Switzerland
Basic Facts
Official name
Swiss Confederation
Capital
Bern
Area
41,285 square kilometers / 15,940 square miles
Administrative divisions (population)
Aargau
536,462 (1998 Estimate)
Appenzell-Inner Rhoden
14,873 (1998 Estimate)
Appenzell-Outer Rhoden
53,816 (1998 Estimate)
Basel-Country
256,761 (1998 Estimate)
Basel-Town
190,505 (1998 Estimate)
Bern
941,144 (1998 Estimate)
Fribourg
232,086 (1998 Estimate)
Genève
398,910 (1998 Estimate)
Glarus
38,698 (1998 Estimate)
Graubünden
186,118 (1998 Estimate)
Jura
68,995 (1998 Estimate)
Luzern
343,254 (1998 Estimate)
Neuchâtel
165,594 (1998 Estimate)
Nidwalden
37,320 (1998 Estimate)
Obwalden
31,300 (1998 estimate)
St Gallen
444,891 (1998 Estimate)
Schaffhausen
73,725 (1998 Estimate)
Schwyz
126,479 (1998 Estimate)
Solothurn
243,450 (1998 Estimate)
Thurgau
226,479 (1998 Estimate)
Ticino
306,179 (1998 Estimate)
Uri
35,612 (1998 Estimate)
Valais
274,458 (1998 Estimate)
Vaud
611,613 (1998 Estimate)
Zug
96,517 (1998 Estimate)
Zürich
1,187,609 (1998 Estimate)
Largest cities (population)
Zürich
336,821 (1998)
Geneva
172,809 (1998)
Basel
168,735 (1998)
Bern
123,254 (1998)
Lausanne
114,161 (1998)
Winterthur
87,697 (1998)
St Gallen
69,747 (1998)
Lucerne
57,193 (1998)
Biel
49,027 (1998)
Thun
39,854 (1998)
La Chaux-de-Fonds
36,999 (1998)
Köniz
36,216 (1998)
Schaffhausen
33,789 (1998)
Fribourg
31,939 (1998)
Neuchâtel
31,740 (1998)
Chur
30,800 (1998)
People
Population
7,288,715 (2000 Estimate)
Population growth
Population growth rate
0.17 per cent (2000 Estimate)
Population density
177 persons per square kilometre Estimate
457 persons per square mile Estimate
Urbanization
Per cent urban 62 per cent (1998 Estimate)
Per cent rural 38 per cent (1998 Estimate)
Life expectancy
Total
79.1 years (2000 Estimate)
Female
82.4 years (2000 Estimate)
Male
76 years (2000 Estimate)
Infant mortality rate
5 deaths per 1,000 live births (2000 Estimate)
Literacy rate
Total
99 per cent (1995)
Female Not available
Male Not available
Ethnic divisions
Total population:
German 65 per cent
French 18 per cent
Italian 10 per cent
Romansch 1 per cent
Other or none 6 per cent
Swiss nationals:
German 74 per cent
French 20 per cent
Italian 4 per cent
Romansh 1 per cent
Other or none 1 per cent
Languages
German (official), French (official), Italian (official), Romansh, English, and others
NOTE: Romansh, a Romance language, is spoken by less than 1 per cent of the Swiss population, chiefly in the canton of Graubünden.
Religions
Roman Catholic 46 per cent
Protestant 40 per cent
Other or none 14 per cent
Government
Type of government
Federal republic
Independence
1 August 1291
Constitution
29 May 1874; amended in April 1999
Voting rights
Universal at age 18
Membership of international organizations
CAN (observer), CE, CERN, ESA, FAO, G-8, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICC, ICFTU, ICPO/Interpol, IEA, IFRCS, IMF, INTELSAT, ISO, NAM (guest), NEA, OAS (observer), OECD, UN (observer), UNESCO, WHO, WToO, WTO
Economy
Gross domestic product (GDP)
(US$)263,630 million (1998)
GDP per capita
(US$) 37,100 (1998)
GDP by economic sector
GDP, agriculture Not available
GDP, industry Not available
GDP, services Not available
National budget (US$)
Total revenue 60,561 million (1997)
Total expenditure 71,334 million (1997)
Monetary unit
1 Swiss franc, Franke, or franco (SwF), consisting of 100 centimes, Rappen, or centesimi
Exports
Machinery and equipment, precision instruments (notably wristwatches), metal products, cheese, chocolate, and other foodstuffs, textiles and clothing, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, jewellery
Imports
Agricultural products, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, textiles, clothing, building materials, energy, metal products, fuels, paper products, plastics
Major trading partners for exports
Germany, France, United States, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom
Major trading partners for imports
Germany, France, Italy, United States, United Kingdom, Japan,
Industries
Banking, insurance, machinery, chemicals, wristwatches, textiles, precision instruments, cheese, chocolate, pharmaceuticals, cement, tobacco, footwear
Agriculture
Principal crops: sugar beet, potatoes, wheat, barley, grapes; dairy products, eggs
Natural resources
Hydroelectric power potential, timber, salt, building materials, iron ore, manganese
Sources:
Basic Facts and People sections
Area data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Population, population growth rate, infant mortality, and life expectancy data are from the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2000; (www.census.gov). Population density data are from the individual country statistical bureaus, and the United States Census Bureau, International Programs Center; International database, 2000; (www.census.gov). Largest cities population data and administrative divisions data are from the individual country statistical bureaus. Literacy rate data are from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) database, 2000; (www.unesco.org). Urban and rural population data are from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN), FAOSTAT database, 2000; (www.fao.org). Ethnic divisions and religion data are largely from the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook, as well as various country censuses and reports. Language data are largely from the Ethnologue, Languages of the World, SIL International; (www.sil.org).
Government section
Government, independence, constitution, and voting rights data are largely from various government Web sites, the latest Europa World Yearbook, and the latest Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) World Factbook.
Economy section
Gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, GDP by economic sector, and national budget data are from the World Bank database, 2000; (www.worldbank.org). Monetary unit, exports and imports, natural resources, agriculture, and industries information is from the latest Europa World Yearbook, and various International Monetary Fund (IMF) publications.
All this information has been taken from indirect sources.
Note: Due to rounding, totals may not add up to 100 per cent.
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