Switzerland

Switzerland,officially theSwiss Confederation,is alandlocked countrylocated in west-centralEurope.It is bordered byItalyto the south,Franceto the west,Germanyto the north, andAustriaandLiechtensteinto the east. Switzerland is geographically divided among theSwiss Plateau, theAlpsand theJura; the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, whereas most of the country's nearly 9 million people are concentrated on the plateau, which hostsits largest citiesand economic centres, includingZurich,Geneva, andLausanne.
Switzerland is afederal republiccomposed of26 cantons, with federal authorities based inBern.It has four main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, Italian andRomansh. Although most Swiss are German-speaking, national identity is fairly cohesive, being rooted in a common historical background, shared values such asfederalismanddirect democracy,andAlpinesymbolism.Swiss identity transcends language, ethnicity, and religion, leading to Switzerland being described as aWillensnation("nation of volition") rather than anation state.
Switzerland originates from theOld Swiss Confederacyestablished in theLate Middle Agesas adefensive and commercial alliance; theFederal Charter of 1291is considered the country's founding document. The confederation steadilyexpanded and consolidateddespite external threats and internalpolitical and religious strife. Swiss independence from theHoly Roman Empirewas formally recognised in thePeace of Westphaliain 1648.The confederation was among the first and few republics of theearly modern period, and the only one besidesSan Marinoto survive theNapoleonic Wars.
Switzerland remained a network of self-governing states until 1798, whenrevolutionary Franceinvaded andimposedthecentralistHelvetic Republic.Napoleonabolished the republic in 1803 andreinstated a confederation. Following the Napoleonic Wars, Switzerlandrestored its pre-revolutionary system, butby 1830faced growing divisionand conflictbetween liberal and conservative movements; this culminated in anew constitution in 1848that established the current federal system and enshrined principles such as individual rights, separation of powers, and parliamentary bicameralism.
Switzerland has maintained a policy ofarmed neutralitysince the 16th century and has not fought an international warsince 1815. It joined theUnited Nationsonly in 2002 but pursues an active foreign policy that includes frequent involvement inpeace buildingandglobal governance.Switzerland is the birthplace of theRed Crossand hosts the headquarters or offices of most majorinternational institutions, including theWTO, theWHO, theILO,FIFA, theWEF, and the UN. It is a founding member of theEuropean Free Trade Association(EFTA) but not part of theEuropean Union(EU), theEuropean Economic Area, or theeurozone; however, it participates in theEuropean single marketand theSchengen Area.
Switzerland is among the world'smost developed countries, with the highest nominalwealth per adultand theeighth-highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.Itperforms highly on several international metrics, includingeconomic competitiveness,democratic governance, andpress freedom. Zurich, Geneva and Basel rank among the highest inquality of life,albeit with some of the highestcosts of living.Switzerland holds an international reputation for its established banking sector and for its specialized industries in watchmaking and chocolate production.
The English nameSwitzerlandis a portmanteau ofSwitzer, an obsolete term for aSwissperson which was in use during the 16th to 19th centuries, andland.The English adjectiveSwissis aloanwordfrom FrenchSuisse, also in use since the 16th century. The nameSwitzeris from theAlemannicSchwiizer, in origin an inhabitant ofSchwyzand itsassociated territory, one of theWaldstättecantons which formed the nucleus of theOld Swiss Confederacy. The Swiss began to adopt the name for themselves after theSwabian Warof 1499, used alongside the term for "Confederates",Eidgenossen(literally:comrades by oath), used since the 14th century.Thedata code for Switzerland, CH, is derived fromLatinConfoederatio Helvetica(Helvetic Confederation).
The toponymSchwyzitself was first attested in 972, asOld High GermanSuittes, perhaps related toswedan'to burn' (cf.Old Norsesvíða'to singe, burn'), referring to the area of forest that was burned and cleared to build.The name was extended to the area dominated by the canton, and after the Swabian War of 1499 gradually came to be used for the entire Confederation.TheSwiss Germanname of the country,Schwiiz, is homophonous to that of the canton and the settlement, but distinguished by the use of the definite article (d'Schwiizfor the Confederation,but simplySchwyzfor the canton and the town).The long [iː] of Swiss German is historically and still often today spelled⟨y⟩rather than⟨ii⟩, preserving the original identity of the two names even in writing.
The Latin nameConfoederatio Helveticawasneologisedand introduced gradually after theformation of the federal statein 1848, harking back to the NapoleonicHelvetic Republic. It appeared on coins from 1879, inscribed on theFederal Palacein 1902 and after 1948 used in the official seal(e.g., theISO banking code"CHF" for theSwiss franc, the Swiss postage stamps ('HELVETIA') and the country top-level domain ".ch", are both taken from the state's Latin name).Helveticais derived from theHelvetii, aGaulish tribeliving on theSwiss Plateaubefore theRoman era.
Helvetiaappeared as anational personificationof the Swiss confederacy in the 17th century in a 1672 play by Johann Caspar Weissenbach.
The state of Switzerland took its present form with the adoption of theSwiss Federal Constitutionin 1848. Switzerland's precursors established a defensive alliance in 1291, forming a looseconfederationthat persisted for centuries.
The oldest traces of hominid existence in Switzerland date to about 150,000 years ago.The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found atGächlingen, date to around 5300 BC.
The earliest known tribes formed theHallstattandLa Tène cultures, named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side ofLake Neuchâtel. La Tène culture developed and flourished during the lateIron Agefrom around 450 BC,possibly influenced byGreekandEtruscancivilisations. One of the most prominent La Tène tribes were theHelvetii, who primarily occupied theSwiss Plateau, alongside theRhaetiansin the eastern regions. Facing pressures from Germanic tribes, in 58 BC, the Helvetii, influenced byOrgetorix, a wealthy aristocrat, decided to abandon the Swiss Plateau for better opportunities in western Gallia. After Orgetorix's mysterious death, the tribe continued their migration but was decisively defeated by Julius Caesar's armies at theBattle of Bibracte, in present-day eastern France. Following their defeat, the Helvetii were forced by Caesar to return to their original lands, where they were subjected to stringent restrictions on their autonomy and movements.In 15 BC,Tiberius(later the second Roman emperor) and his brotherDrususconquered the Alps, integrating them into theRoman Empire. The area occupied by the Helvetii first became part of Rome'sGallia Belgicaprovince and then of itsGermania Superiorprovince. The eastern portion of modern Switzerland was integrated into theRoman provinceofRaetia. Sometime around the start of theCommon Era, the Romans maintained a large camp calledVindonissa, now a ruin at the confluence of theAareandReussrivers, near the town ofWindisch.
The first and second century AD was an age of prosperity on the Swiss Plateau. Towns such asAventicum,Iulia EquestrisandAugusta Rauricareached a remarkable size, while hundreds of agricultural estates (Villae rusticae) were established in the countryside.
Around 260 AD, the fall of theAgri Decumatesterritory north of theRhinetransformed today's Switzerland into a frontier land of the Empire. Repeated raids by theAlamannitribes provoked the ruin of the Roman towns and economy, forcing the population to shelter near Roman fortresses, like theCastrum Rauracensenear Augusta Raurica. The Empire built another line of defence at the north border (the so-called Donau-Iller-Rhine-Limes). At the end of the fourth century, the increased Germanic pressure forced the Romans to abandon the linear defence concept. The Swiss Plateau was finally open toGermanic tribes.
In theEarly Middle Ages, from the end of the fourth century, the western extent of modern-day Switzerland was part of the territory of theKings of the Burgundians, who introduced the French language to the area. TheAlemannisettled the Swiss Plateau in the fifth century and thevalleys of the Alpsin the eighth century, formingAlemannia. Modern-day Switzerland was then divided between the kingdoms of Alemannia andBurgundy.The entire region became part of the expandingFrankish Empirein the sixth century, followingClovis I's victory over the Alemanni atTolbiacin 504 AD, and later Frankish domination of the Burgundians.
