 est.)" } }, "Exports": { "Exports 2021": { "text": "$571.376 billion (2021 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2020": { "text": "$474.236 billion (2020 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" }, "Exports 2019": { "text": "$478.505 billion (2019 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" }, "note": "note: trade data exclude trade with Switzerland" }, "Exports - partners": { "text": "Germany 16%, United States 14%, United Kingdom 8%, China 7%, France 6%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019)" }, "Exports - commodities": { "text": "gold, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, watches, jewelry (2019)" }, "Imports": { "Imports 2021": { "text": "$480.522 billion (2021 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2020": { "text": "$429.979 billion (2020 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" }, "Imports 2019": { "text": "$413.404 billion (2019 est.) ; note - data are in current year dollars" } }, "Imports - partners": { "text": "Germany 21%, Italy 8%, France 6%, United States 6%, United Kingdom 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)" }, "Imports - commodities": { "text": "gold, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": { "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021": { "text": "$1.11 trillion (31 December 2021 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020": { "text": "$1.083 trillion (31 December 2020 est.)" }, "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019": { "text": "$854.929 billion (31 December 2019 est.)" } }, "Debt - external": { "Debt - external 2019": { "text": "$1.909 trillion (2019 est.)" }, "Debt - external 2018": { "text": "$1.931 trillion (2018 est.)" } }, "Exchange rates": { "Currency": { "text": "Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -" }, "Exchange rates 2021": { "text": "0.914 (2021 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2020": { "text": "0.939 (2020 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2019": { "text": "0.994 (2019 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2018": { "text": "0.978 (2018 est.)" }, "Exchange rates 2017": { "text": "0.985 (2017 est.)" } } }, "Energy": { "Electricity access": { "electrification - total population": { "text": "100% (2020)" } }, "Electricity": { "installed generating capacity": { "text": "22.921 million kW (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "56.407 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "32.549 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "26.988 billion kWh (2020 est.)" }, "transmission/distribution losses": { "text": "4.19 billion kWh (2020 est.)" } }, "Electricity generation sources": { "fossil fuels": { "text": "0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "nuclear": { "text": "34.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "solar": { "text": "3.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "wind": { "text": "0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "hydroelectricity": { "text": "56.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "tide and wave": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "geothermal": { "text": "0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" }, "biomass and waste": { "text": "4.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)" } }, "Nuclear energy": { "Number of operational nuclear reactors": { "text": "4 (2023)" }, "Number of nuclear reactors under construction": { "text": "0" }, "Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors": { "text": "2.97GW (2023)" }, "Percent of total electricity production": { "text": "28.8% (2021)" }, "Percent of total energy produced": { "text": "34.2% (2021)" }, "Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down": { "text": "1" } }, "Coal": { "production": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "150,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "139,000 metric tons (2020 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 metric tons (2019 est.)" } }, "Petroleum": { "total petroleum production": { "text": "300 bbl/day (2021 est.)" }, "refined petroleum consumption": { "text": "220,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate exports": { "text": "0 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil and lease condensate imports": { "text": "60,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)" }, "crude oil estimated reserves": { "text": "0 barrels (2021 est.)" } }, "Refined petroleum products - production": { "text": "61,550 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - exports": { "text": "7,345 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Refined petroleum products - imports": { "text": "165,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)" }, "Natural gas": { "production": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "consumption": { "text": "3,616,169,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)" }, "exports": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" }, "imports": { "text": "3,577,884,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)" }, "proven reserves": { "text": "0 cubic meters (2021 est.)" } }, "Carbon dioxide emissions": { "total emissions": { "text": "38.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from coal and metallurgical coke": { "text": "319,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from petroleum and other liquids": { "text": "31.494 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" }, "from consumed natural gas": { "text": "6.926 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)" } }, "Energy consumption per capita": { "Total energy consumption per capita 2019": { "text": "137.918 million Btu/person (2019 est.)" } } }, "Communications": { "Telephones - fixed lines": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "2,956,500 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "34 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telephones - mobile cellular": { "total subscriptions": { "text": "11,060,700 (2021 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "127 (2021 est.)" } }, "Telecommunication systems": { "general assessment": { "text": "Switzerland has one of the highest broadband penetration rates within Europe, with a focus on services of at least 1Gb/s; this has been supported by sympathetic regulatory measures as well as by cooperative agreements between the main telcos, and with local utilities; fast fiber is complemented by 5G services reaching about 97% of the population by early 2021; together, these networks will soon enable the telcos to provide ultra-fast broadband services nationally, ahead of most other countries in the region; the competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs; 5G services offered by the MNOs offer data rates of up to 2Gb/s, and although various cantons have called a halt to extensions of 5G, citing health concerns, the regulator and environment ministry have put in place measures aimed at ensuring that network roll outs can continue without disruption; with the migration of subscribers to LTE and 5G networks, the MNOs have been able to begin closing down their GSM networks and repurpose physical assets and spectrum; although not a member of the EU, the country’s economic integration has meant that its telecom market deregulation has followed the EU’s liberalization framework, including the recent regulations on international voice roaming; this report presents an analysis of Switzerland’s fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure (2021)" }, "domestic": { "text": "fixed-line is 34 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership is 127 per 100 persons (2021)" }, "international": { "text": "country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)" } }, "Broadcast media": { "text": "

