| SWITZERLAND Updated 01/01/11 |
Swiss Confederation is located in the center of the European Continent, with a population of 7,623,438, making it the
94th largest national population. Its capital is Bern and its largest city is Zurich with a total population of 361,129. The
country encompasses 41,290 square kilometers making it the 134th largest country in total area. It shares boundaries
with Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and France.
President Micheline Calmy-Rey is recognized as the Chief of State and Head of Government and achieves that status
through a vote of the Federal Assembly and along with Vice-President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf hold that position for
one year and is ineligible for consecutive terms. Its form of government is a Confederation and they celebrate the
revision of their 1874 constitution, which went into effect on 1 July 2000.
The languages commonly or officially spoken are German, French, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, Albanian, Portuguese,
Spanish, English, Romansch and other languages. It counts among its major religions Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Orthodox, other Christian, Muslim, other and unspecified faiths and no religion. As sources of mass communication it
has 4 AM, 113 FM, 2 Short Wave and 115 Television stations.
Major geographical features are Dufourspitze, its highest point at 4,634 meters and Lake Maggiore, its lowest point at
195 meters. Its principal waterways are the Rhine River, Lake Neuchatel and Lake Zurich, which measure about 365
kilometers.
Major industries providing for the bulk of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are machinery, chemicals, watches,
textiles and precision instruments. Its official currency is the Swiss Franc.
Here’s something you may not know about Switzerland. The village of Busingen is part of Germany but totally
surrounded by Swiss territory and the only way to get there from Germany is to cross into Switzerland- likewise,
Campione, in Italy is surrounded by Switzerland.
94th largest national population. Its capital is Bern and its largest city is Zurich with a total population of 361,129. The
country encompasses 41,290 square kilometers making it the 134th largest country in total area. It shares boundaries
with Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, Italy and France.
President Micheline Calmy-Rey is recognized as the Chief of State and Head of Government and achieves that status
through a vote of the Federal Assembly and along with Vice-President Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf hold that position for
one year and is ineligible for consecutive terms. Its form of government is a Confederation and they celebrate the
revision of their 1874 constitution, which went into effect on 1 July 2000.
The languages commonly or officially spoken are German, French, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, Albanian, Portuguese,
Spanish, English, Romansch and other languages. It counts among its major religions Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Orthodox, other Christian, Muslim, other and unspecified faiths and no religion. As sources of mass communication it
has 4 AM, 113 FM, 2 Short Wave and 115 Television stations.
Major geographical features are Dufourspitze, its highest point at 4,634 meters and Lake Maggiore, its lowest point at
195 meters. Its principal waterways are the Rhine River, Lake Neuchatel and Lake Zurich, which measure about 365
kilometers.
Major industries providing for the bulk of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are machinery, chemicals, watches,
textiles and precision instruments. Its official currency is the Swiss Franc.
Here’s something you may not know about Switzerland. The village of Busingen is part of Germany but totally
surrounded by Swiss territory and the only way to get there from Germany is to cross into Switzerland- likewise,
Campione, in Italy is surrounded by Switzerland.
| Bern- Switzerland's capital city |
| Family of Swiss people |
| End of the Rhine River as it empties into Lake Constance |
| The Glacier Express on one of the route's 291 bridges |
| Jungfraujoch in Bernese Oberland |
| Kandersteg in Bernese Oberland |
| Lake Neuchatel- one of Switzerland's principle waterways |
| Montreux on Lake Geneva- home to the Montreux Jazz Festival |
| Lake Maggiore- Switzerland's lowest point |
Switzerland is full of wonders and lots of photos have been taken of them which means they
are well visited. My photos were easy to find! Once my Dad went to Switzerland and he says
it is very pretty. I really want to visit Switzerland as you can tell and they have places that are
mentioned in a book called 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: Off and On the Beaten
Track A Traveler's Life List by Patricia Schultz Now, will you go and visit them?
are well visited. My photos were easy to find! Once my Dad went to Switzerland and he says
it is very pretty. I really want to visit Switzerland as you can tell and they have places that are
mentioned in a book called 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: Off and On the Beaten
Track A Traveler's Life List by Patricia Schultz Now, will you go and visit them?
5 Suitcases = Let's Go Now!
4 Suitcases = Put This One On the List
3 Suitcases = May Be Worth Checking Out
2 Suitcases = So Many Other Places To See
1 Suitcase = Well, I'll Go If I Have To
4 Suitcases = Put This One On the List
3 Suitcases = May Be Worth Checking Out
2 Suitcases = So Many Other Places To See
1 Suitcase = Well, I'll Go If I Have To
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| Murren rotating restaurant |
| Sauerkraut- a traditional Switzerland dish |
| Steinbok |
| Swiss wildflowers |
| Zermatt, also known as The Matterhorn- Switzerland's most famous landmark |
| Zurich- Switzerland's largest city on Lake Zurich and the Limmat River |
Read about human rights in my
Dad's World Post Report!
Dad's World Post Report!
| Dufourspitze- Switzerland's highest point on the border with Italy |
| Mossettes- on Switzerland's border with France |
| Rheinfelder- a town on both sides of the Swiss/German border |
| Rhine River border of Switzerland and Austria |
| Sargans on Switzerland's border with Liechtenstein |
| Adult Prevalence Rate: People Living with HIV/AIDS: HIV/AIDS Deaths: |
0.6% (2007 est.)
25,000
less than 500
25,000
less than 500
| Chiasso- Switzerland's southernmost point on the border with Italy |
| Lake Geneva- Switzerland's westernmost point on the border with France |
| S-charl which is Switzerland's most isolated and easternmost point on the border with Austria |
| Schaffhausen- Switzerland's northernmost point on the border with Germany |