Throughout the rest of the sixth, seventh and eighth centuries, Swiss regions continued under Frankish hegemony (MerovingianandCarolingiandynasties) but after its extension underCharlemagne, theFrankish Empirewas divided by theTreaty of Verdunin 843.The territories of present-day Switzerland became divided intoMiddle FranciaandEast Franciauntil they were reunified under theHoly Roman Empirearound 1000 AD.
In the 10th century, as the rule of the Carolingians waned,MagyarsdestroyedBaselin 917 andSt. Gallenin 926. In response,Henry the Fowler, the then ruler of East Francia, decreed the fortification of key settlements to defend against these invasions. Large villages and towns, including strategic locations like Zurich and St.Gallen, were fortified. This initiative led to the development of what were essentially early urban strongholds and city governments in Eastern Switzerland.
By 1200, the Swiss Plateau comprised the dominions of the houses ofSavoy,Zähringer,Habsburg, andKyburg.Some regions (Uri,Schwyz,Unterwalden, later known asWaldstätten) were accorded theImperial immediacyto grant the empire direct control over the mountain passes. With the extinction of its male line in 1263, the Kyburg dynasty fell in AD 1264. The Habsburgs underKing Rudolph I(Holy Roman Emperor in 1273) laid claim to the Kyburg lands and annexed them, extending their territory to the eastern Swiss Plateau.
The Old Swiss Confederacy was an alliance among the valley communities of the central Alps. The Confederacy was governed bynoblesandpatriciansof various cantons who facilitated management of common interests and ensured peace on mountain trade routes. TheFederal Charter of 1291is considered the confederacy's founding document, even though similar alliances likely existed decades earlier. The document was agreed among therural communesofUri,Schwyz, andUnterwalden.
By 1353, the three originalcantonshad joined with the cantons ofGlarusandZugand theLucerne,ZurichandBerncity-states to form the "Old Confederacy" of eight states that obtained through the end of the 15th century.The expansion led to increased power and wealth for the confederation. By 1460, the confederates controlled most of the territory south and west of the Rhine to the Alps and theJura mountains, and theUniversity of Baselwas founded (with a faculty of medicine) establishing a tradition of chemical and medical research. This increased after victories against the Habsburgs (Battle of Sempach,Battle of Näfels), overCharles the BoldofBurgundyduring the 1470s, and the success of theSwiss mercenaries. The Swiss victory in theSwabian Waragainst theSwabian LeagueofEmperorMaximilian Iin 1499 amounted tode factoindependence within theHoly Roman Empire.In 1501, Baseland Schaffhausen joined the Old Swiss Confederacy.
The Confederacy acquired a reputation of invincibility during these earlier wars, butexpansion of the confederationsuffered a setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in theBattle of Marignano. This ended the so-called "heroic" epoch of Swiss history.The success ofZwingli'sReformationin some cantons led to inter-cantonal religious conflicts in 1529 and 1531 (Wars of Kappel). It was not until more than one hundred years after these internal wars that, in 1648, under thePeace of Westphalia, European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and itsneutrality.
During theEarly Modernperiod of Swiss history, the growing authoritarianism of the patriciate familiescombined with a financial crisis in the wake of theThirty Years' Warled to theSwiss peasant war of 1653. In the background to this struggle, the conflict betweenCatholicandProtestantcantons persisted, erupting in further violence at theFirst War of Villmergen, in 1656, and theToggenburg War(or Second War of Villmergen), in 1712.
In 1798, therevolutionary Frenchgovernment invaded Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution.This centralised the government of the country, effectively abolishing the cantons: moreover,Mülhausenleft Switzerland and theValtellinavalley became part of theCisalpine Republic. The new regime, known as the Helvetic Republic, was highly unpopular. An invading foreign army had imposed and destroyed centuries of tradition, making Switzerland nothing more than a Frenchsatellite state. The fierce French suppression of theNidwaldenRevolt in September 1798 was an example of the oppressive presence of theFrench Armyand the local population's resistance to the occupation.
When war broke out between France and its rivals, Russian andAustrianforces invaded Switzerland. The Swiss refused to fight alongside the French in the name of the Helvetic Republic. In 1803Napoleonorganised a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides in Paris. TheAct of Mediationwas the result, which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 cantons.Henceforth, much of Swiss politics would concern balancing the cantons' tradition of self-rule with the need for a central government.
In 1815 theCongress of Viennafully re-established Swiss independence, and the European powers recognised permanent Swiss neutrality.Swiss troops served foreign governments until 1860 when they fought in thesiege of Gaeta. The treaty allowed Switzerland to increase its territory, with the admission of the cantons ofValais,NeuchâtelandGeneva. Switzerland's borders saw only minor adjustments thereafter.
The restoration of power to the patriciate was only temporary. After a period of unrest with repeated violent clashes, such as theZüriputschof 1839, civil war (theSonderbundskrieg) broke out in 1847 when some Catholic cantons tried to set up a separate alliance (theSonderbund).The war lasted less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties, most of which were throughfriendly fire. The Sonderbundskrieg had a significant impact on the psychology and society of Switzerland.
The war convinced most Swiss of the need for unity and strength. Swiss from all strata of society, whether Catholic or Protestant, from the liberal or conservative current, realised that the cantons would profit more from merging their economic and religious interests.
Thus, while the rest of Europe sawrevolutionary uprisings, the Swiss drew up a constitution that provided for afederal layout, much of it inspired by theAmerican example. This constitution provided central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. Giving credit to those who favoured the power of the cantons (the Sonderbund Kantone), the national assembly was divided between anupper house(theCouncil of States, two representatives per canton) and alower house(theNational Council, with representatives elected from across the country).Referendumswere made mandatory for any amendments.This new constitution ended the legal power ofnobility in Switzerland.
A single system of weights and measures was introduced, and in 1850 theSwiss francbecame the Swisssingle currency, complemented by the WIR franc in 1934.Article 11 of the constitution forbade sending troops to serve abroad, marking the end of foreign service. It came with the expectation of serving theHoly See, and the Swiss were still obliged to serveFrancis II of the Two Sicilieswith Swiss Guards present at thesiege of Gaeta in 1860.
An important clause of the constitution was that it could be entirely rewritten, if necessary, thus enabling it to evolve as a whole rather than being modified one amendment at a time.
This need soon proved itself when the rise in population and theIndustrial Revolutionthat followed led to calls to modify the constitution accordingly. The population rejected an early draft in 1872, but modifications led to its acceptance in 1874.It introduced thefacultative referendumfor laws at the federal level. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters.
In 1891, the constitution was revised with uncommonly strong elements ofdirect democracy, which remain unique today.
Switzerland was not invaded during either of the world wars. DuringWorld War I, Switzerland was home to the revolutionary and founder of theSoviet UnionVladimir Illych Ulyanov (Vladimir Lenin) who remained there until 1917.Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-livedGrimm–Hoffmann affairin 1917. In 1920, Switzerland joined theLeague of Nations, which was based inGeneva, after it was exempted from military requirements.
DuringWorld War II,detailed invasion planswere drawn up by the Germans,but Switzerland was never attacked.Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune, as larger events during the war intervened.GeneralHenri Guisan, appointed thecommander-in-chief for the durationof the war ordered a general mobilisation of the armed forces. The Swiss military strategy changed from static defence at the borders to organised long-term attrition and withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps, known as theReduit. Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides and often mediated communications between theAxisandAlliedpowers.
Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and the Axis. Economic cooperation and extension of credit toNazi Germanyvaried according to the perceived likelihood of invasion and the availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached a peak after a crucial rail link throughVichy Francewas severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland (together withLiechtenstein) entirely isolated from the wider world by Axis-controlled territory. Over the course of the war, Switzerland interned over 300,000 refugeesaided by theInternational Red Cross, based in Geneva. Strict immigration andasylumpolicies and the financial relationships with Nazi Germany raised controversy, only at the end of the 20th century.