the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage )

(2019)" }, "Internet country code": { "text": ".ch" }, "Internet users": { "total": { "text": "8.352 million (2021 est.)" }, "percent of population": { "text": "96% (2021 est.)" } }, "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": { "total": { "text": "4,028,238 (2020 est.)" }, "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": { "text": "47 (2020 est.)" } } }, "Transportation": { "National air transport system": { "number of registered air carriers": { "text": "6 (2020)" }, "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": { "text": "179" }, "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "28,857,994 (2018)" }, "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": { "text": "1,841,310,000 (2018) mt-km" } }, "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": { "text": "HB" }, "Airports": { "text": "63 (2021)" }, "Airports - with paved runways": { "text": "40", "note": "note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)" }, "Airports - with unpaved runways": { "text": "23", "note": "note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control" }, "Heliports": { "text": "2 (2021)" }, "Pipelines": { "text": "1,800 km gas, 94 km oil (of which 60 are inactive), 17 km refined products (2017)" }, "Railways": { "total": { "text": "5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network" } }, "Roadways": { "total": { "text": "71,557 km (2017)" }, "paved": { "text": "71,557 km (2017) (includes 1,458 of expressways)" } }, "Waterways": { "text": "1,292 km (2010) (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport)" }, "Merchant marine": { "total": { "text": "20" }, "by type": { "text": "bulk carrier 16, general cargo 1, other 3 (includes Liechtenstein) (2022)" } }, "Ports and terminals": { "river port(s)": { "text": "Basel (Rhine)" } } }, "Military and Security": { "Military and security forces": { "text": "Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2023)" }, "Military expenditures": { "Military Expenditures 2021": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)" }, "Military Expenditures 2020": { "text": "0.8% of GDP (2020)" }, "Military Expenditures 2019": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2019)" }, "Military Expenditures 2018": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2018)" }, "Military Expenditures 2017": { "text": "0.7% of GDP (2017)" } }, "Military and security service personnel strengths": { "text": "the Swiss Armed Forces maintain a full-time professional cadre of about 4,000 personnel along with approximately 18-20,000 conscripts brought in annually for 18-23 weeks of training; approximately 120,000 reserve forces (2022)" }, "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": { "text": "the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of military armaments to Switzerland; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2023)" }, "Military service age and obligation": { "text": "18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; women may volunteer; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2023)", "note": "note: conscientious objectors can choose 390 days of community service instead of military service" }, "Military deployments": { "text": "up to 165 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2023)" }, "Military - note": { "text": "

Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality but does periodically participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military and peacekeeping operations; however, Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it contributed to the NATO-led Kosovo force (KFOR) in 1999 and as of 2023, continued doing so with up to 165 personnel; Switzerland also provided a small number of staff officers to the NATO mission in Afghanistan from 2004-2007

(2023)" } }, "Terrorism": { "Terrorist group(s)": { "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)", "note": "note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T" } }, "Transnational Issues": { "Disputes - international": { "text": "

none identified

" }, "Refugees and internally displaced persons": { "refugees (country of origin)": { "text": "14,726 (Eritrea), 11,441 (Afghanistan), 8,039 (Syria), (mid-year 2022); 65,435 (Ukraine) (as of 23 June 2023)" }, "stateless persons": { "text": "891 (2022)" } }, "Illicit drugs": { "text": "

major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics; a significant importer and exporter of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine;

" } } }