Switzerland Education

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Geography People Communications Transportation Related Articles Switzerland - the Heart of Western Europe Switzerland - The bare essentials Geography Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E Map references: Europe Area: total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km Coastline: 0 km (landlocked) Maritime claims: none (landlocked) Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 32% other: 28% (1993 est.) Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe [back to top]

Background: Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers and Switzerland 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, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality. People Population: 7,262,372 (July 2000 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 637,782; female 605,626) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,498,540; female 2,421,802) 65 years and over: 15% (male 444,627; female 653,995) (2000 est.) Population growth rate: 0.3% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 10.4 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 8.75 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 1.38 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.) Infant mortality rate: 4.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.6 years male: 76.73 years female: 82.63 years (2000 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.47 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality: noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Religions: Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990) Languages: German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% [back to top] Communications Telephones - main lines in use: 4.82 million (1998) Telephones - mobile cellular: 810,170 (1999) Telephone system: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) Radios: 7.1 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 108 (1997) Televisions: 3.31 million (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 115 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (1999) [back to top] Transportation Railways: total: 4,492 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998) Highways: total: 71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) (1998 est.) paved: NA km unpaved: NA km Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable lakes Pipelines: crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km Ports and harbors: Basel Merchant marine: total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 429,998 GRT/771,227 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 5, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1 (1999 est.) Airports: 67 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: total: 42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 15 (1999 est.) Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 25 under 914 m: 25 (1999 est.)

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