During the war, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting down 11 intrudingLuftwaffeplanes in May and June 1940, then forcing down other intruders after a change of policy following threats from Germany. Over 100 Allied bombers and their crews were interned. Between 1940 and 1945,Switzerland was bombed by the Allies, causing fatalities and property damage.Among the cities and towns bombed wereBasel,Brusio,Chiasso,Cornol, Geneva,Koblenz,Niederweningen,Rafz,Renens,Samedan,Schaffhausen,Stein am Rhein,Tägerwilen,Thayngen,Vals, and Zurich. Allied forces maintained that the bombings, which violated the 96thArticle of War, resulted from navigation errors, equipment failure, weather conditions, and pilot errors. The Swiss expressed fear and concern that the bombings were intended to put pressure on Switzerland to end economic cooperation and neutrality with Nazi Germany.Court-martial proceedings took place in England. The US paid SFR 62M for reparations.
Switzerland's attitude towardsrefugeeswas complicated and controversial; over the course of the war, it admitted as many as 300,000 refugeeswhile refusing tens of thousands more,including Jews persecuted by the Nazis.
After the war, the Swiss government exported credits through the charitable fund known as theSchweizerspendeand donated to theMarshall Planto help Europe's recovery, efforts that ultimately benefited theSwiss economy.
During theCold War, Swiss authoritiesconsidered the constructionof a Swissnuclear bomb.Leading nuclear physicists at theFederal Institute of Technology Zurichsuch asPaul Scherrermade this a realistic possibility.In 1988, thePaul Scherrer Institutewas founded in his name to explore the therapeutic uses ofneutron scatteringtechnologies.Financial problems with the defence budget and ethical considerations prevented the substantial funds from being allocated, and theNuclear Non-Proliferation Treatyof 1968 was seen as a valid alternative. Plans for building nuclear weapons were dropped by 1988.Switzerland joined theCouncil of Europein 1963.
Switzerland was the last Western republic (thePrincipality of Liechtensteinfollowed in 1984) togrant women the right to vote. Some Swiss cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last cantonAppenzell Innerrhoden(one of only two remainingLandsgemeinde, along withGlarus) in 1990.After obtaining suffrage at the federal level, women quickly rose in political significance. The first woman on the seven-memberFederal Councilexecutive wasElisabeth Kopp, who served from 1984 to 1989,and the first female president wasRuth Dreifussin 1999.
In 1979 areas from the canton ofBernattained independence from the Bernese, forming the newcanton of Jura. On 18 April 1999, the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revisedfederal constitution.
In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leavingVatican Cityas the last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is a founding member of theEFTAbut not theEuropean Economic Area(EEA). An application for membership in theEuropean Unionwas sent in May 1992, but did not advance since rejecting the EEA in December 1992when Switzerland conducted a referendum on the EEA. Several referendums on the EU issue ensued; due to opposition from the citizens, the membership application was withdrawn. Nonetheless, Swiss law is gradually changing to conform with that of the EU, and the government signedbilateral agreementswith the European Union. Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been surrounded by the EU since Austria's entry in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to join theSchengen treaty, a result that EU commentators regarded as a sign of support.In September 2020, a referendum calling for a vote to end the pact that allowed a free movement of people from theEuropean Unionwas introduced by theSwiss People's Party(SVP).However, voters rejected the attempt to retake control of immigration, defeating the motion by a roughly 63%–37% margin.
On 9 February 2014, 50.3% of Swiss voters approved a ballotinitiativelaunched by the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) torestrict immigration. This initiative was mostly backed by rural (57.6% approval) and suburban groups (51.2% approval), and isolated towns (51.3% approval) as well as by a strong majority (69.2% approval) in Ticino, while metropolitan centres (58.5% rejection) and the French-speaking part (58.5% rejection) rejected it.In December 2016, a political compromise with the EU was attained that eliminated quotas on EU citizens, but still allowed favourable treatment of Swiss-based job applicants.On 27 September 2020, 62% of Swiss voters rejected the anti-free movement referendum by SVP.
Extending across the north and south side of theAlpsinwest-central Europe, Switzerland encompasses diverse landscapes and climates across its 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi).
Switzerland lies between latitudes45°and48° N, and longitudes5°and11° E. It contains three basic topographical areas: theSwiss Alpsto the south, the Swiss Plateau or Central Plateau, and theJura mountainson the west. The Alps are a mountain range running across the central and south of the country, constituting about 60% of the country's area. The majority of the population live on the Swiss Plateau. The Swiss Alps host many glaciers, covering 1,063 square kilometres (410 sq mi). From these originate the headwaters of several major rivers, such as theRhine,Inn,TicinoandRhône, which flow in the four cardinal directions, spreading across Europe. The hydrographic network includes several of the largest bodies of fresh water in Central and Western Europe, among which areLake Geneva(Lac Léman in French),Lake Constance(Bodensee in German) andLake Maggiore. Switzerland has more than 1500 lakes and contains 6% of Europe's freshwater stock. Lakes and glaciers cover about 6% of the national territory. Lake Geneva is the largest lake and is shared with France. The Rhône is both the main source and outflow of Lake Geneva. Lake Constance is the second largest and, like Lake Geneva, an intermediate step by the Rhine at the border with Austria and Germany. While the Rhône flows into theMediterranean Seaat the FrenchCamargueregion and the Rhine flows into theNorth SeaatRotterdam, about 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) apart, both springs are only about 22 kilometres (14 miles) apart in the Swiss Alps.90% of Switzerland's 65,000-kilometre-long network of rivers and streams have been straightened, dammed, canalized or channeled underground, in an effort to prevent natural disasters such as flooding, landslides, and avalanches.80% of all Swiss drinking water comes fromgroundwatersources.
Forty-eight mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) or higher in height.At 4,634 m (15,203 ft),Monte Rosais the highest, although theMatterhorn(4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is the best known. Both are located within thePennine Alpsin the canton ofValais, on the border with Italy. The section of theBernese Alpsabove the deep glacialLauterbrunnenvalley, containing 72 waterfalls, is well known for theJungfrau(4,158 m or 13,642 ft)EigerandMönchpeaks, and its many picturesque valleys. In the southeast the longEngadinValley, encompassingSt. Moritz, is also well known; the highest peak in the neighbouringBernina AlpsisPiz Bernina(4,049 m or 13,284 ft).
The Swiss Plateau has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds or vegetable and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. Large lakes and the biggest Swiss cities are found there.
Switzerland contains two smallenclaves:Büsingenbelongs to Germany, whileCampione d'Italiabelongs to Italy.Switzerland has no exclaves.
The Swiss climate is generallytemperate, but can vary greatly across localities,from glacial conditions on the mountaintops to the near-Mediterranean climateat Switzerland's southern tip. Some valley areas in the southern part of Switzerland offer cold-hardy palm trees. Summers tend to be warm and humid at times with periodic rainfall, ideal for pastures/grazing. The less humid winters in the mountains may see weeks-long intervals of stable conditions. At the same time, the lower lands tend to suffer frominversionduring such periods, hiding the sun.
A weather phenomenon known as theföhn(with an identical effect to thechinook wind) can occur any time and is characterised by an unexpectedly warm wind, bringing low relative humidity air to the north of the Alps during rainfall periods on the south-facing slopes. This works both ways across the alps but is more efficient if blowing from the south due to the steeper step for oncoming wind. Valleys running south to north trigger the best effect. The driest conditions persist in all inner alpine valleys that receive less rain because arriving clouds lose a lot of their moisture content while crossing the mountains before reaching these areas. Large alpine areas such asGraubündenremain drier than pre-alpine areas, and as in the main valley of theValais, wine grapes are grown there.
The wettest conditions persist in the high Alps and in theTicinocanton, which has much sun yet heavy bursts of rain from time to time.Precipitation tends to be spread moderately throughout the year, with a peak in summer. Autumn is the driest season, winter receives less precipitation than summer, yet the weather patterns in Switzerland are not in a stable climate system. They can vary from year to year with no strict and predictable periods.
Switzerland contains two terrestrial ecoregions:Western European broadleaf forestsandAlps conifer and mixed forests.
Switzerland's many small valleys separated by high mountains often host unique ecologies. The mountainous regions themselves offer a rich range of plants not found at other altitudes. The climatic, geological and topographical conditions of the alpine region make for a fragile ecosystem that is particularly sensitive toclimate change.According to the2014 Environmental Performance Index, Switzerland ranks first among 132 nations in safeguarding the environment, due to its high scores on environmental public health, its heavy reliance on renewable sources of energy (hydropowerandgeothermalenergy), and its level ofgreenhouse gas emissions.In 2020 it was ranked third out of 180 countries.The country pledged to cutGHG emissionsby 50% by 2030 compared to the level of 1990 and plans to reach zero emissions by 2050.
However, access tobiocapacityin Switzerland is far lower than the world average. In 2016, Switzerland had 1.0 hectaresof biocapacity per person within its territory, 40 per cent less than world average of 1.6. In contrast, in 2016, Swiss consumption required 4.6 hectares of biocapacity – theirecological footprint, 4.6 times as much as Swiss territory can support. The remainder comes from other countries and the shared resources (such as the atmosphere impacted by greenhouse gas emissions).Switzerland had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 3.53/10, ranking it 150th globally out of 172 countries.
Switzerland ranked 9th in theEnvironmental Performance Indexfor 2024.It scored well in parameters including air pollution, sanitation and drinking water, waste management, and climate change mitigation.
About 85% of the population live in urban areas.Switzerland went from a largely rural country to an urban one from 1930 to 2000. After 1935 urban development claimed as much of the Swiss landscape as it did during the prior 2,000 years.Urban sprawlaffects the plateau, the Jura and the Alpine foothills,raising concerns about land use.During the 21st century, population growth in urban areas is higher than in the countryside.
Switzerland has a dense network of complementary large, medium and small towns.The plateau is densely populated with about 400 people per kmand the landscape shows uninterrupted signs of human presence.The weight of the largest metropolitan areas –Zurich, Geneva–Lausanne,BaselandBern– tend to increase.The importance of these urban areas is greater than their population suggests.These urban centers are recognised for their high quality of life.
The average population density in 2019 was 215.2 inhabitants per square kilometre (557/sq mi).In the largest canton by area,Graubünden, lying entirely in the Alps, population density falls to 28.0 inhabitants per square kilometre (73/sq mi).In thecanton of Zurich, with its large urban capital, the density is 926.8 per square kilometre (2,400/sq mi).
TheFederal Constitutionadopted in 1848 is the legal foundation of Switzerland's federal state.It is regularly modified by referendum and has been completely revised twice, in 1874 and 1999. The constitution outlines rights of individuals and citizen participation in public affairs, divides the powers between the confederation and the cantons and defines federal jurisdiction and authority. Three main bodies govern on the federal level: theFederal Assembly(legislative), theFederal Council(executive) and thefederal courts(judicial).
TheFederal Assemblyis theparliamentof Switzerland. It consists of two houses: TheCouncil of Stateshas 46 members, two from each canton and one from eachhalf-canton. TheNational Councilhas 200 members, apportioned to reflect the population of each canton, and elected byproportional representationwithin each canton. Members of both houses serve for four years and work part-time (Milizsystem).When both houses are in joint session, they are known collectively as theFederal Assembly. Throughoptional referendums, citizens may challenge any law passed by parliament.
The Federal Council is the Swiss executive. It leads thefederal administrationand serves as a collectivehead of state. It is acollegialbody of seven members, elected to four-year terms by the Federal Assembly, which oversees the council. Each member leads a department of the federal government. Each year, one member of the Council is electedPresident of the Confederationby the Assembly, with the presidency traditionally rotating between members. The President chairs and represents the government, but hasno additional powersand remains the head of their department.
The government has been a coalition of the four major political parties since 1959, each party having a number of seats that roughly reflects its share of the electorate and representation in the federal parliament. This distribution is called the "magic formula". Since 2003, the seven seats in the Federal Council have been distributed as follows:
The function of theFederal Supreme Courtis to hear appeals against rulings of cantonal or federal courts. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for six-year terms.
Direct democracyandfederalismare hallmarks of the Swiss political system defined in the Swiss constitution.The Swiss people are subject to three legal jurisdictions: the municipal, cantonal and federal levels. At the federal level, popular rightsinclude the right to submit a federal initiative and a referendum, both of which may overturn parliamentary decisions.
There are three types of federal referendum in Switzerland:
The Federal Council and the Federal Assembly can supplement a popular initiative with a counterproposal. Voters must then indicate their preference if both proposals are accepted.
The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons.The cantons arefederated states, with permanent constitutional status and a high degree of independence relative to thesubnationaldivisions of most countries. Under the Federal Constitution, all 26 cantons are equal in status, except that six (referred to often as thehalf-cantons) are represented by one councillor instead of two in theCouncil of Statesand have only half a cantonal vote with respect to the required cantonal majority inreferendums on constitutional amendments. Each canton has its own constitution and its own parliament, government, police and courts.However, considerable differences define the individual cantons, particularly in terms of population and geographical area. Their populations vary between 16,003 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,487,969 (Zurich), and their area between 37 km(14 sq mi) (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km(2,743 sq mi) (Grisons).
*These cantons are known as half-cantons.
As of 2018 the cantons comprised 2,222 municipalities.
Until 1848, the loosely coupled Confederation did not have a central political organisation. Issues thought to affect the whole Confederation were the subject of periodic meetings in various locations.
In 1848, the federal constitution provided that details concerning federal institutions, such as their locations, should be addressed by theFederal Assembly(BV 1848 Art. 108). Thus on 28 November 1848, the Federal Assembly voted in the majority to locate the seat of government in Bern and, as a prototypical federal compromise, to assign other federal institutions, such as theFederal Polytechnical School(1854, the later ETH) to Zurich, and other institutions to Lucerne, such as the laterSUVA(1912) and the Federal Insurance Court (1917).Other federal institutions were subsequently attributed toLausanne(Federal Supreme Courtin 1872, andEPFLin 1969),Bellinzona(Federal Criminal Court, 2004), andSt. Gallen(Federal Administrative CourtandFederal Patent Court, 2012).
The 1999 Constitution does not mention a Federal City and the Federal Council has yet to address the matter.Thus no city in Switzerland has theofficialstatus either of capital or of Federal City. Nevertheless, Bern is commonly referred to as "Federal City" (German:Bundesstadt, French:ville fédérale,Italian:città federale).
Traditionally, Switzerland avoids alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action and has been neutral since the end of itsexpansionin 1515. Itspolicy of neutralitywas internationally recognised at theCongress of Viennain 1815.Swiss neutrality has been questioned at times.In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations.It was the first state to join it byreferendum. Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as an intermediary between other states.Switzerland is not a member of theEuropean Union; the Swiss people have consistently rejected membership since the early 1990s.However, Switzerland does participate in theSchengen Area.
Many international institutions have headquarters in Switzerland, in part because of its policy of neutrality.Genevais the birthplace of theRed Cross and Red Crescent Movement, theGeneva Conventionsand, since 2006, hosts theUnited Nations Human Rights Council. Even though Switzerland is one of the most recent countries to join the United Nations, thePalace of Nationsin Geneva is the second biggest centre for the United Nations after theheadquartersin New York. Switzerland was a founding member and hosted theLeague of Nations.
Apart from the United Nations headquarters, the Swiss Confederation is host to many UN agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and about 200 other international organisations, including theWorld Trade Organizationand theWorld Intellectual Property Organization.The annual meetings of theWorld Economic ForuminDavosbring together business and political leaders from Switzerland and foreign countries to discuss important issues. The headquarters of theBank for International Settlements(BIS) moved toBaselin 1930.
Many sports federations and organisations are located in the country, including theInternational Handball Federationin Basel, theInternational Basketball Federationin Geneva, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) inNyon, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) and theInternational Ice Hockey Federationboth inZurich, theInternational Cycling UnioninAigle, and theInternational Olympic CommitteeinLausanne.
Switzerland became a member of theUnited Nations Security Councilfor the 2023–2024 period.According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Switzerland is the 6th most peaceful country in the world.
Although not a member, Switzerland maintains relationships with the EU and European countries through bilateral agreements. The Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the EU, in an effort to compete internationally.EU membershipfaces considerable negative popular sentiment. It is opposed by the conservativeSVPparty, the largest party in the National Council, and not advocated by several other political parties. The membership application was formally withdrawn in 2016. The western French-speaking areas and the urban regions of the rest of the country tend to be more pro-EU, but do not form a significant share of the population.
An Integration Office operates under theDepartment of Foreign Affairsand theDepartment of Economic Affairs. Seven bilateral agreements liberalised trade ties, taking effect in 2001. This first series of bilateral agreements included the free movement of persons. A second series of agreements covering nine areas was signed in 2004, including theSchengen Treatyand theDublin Convention.
In 2006, a referendum approved 1 billion francs of supportive investment in Southern and Central European countries in support of positive ties to the EU as a whole. A further referendum will be needed to approve 300 million francs to support Romania and Bulgaria and their recent admission.
The Swiss have faced EU and international pressure to reducebanking secrecyand raise tax rates to parity with the EU. Preparatory discussions involved four areas: the electricity market, participation in projectGalileo, cooperating with theEuropean Centre for Disease Prevention and Controland certificates of origin for food products.
Switzerland is a member of the Schengen passport-free zone. Landborder checkpointsmonitor goods movements, but not people.
TheSwiss Armed Forces, including theLand Forcesand theAir Force, arecomposed mostly of conscripts, male citizens aged from 20 to 34 (in exceptional cases up to 50) years. Being alandlockedcountry, Switzerland has no navy; however, on lakes bordering neighbouring countries, armed boats patrol. Swiss citizens are prohibited from serving in foreign armies, except for theSwiss Guardsof theVatican, or if they aredual citizensof a foreign country and reside there.
The Swiss militia system stipulates that soldiers keep their army-issued equipment, includingfully automaticpersonal weapons, at home.Women can serve voluntarily. Men usually receive military conscription orders for training at the age of 18.About two-thirds of young Swiss are found suitable for service; for the others, various forms of alternative service are available.Annually, approximately 20,000 persons are trained in recruit centres for 18 to 21 weeks. The reform "Army XXI" was adopted by popular vote in 2003, replacing "Army 95", reducing the rolls from 400,000 to about 200,000. Of those, 120,000 are active in periodic Army training, and 80,000 are non-training reserves.
The newest reform of the military,Weiterentwicklung der Armee(WEA; English: Further development of the Army), started in 2018 and was expected to reduce the number of army personnel to 100,000 by the end of 2022.
Overall, three general mobilisations have been declared to ensure the integrity and neutrality of Switzerland. The first mobilisation was held in response to theFranco-Prussian Warof 1870–71; while the second was in response to theFirst World Waroutbreak in August 1914; the third mobilisation took place in September 1939 in response to theGerman attack on Poland.
Because of its neutrality policy, the Swiss army does not take part in armed conflicts in other countries but joins some peacekeeping missions. Since 2000 the armed force department has maintained theOnyxintelligence gathering system to monitor satellite communications.
Gun politics in Switzerlandare unique in Europe in that 2–3.5 million guns are in the hands of civilians, giving the nation an estimate of 28–41 guns per 100 people.As per the Small Arms Survey, only 324,484 guns are owned by the military.Only 143,372 are in the hands of soldiers.However, ammunition is no longer issued.
Switzerland has a stable, prosperous andhigh-techeconomy. It is the world's wealthiest country per capita in multiple rankings.The country ranks as one of theleast corrupt countries in the world,whileits banking sectoris rated as "one of the most corrupt in the world".It has the world'stwentieth largest economyby nominal GDP and thethirty-eighth largestbypurchasing power parity. As of 2021, it is thethirteenth largest exporter, and thefifth largestper capita. Zurich and Geneva are regarded asglobal cities, ranked asAlpha and Betarespectively. Basel is the capital of Switzerland's pharmaceutical industry, hostingNovartis,Roche, and many other players. It is one of the world's most important centres for the life sciences industry.
Switzerland had the second-highest global rating in theIndex of Economic Freedom2023,while also providing significant public services.On a per capita basis, nominal GDP is higher than those of the larger Western and Central European economies and Japan,whileadjusted for purchasing power, Switzerland ranked 11th in 2017, fifth in 2018, and ninth in 2020.
The 2016 World Economic Forum'sGlobal Competitiveness Reportranked Switzerland's economy as the world's most competitive;as of 2019, it ranks fifth globally.TheEuropean Unionlabeled it Europe's most innovative country.Switzerland has been ranked the most innovative country in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2024, as it had done in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019.It ranked 20th of 189 countries in theEase of Doing Business Index. Switzerland's slow growth in the 1990s and the early 2000s increased support for economic reforms and harmonisation with the European Union.In 2020,IMDplaced Switzerland first in attracting skilled workers.
For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin (per capita GDP).Switzerland has one of the world's largestaccount balances as a percentage of GDP.In 2018, the canton of Basel-City had the highest GDP per capita, ahead of Zug and Geneva.According toCredit Suisse, only about 37% of residents own their own homes, one of the lowest rates ofhome ownershipin Europe. Housing and food price levels were 171% and 145% of theEU-25index in 2007, compared to 113% and 104% in Germany.
Switzerland is home to several large multinational corporations. The largest by revenue areGlencore,Gunvor,Nestlé,Mediterranean Shipping Company,Novartis,Hoffmann-La Roche,ABB,Mercuria Energy GroupandAdecco.Also, notable areUBS,Zurich Insurance,Richemont,Credit Suisse,Barry Callebaut,Swiss Re,Rolex,Tetra Pak,Swatch GroupandSwiss International Air Lines.
Switzerland's most important economic sector is manufacturing. Manufactured products include specialtychemicals,health and pharmaceuticalgoods, scientific and precisionmeasuring instrumentsandmusical instruments. The largest exported goods are chemicals (34% of exported goods), machines/electronics (20.9%), and precision instruments/watches (16.9%).The service sector – especially banking and insurance,commodities trading, tourism, andinternational organisations– is another important industry for Switzerland. Exported services amount to a third of exports.
Agricultural protectionism—a rare exception to Switzerland's free trade policies—contributes to highfood prices. Product market liberalisation is lagging behind manyEU countriesaccording to theOECD.Apart from agriculture, economic and trade barriers between the European Union and Switzerland are minimal, and Switzerland has free trade agreements with many countries. Switzerland is a member of theEuropean Free Trade Association(EFTA).
Switzerland is considered as the "land ofCooperatives" with the ten largest cooperative companies accounting for more than 11% of GDP in 2018. They includeMigrosandCoop, the two largest retail companies in Switzerland.
Switzerland is atax haven.The private sector economy dominates. It features low tax rates;tax revenue to GDP ratio is one of the smallestofdeveloped countries. TheSwiss Federal budgetreached 62.8 billion Swiss francs in 2010, 11.35% of GDP; however, canton and municipality budgets are not counted as part of the federal budget. Totalgovernment spendingis closer to 33.8% of GDP. The main sources of income for the federal government are thevalue-added tax(33% of tax revenue) and the direct federal tax (29%). The main areas of expenditure are in social welfare and finance/taxes. The expenditures of the Swiss Confederation have been growing from 7% of GDP in 1960 to 9.7% in 1990 and 10.7% in 2010. While the social welfare and finance sectors and tax grew from 35% in 1990 to 48.2% in 2010, a significant reduction of expenditures has been occurring in agriculture and national defence; from 26.5% to 12.4% (estimation for the year 2015).
Slightly more than 5 million people work in Switzerland;about 25% of employees belonged to a trade union in 2004.Switzerland has a more flexiblelabor marketthan neighbouring countries and the unemployment rate is consistently low.The unemployment rate increased from 1.7% in June 2000 to 4.4% in December 2009.It then decreased to 3.2% in 2014 and held steady for several years, before further dropping to 2.5% in 2018 and 2.3% in 2019; in 2023 it had reached a 20-year low of 2%.Population growth (from net immigration) reached 0.52% of population in 2004, increased in the following years before falling to 0.54% again in 2017.Theforeign citizen populationwas 28.9% in 2015, about the same as in Australia.
In 2016, the median monthly gross income in Switzerland was 6,502 francs per month (equivalent to US$6,597 per month).After rent, taxes and pension contributions, plus spending on goods and services, the average household has about 15% of its gross income left for savings. Though 61% of the population made less than the mean income, income inequality is relatively low with aGini coefficientof 29.7, placing Switzerland among the top 20 countries. In 2015, the richest 1% owned 35% of the wealth.Wealth inequality increased through 2019.
About 8.2% of the population live belowthe national poverty line, defined in Switzerland as earning less than CHF3,990 per month for a household of two adults and two children, and a further 15% are at risk of poverty. Single-parent families, those with no post-compulsory education and those out of work are among the most likely to live below the poverty line. Although work is considered a way out of poverty, some 4.3% are considered working poor. One in ten jobs in Switzerland is considered low-paid; roughly 12% of Swiss workers hold such jobs, many of them women and foreigners.
Education in Switzerland is diverse, because theconstitution of Switzerlanddelegates the operation for the school system to thecantons.Public and private schools are available, including many private international schools.
The minimum age for primary school is about six years, but most cantons provide a free "children's school" starting at age four or five.Primary school continues until grade four, five or six, depending on the school. Traditionally, the first foreign language in school was one of the other Swiss languages, although in 2000, English was elevated in a few cantons.At the end of primary school or at the beginning of secondary school, pupils are assigned according to their capacities into one of several sections (often three). The fastest learners are taught advanced classes to prepare for further studies and thematura,while other students receive an education adapted to their needs.
Switzerland hosts12 universities, ten of which are maintained atcantonallevel and usually offer non-technical subjects. It ranked 87th on the 2019Academic Ranking of World Universities.The largest is theUniversity of Zurichwith nearly 25,000 students.TheSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich(ETHZ) and theUniversity of Zurichare listed 20th and 54th respectively, on the 2015Academic Ranking of World Universities.
The federal government sponsors two institutes: theSwiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich(ETHZ) inZurich, founded in 1855 and theÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne(EPFL) inLausanne, founded in 1969, formerly associated with theUniversity of Lausanne.
Eight of the world's ten best hotel schools are located in Switzerland.In addition, variousuniversities of applied sciencesare available. In business and management studies, theUniversity of St. Gallen, (HSG) is ranked 329th in the world according toQS World University Rankingsand theInternational Institute for Management Development(IMD), was ranked first in open programmes worldwide.Switzerland has the second highest rate (almost 18% in 2003) of foreign students in tertiary education, after Australia (slightly over 18%).
TheGraduate Institute of International and Development Studies, located inGeneva, is continental Europe's oldest graduate school of international and development studies. It is widely held to be one of its most prestigious.
Switzerland is among thecountries with the highest number of Nobel laureates, both in total and per capita; of the 28 Swiss nationals who have won theNobel Prize, 23 were recognised in the sciences. Among the most famous isAlbert Einstein,who became a Swiss citizen in 1901 and developed his theory ofspecial relativityin Bern. Among the Nobel laureates born or nautralised in Switzerland areVladimir Prelog,Heinrich Rohrer,Richard Ernst,Edmond Fischer,Rolf Zinkernagel,Kurt WüthrichandJacques Dubochet. Over 100 laureates across all fields have a relationship to Switzerland.TheNobel Peace Prizehas been awarded nine times to organisations headquartered in Switzerland.
Geneva and the nearby French department ofAinco-host the world's largest laboratory,CERN,dedicated toparticle physicsresearch. Another important research centre is thePaul Scherrer Institute, which conductsmulti-disciplinaryresearchin thenaturalandengineering sciences.
Notable Swiss inventions includelysergic acid diethylamide(LSD),diazepam(Valium),Velcro, and thescanning tunnelling microscope(which earned inventorsGerd BinnigandHeinrich Rohrerthe 1986Nobel Prize in Physics.Auguste Piccardbecame the first person to enter theStratospherewith his pressurised hydrogen ballon, while his sonJacques Piccardbecame one of the first people to explore the deepest known part of the world'socean(along with AmericanDon Walsh).
TheSwiss Space Officehas been involved in various space technologies and programmes. It was one of the 10 founders of theEuropean Space Agencyin 1975 and is the seventh largest contributor to the ESA budget. In the private sector, several companies participate in the space industry, such asOerlikon Spaceand Maxon Motors.
Electricity generated in Switzerland is 56% fromhydroelectricityand 39% fromnuclear power, producing negligible CO2. On 18 May 2003, twoanti-nuclearreferendums were defeated:Moratorium Plus, aimed at forbidding the building of newnuclear power plants(41.6% supported),and Electricity Without Nuclear (33.7% supported) after a moratorium expired in 2000.After theFukushima nuclear disaster, in 2011 the government announced plans to end the use of nuclear energy in the following 20 to 30 years.In November 2016, Swiss voters rejected aGreen Partyreferendum to accelerate the phaseout of nuclear power (45.8% supported).The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) is responsible for energy supply and energy use within theFederal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications(DETEC). The agency supports the2000-watt societyinitiative to cut the nation's energy use by more than half by 2050.
The densestrail networkin Europe spans 5,250 kilometres (3,260 mi) and carried 614 million passengers in 2023.In 2015, each Swiss resident travelled on average 2,550 kilometres (1,580 mi) by rail, more than any other European country.Virtually 100% of the network is electrified. 60% of the network is operated by theSwiss Federal Railways(SBB CFF FFS). Besides the second largeststandard gaugerailway company,BLS AG, two railways companies operate onnarrow gaugenetworks: theRhaetian Railway(RhB) in Graubünden, which includes some World Heritage lines,and theMatterhorn Gotthard Bahn(MGB), which co-operates with RhB theGlacier ExpressbetweenZermattandSt. Moritz/Davos. Switzerland operates theworld's longest and deepest railway tunneland the first flat, low-level route through the Alps, the 57.1-kilometre-long (35.5 mi)Gotthard Base Tunnel, the largest part of theNew Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA)project.
Switzerland has a publicly managed, toll-free road network financed by highway permits as well as vehicle and petrol taxes. The Swiss autobahn/autoroute system requires the annual purchase of avignette(toll sticker)—for 40Swiss francs—to use its roadways, including passenger cars and trucks. The Swiss autobahn/autoroute network stretches for 1,638 km (1,018 mi) and has one of the highest motorway densities in the world.
Zurich Airportis Switzerland's largest international flight gateway; it handled 22.8 million passengers in 2012.The other international airports areGeneva Airport(13.9 million passengers in 2012),EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg(located in France),Bern Airport,Lugano Airport,St. Gallen-Altenrhein AirportandSion Airport.Swiss International Air Linesis the flag carrier. Its main hub is Zurich, but it is legally domiciled in Basel.
Switzerland has one of the best environmental records among developed nations.It is a signatory to theKyoto Protocol. With Mexico and South Korea, it forms theEnvironmental Integrity Group(EIG).
The country is active in recycling and anti-littering programs and is one of the world's top recyclers, recovering 66% to 96% of recyclable materials, varying across the country.The 2014 Global Green Economy Index placed Switzerland among the top 10 green economies.
Switzerland has an economic system for garbage disposal, which is based mostly on recycling and energy-producingincinerators.As in other European countries, the illegal disposal of garbage is heavily fined. In almost all Swiss municipalities, mandatory stickers or dedicated garbage bags allow the identification of disposable garbage.
In common with other developed countries, the Swiss population increased rapidly during the industrial era, quadrupling between 1800 and 1990, and it has continued to grow.
The population is about 9 million (2023 est.).Population growth is projected to continue to 2035, due mostly to immigration. Like most of Europe, Switzerland faces anageing population, with a fertility rate close toreplacement level.Switzerland has one of the world's oldest populations, with an average age of 44.5 years.
According to theWorld Factbook, ethnic groups in Switzerland are as follows: 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).TheCouncil of Europefigures suggest a population of around 30,000Romani peoplein the country.
In 2023, resident foreigners made up 26.3% of Switzerland's population.Most of these (83%) were from European countries. Italy provided the largest single group of foreigners, providing 14.7% of total foreign population, followed closely by Germany (14.0%), Portugal (11.7%), France (6.6%), Kosovo (5.1%), Spain (3.9%), Turkey (3.1%),North Macedonia(3.1%), Serbia (2.8%), Austria (2.0%), United Kingdom (1.9%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1.3%) and Croatia (1.3%). Immigrants fromSri Lanka(1.3%), most of them formerTamilrefugees, were the largest group of Asian origin (7.9%).
2021 figures show that 39.5% (compared to 34.7% in 2012) of the permanent resident population aged 15 or over (around 2.89 million), had an immigrant background. 38% of the population with an immigrant background (1.1 million) held Swiss citizenship.
In the 2000s, domestic and international institutions expressed concern about what was perceived as an increase inxenophobia. In reply to one critical report, the Federal Council noted that "racism unfortunately is present in Switzerland", but stated that the high proportion of foreign citizens in the country, as well as the generally successful integration of foreigners, underlined Switzerland's openness.A follow-up study conducted in 2018 reported that 59% consideredracism a serious problem in Switzerland.The proportion of the population that claimed to have been targeted by racial discrimination increased from 10% in 2014 to almost 17% in 2018, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
Switzerland has fournational languages: mainly German (spoken natively by 62.8% of the population in 2016); French (22.9%) spoken natively in the west; and Italian (8.2%) spoken natively in the south.The fourth national language,Romansh(0.5%), is aRomance languagespoken locally in the southeastern trilingualcanton of Grisons, and is designated by Article 4 of the Federal Constitution as a national language along with German, French, and Italian. In Article 70 it is mentioned as an official language if the authorities communicate with persons who speak Romansh. However, federal laws and other official acts do not need to be decreed in Romansh.
In 2016, the languages most spoken at home among permanent residents aged 15 and older wereSwiss German(59.4%), French (23.5%),Standard German(10.6%), and Italian (8.5%). Other languages spoken at home included English (5.0%),Portuguese(3.8%),Albanian(3.0%), Spanish (2.6%) andSerbian and Croatian(2.5%). 6.9% reported speaking another language at home.In 2014 almost two-thirds (64.4%) of the permanent resident population indicated speaking more than one language regularly.
The federal government is obliged to communicate in the official languages, and in the federal parliament simultaneous translation is provided from and into German, French and Italian.
Aside from the official forms of their respective languages, the four linguistic regions of Switzerland also have local dialectal forms. The role played by dialects in each linguistic region varies dramatically: in German-speaking regions,Swiss Germandialects have become more prevalent since the second half of the 20th century, especially in the media, and are used as an everyday language for many, while theSwiss variety of Standard Germanis almost always used instead of dialect for written communication (c.f.diglossic usage of a language).Conversely, in the French-speaking regions, localFranco-Provençaldialects have almost disappeared (only 6.3% of the population of Valais, 3.9% of Fribourg, and 3.1% of Jura still spoke dialects at the end of the 20th century), while in the Italian-speaking regions, the use ofLombarddialects is mostly limited to family settings and casual conversation.
The principal official languages have terms not used outside of Switzerland, known asHelvetisms. German Helvetisms are, roughly speaking, a large group of words typical ofSwiss Standard Germanthat do not appear inStandard German, nor in other German dialects. These include terms from Switzerland's surrounding language cultures (GermanBillettfrom French), from similar terms in another language (Italianazioneused not only asactbut also asdiscountfrom GermanAktion).Swiss French, while generally close to the French of France, also contains some Helvetisms. The most frequent characteristics of Helvetisms are in vocabulary, phrases, and pronunciation, although certain Helvetisms denote themselves as special in syntax andorthography.Duden, the comprehensive German dictionary, contains about 3000 Helvetisms.Current French dictionaries, such as thePetit Larousse, include several hundred Helvetisms; notably, Swiss French uses different terms than that of France for the numbers 70 (septante) and 90 (nonante) and often 80 (huitante) as well.
Learning one of the other national languages is compulsory for all Swiss pupils, hence many Swiss are supposed to be at leastbilingual, especially those belonging to linguistic minority groups.Because the largest part of Switzerland is German-speaking, many French, Italian, and Romansh speakers migrating to the rest of Switzerland and the children of those non-German-speaking Swiss born within the rest of Switzerland speak German. While learning one of the other national languages at school is important, most Swiss learn English to communicate with Swiss speakers of other languages, as it is perceived as a neutral means of communication. English often functions as the de factolingua franca.
Swiss residents are required to buyhealth insurancefrom private insurance companies, which in turn are required to accept every applicant. While the cost of the system is among the highest, its health outcomes compare well with other European countries; patients have been reported as in general, highly satisfied with it.In 2012, life expectancy at birth was 80.4 years for men and 84.7 years for women– the world's highest.However, spending on health at 11.4% of GDP (2010) is on par with Germany and France (11.6%) and other European countries, but notably less than the US (17.6%).From 1990, costs steadily increased.
It is estimated that one out of six Swiss persons suffers frommental illness.
According to a survey conducted by Addiction Switzerland, fourteen per cent of men and 6.5% of women between 20 and 24 reportedconsuming cannabisin the past 30 days in 2020, and 4 Swiss cities were listed among the top 10 European cities forcocaine useas measured in wastewater, down from 5 in 2018.
Swiss culture is characterised by diversity, which is reflected in diverse traditional customs.A region may be in some ways culturally connected to the neighbouring country that shares its language, all rooted in westernEuropean culture.The linguistically isolatedRomanshculture inGraubündenin eastern Switzerland constitutes an exception. It survives only in the upper valleys of the Rhine and the Inn and strives to maintain its rare linguistic tradition.
Switzerland is home to notable contributors to literature, art, architecture, music and sciences. In addition, the country attracted creatives during times of unrest or war.Some 1000 museums are found in the country.
Among the most important cultural performances held annually are thePaléo Festival,Lucerne Festival,theMontreux Jazz Festival,theLocarno International Film FestivalandArt Basel.
Alpine symbolism played an essential role in shaping Swiss history and the Swiss national identity.Many alpine areas andski resortsattract visitors forwinter sportsas well as hiking andmountain bikingin summer. The quieter seasons are spring and autumn. A traditional pastoral culture predominates in many areas, and small farms are omnipresent in rural areas. Folk art is nurtured in organisations across the country. Switzerland most directly in appears in music, dance, poetry, wood carving, and embroidery. Thealphorn, a trumpet-like musical instrument made of wood has joinedyodelingand the accordion as epitomes of traditionalSwiss music.
Christianity is the predominant religion according to national surveys of Swiss Federal Statistical Office(about 67% of resident population in 2016–2018and 75% of Swiss citizens), divided between the Catholic Church (35.8% of the population), the Swiss Reformed Church (23.8%), furtherProtestantchurches (2.2%),Eastern Orthodoxy(2.5%), and other Christian denominations (2.2%).
Switzerland has no officialstate religion, though most of thecantons(exceptGenevaandNeuchâtel) recognise official churches, either theCatholic Churchor theSwiss Reformed Church. These churches, and in some cantons theOld Catholic Churchand Jewish congregations, are financed by official taxation of members.In 2020, the Roman Catholic Church had 3,048,475 registered andchurch taxpaying members (corresponding to 35.2% of the total population), while the Swiss Reformed Church had 2,015,816 members (23.3% of the total population).
26.3% of Swiss permanent residents are not affiliated with a religious community.
As of 2020, according to a national survey conducted by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office,Christian minority communities included Neo-Pietism(0.5%),Pentecostalism(0.4%, mostly incorporated in theSchweizer Pfingstmission),Apostolic communities(0.3%), other Protestant denominations (1.1%, includingMethodism), theOld Catholic Church(0.1%), other Christian denominations (0.3%). Non-Christian religions areIslam(5.3%),Hinduism(0.6%),Buddhism(0.5%), Judaism (0.25%) and others (0.4%).
Historically, the country was about evenly balanced between Catholic and Protestant, in a complex patchwork. During theReformationSwitzerland became home to manyreformers.Genevaconverted to Protestantism in 1536, just beforeJohn Calvinarrived. In 1541, he founded theRepublic of Genevaon his own ideals. It became known internationally as theProtestant Romeand housed such reformers asTheodore Beza,William FarelorPierre Viret.Zurichbecameanother reform stronghold around the same time, withHuldrych ZwingliandHeinrich Bullingertaking the lead. AnabaptistsFelix ManzandConrad Grebelalso operated there. They were later joined by the fleeingPeter Martyr VermigliandHans Denck. Other centres includedBasel(Andreas KarlstadtandJohannes Oecolampadius),Bern(Berchtold HallerandNiklaus Manuel), andSt. Gallen(Joachim Vadian). One canton, Appenzell, was officially divided into Catholic and Protestant sections in 1597. The larger cities and their cantons (Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich and Basel) used to be predominantly Protestant.Central Switzerland, theValais, theTicino,Appenzell Innerrhodes, theJura, andFribourgare traditionally Catholic.
TheSwiss Constitutionof 1848, under the recent impression of the clashes of Catholic vs Protestant cantons that culminated in theSonderbundskrieg, consciously defines aconsociational state, allowing the peaceful co-existence of Catholics and Protestants.A 1980 initiative calling for the completeseparation of church and statewas rejected by 78.9% of the voters.Some traditionally Protestant cantons and cities nowadays have a slight Catholic majority, because since about 1970 a steadily growing minority were not affiliated with any religious body (21.4% in Switzerland, 2012) especially in traditionally Protestant regions, such as Basel-City (42%), canton of Neuchâtel (38%), canton of Geneva (35%), canton of Vaud (26%), or Zurich city (city: >25%; canton: 23%).
The earliest forms of literature were in German, reflecting the language's early predominance. In the 18th century, French became fashionable in Bern and elsewhere, while the influence of the French-speaking allies and subject lands increased.
Among the classic authors of Swiss literature areJeremias Gotthelf(1797–1854) andGottfried Keller(1819–1890); later writers areMax Frisch(1911–1991) andFriedrich Dürrenmatt(1921–1990), whoseDas Versprechen(The Pledge) was released as a Hollywood film in 2001, starring Jack Nicholson.
Famous French-speaking writers wereJean-Jacques Rousseau(1712–1778) andGermaine de Staël(1766–1817). More recent authors includeCharles Ferdinand Ramuz(1878–1947), whose novels describe the lives of peasants and mountain dwellers, set in a harsh environment, andBlaise Cendrars(born Frédéric Sauser, 1887–1961).Italian and Romansh-speaking authors also contributed to the Swiss literary landscape, generally in proportion to their number.
Probably the most famous Swiss literary creation,Heidi, the story of an orphan girl who lives with her grandfather in the Alps, is one of the most popular children's books and has come to be a symbol of Switzerland. Her creator,Johanna Spyri(1827–1901), wrote a number of books on similar themes.
Freedom of the pressand the right tofree expressionis guaranteed in the constitution.TheSwiss News Agency(SNA) broadcasts information in three of the four national languages—on politics, economics, society and culture. The SNA supplies almost all Swiss media and foreign media with its reporting.
In Switzerland, the most influential newspapers include the German-languageTages-AnzeigerandNeue Zürcher Zeitung, as well as the French-languageLe Temps. Additionally, almost every city has at least one local newspaper published in the predominant local language.
The government exerts greater control over broadcast media than print media, especially due to financing and licensing.The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, whose name was recently changed toSRG SSR, is charged with the production and distribution of radio and television content. SRG SSR studios are distributed across the various language regions. Radio content is produced in six central and four regional studios while video media are produced inGeneva,Zurich,Basel, andLugano. An extensive cable network allows most Swiss to access content from neighbouring countries.
Skiing,snowboardingandmountaineeringare among the most popular sports, reflecting the nature of the countryWinter sports are practised by natives and visitors. Thebobsleighwas invented inSt. Moritz.The firstworld ski championshipswere held inMürren(1931) and St. Moritz (1934). The latter town hosted thesecond Winter Olympic Gamesin 1928 and thefifth editionin 1948. Among its most successful skiers and world champions arePirmin ZurbriggenandDidier Cuche.
The most prominently watched sports in Switzerland arefootballandice hockey.
The headquarters of the international football's and ice hockey's governing bodies, theInternational Federation of Association Football(FIFA) andInternational Ice Hockey Federation(IIHF) are located in Zurich. Many other headquarters of international sports federations are located in Switzerland. For example, theInternational Olympic Committee(IOC), IOC'sOlympic Museumand theCourt of Arbitration for Sport(CAS) are located inLausanne.
Switzerland hosted the1954 FIFA World Cupand was the joint host, with Austria, of theUEFA Euro 2008tournament. TheSwiss Super Leagueis the nation's professional football club league. Europe's highest football pitch, at 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) above sea level, is located in Switzerland, theOttmar Hitzfeld Stadium.
Many Swiss followice hockeyand support one of the 12 teams of theNational League, which is the most attended league in Europe.In 2009, Switzerland hosted theIIHF World Championshipfor the tenth time.It also becameWorld Vice-Championin 2013 and 2018. Its numerous lakes make Switzerland an attractive sailing destination. The largest,Lake Geneva, is the home of the sailing teamAlinghiwhich was the first European team to win theAmerica's Cupin 2003 and which successfully defended the title in 2007.
Swiss tennis playerRoger Federeris widely regarded as among the sport's greatest players. He won 20Grand Slamtournaments overall including a record 8Wimbledontitles. He won sixATP Finals.He was ranked no. 1 in theATP rankingsfor a record 237 consecutive weeks. He ended 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and2009ranked no. 1. Fellow Swiss playersMartina HingisandStan Wawrinkaalso won multiple Grand Slam titles. Switzerland won theDavis Cuptitle in 2014.
Motorsportracecourses and events were banned in Switzerland following the1955 Le Mans disasterwith exceptions for events such ashillclimbing. The country continued to produce successful racing drivers such asClay Regazzoni,Sébastien Buemi,Jo Siffert,Dominique Aegerter, successfulWorld Touring Car ChampionshipdriverAlain Menu,2014 24 Hours of Le ManswinnerMarcel Fässlerand 201524 Hours NürburgringwinnerNico Müller.Switzerlandalso won theA1GP World Cup of Motorsportin2007–08with driverNeel Jani. Swissmotorcycle racerThomas Lüthiwon the 2005MotoGPWorld Championship in the 125cc category. In June 2007 theSwiss National Council, one house of theFederal Assembly of Switzerland, voted to overturn the ban, however the other house, theSwiss Council of Statesrejected the change and the ban remains in place.
Traditional sports include Swiss wrestling orSchwingen, a tradition from the rural central cantons and considered the national sport by some.Hornussenis another indigenous Swiss sport, which is like a cross between baseball and golf.Steinstossenis the Swiss variant ofstone put, a competition in throwing a heavy stone. Practised only among the alpine population sinceprehistoric times, it is recorded to have taken place inBaselin the 13th century. It is central to theUnspunnenfest, first held in 1805, with its symbol the 83.5 stone namedUnspunnenstein.
The cuisine is multifaceted. While dishes such asfondue,racletteorröstiare omnipresent, each region developed its gastronomy according to the varieties of climate and language, for example,Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, engl.: sliced meat Zurich style.Traditional Swiss cuisine uses ingredients similar to those in other European countries, as well as uniquedairy productsand cheeses such asGruyèreorEmmental, produced in the valleys ofGruyèresandEmmental. The number of fine-dining establishments is high, particularly in western Switzerland.
Chocolatehas been made in Switzerland since the 18th century. Its reputation grew at the end of the 19th century with the invention of modern techniques such asconchingandtempering, which enabled higher quality. Another breakthrough was the invention of solid milk chocolate in 1875 byDaniel Peter. The Swiss are the world's largest chocolate consumers.
The most popular alcoholic drink is wine. Switzerland is notable for its variety of grape varieties, reflecting the large variations interroirs.Swiss wineis produced mainly inValais,Vaud(Lavaux),Genevaand Ticino, with a small majority of white wines. Vineyards have been cultivated in Switzerland since the Roman era, even though traces of a more ancient origin can be found. The most widespread varieties are theChasselas(calledFendantin Valais) andPinot Noir.Merlotis the main variety produced in Ticino.
46°50′N8°20′E﻿ / ﻿46.833°N 8.333°E﻿ /46.833; 8.333