Located in the heart of the Alps, the European country of Switzerland is famous for its picturesque landscapes. Switzerland is also known for its long tradition of remaining neutral in wartime. The capital is Bern. GeographySwitzerland is located in Central Europe. It is a landlocked country, meaning that it has no coastline. Switzerland is bordered by France to the west, Germany to the north, Liechtenstein and Austria to the east, and Italy to the south. It has an area of 15,940 square miles (41,284 square kilometers). - A highway winds toward the Saint Gotthard Pass in southern Switzerland. The pass allows motor …
Switzerland is famous for its mountains, which cover about 60 percent of its territory. The Swiss Alps are in the central and southern parts of the country. The tallest mountain in Switzerland, called Dufourspitze, rises to 15,203 feet (4,634 meters). Another famous Alpine peak is the Matterhorn. The Jura Mountains run along the western border with France. They are covered with meadows and dairy farms. The area between the Alps and the Jura Mountains is made up mostly of a hilly plateau known as the Mittelland. The plateau is crossed by a number of rivers and is the most fertile region in Switzerland. Most of the country's population and industry is centered in this region. Switzerland's high, snow-covered mountains make it one of the main sources of water in Europe. Numerous important rivers, including the Rhine and the Rhône, originate in the country's mountains. The largest lakes in Switzerland are Lake Constance in the northeast and Lake Geneva in the southwest. Plants and animalsPlant life in Switzerland varies depending on altitude. Leafy trees and evergreens rise to the snow line. Above that level are mountain meadows as well as areas of tundra, which have only limited plant life. Grassland covers much of the central plateau. Grape vineyards are found in the mountains and valleys. Animals found in Switzerland are mainly native to the mountains. High up in the Alps live the small, goatlike antelopes called chamois. Marmots, squirrellike animals that live in burrows, are also found in the mountains. In the forests are deer, rabbits, foxes, badgers, and squirrels. Eagles are among the country's numerous birds. People and cultureThe people of Switzerland originally came from many different ethnic groups and religions. Today almost half the population are Roman Catholic, and two fifths are Protestant. Switzerland has three official languages: German, French, and Italian. German-speaking Swiss make up the majority of the population. French and Italian-speaking residents form the next largest groups. A smaller group who live in the eastern mountains speak an ancient language known as Romansh. Romansh has been a semiofficial language in Switzerland since 1996. Spanish, Portuguese, and a variety of other languages also are spoken there. - Small villages dot the valleys of the Swiss Alps.
More than two thirds of the Swiss population lives in urban areas. Zürich is the largest city in Switzerland and an international finance center. Other major cities include Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, and Bern, the capital. Rural villages are common in Alpine valleys. Switzerland has a long tradition of excellence in the areas of science and the arts. The Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich has produced more Nobel prize winners than any other scientific school in the world. The great physicist Albert Einstein studied and spent part of his adult life in Switzerland. The ideas of Swiss architect Le Corbusier were highly influential in Europe and the United States in the 20th century. Popular Swiss writers include Johanna Spyri, the author of the book Heidi, and Johann Wyss, who cowrote the novel Swiss Family Robinson. EconomySwitzerland is one of the wealthiest nations in the world. The economy is based on finance, manufacturing, and trade. Swiss banks are famous for their policy of strict privacy, which has allowed them to attract customers from around the world. Manufacturing industries produce electrical and nonelectrical machinery, chemicals, precision instruments, clocks, and watches. Switzerland has few natural resources, so most raw materials needed for industry must be imported. Tourism is one of the country's largest service industries. Millions of tourists arrive in Switzerland every year to enjoy the country's natural beauty and its outstanding facilities for skiing, golf, boating, hiking, and climbing. Agriculture plays a limited role in the Swiss economy. Crops grown in Switzerland include sugar beets, wheat, barley, potatoes, apples, and grapes. Cattle and pigs are the main animals kept as livestock. The dairy industry is important in Swiss agriculture, and the country is known for its fine cheeses and chocolates. HistorySettlements of hunters, fishermen, gatherers, and farmers existed in what is now Switzerland thousands of years ago. A Celtic people known as the Helvetians apparently lived in western Switzerland, while the ancient Rhaetians controlled the east. The Romans conquered the region in the 1st century BC and made it part of the Roman Empire. From the 3rd through the 6th century waves of Germanic tribes invaded and settled in the area. In the 7th century missionaries converted the people to Christianity. The Holy Roman EmpireSwitzerland became part of the Holy Roman Empire during the 11th century. The empire was led by the Hapsburgs, the royal family of Austria. In 1291 some small, independent communities of the Swiss lands joined forces against the Hapsburgs by forming a union known as the Swiss Confederation. The confederation gradually grew to include many other communities. During the 16th century Switzerland became a center of the Protestant Reformation. Parts of Switzerland became battlegrounds between Catholic and Protestant forces. In 1648, after the end of the broad European conflict known as the Thirty Years' War, the Hapsburgs recognized Switzerland's independence. A neutral nationAfter the Thirty Years' War Switzerland pursued a policy of political neutrality. This meant that the country refused to choose sides in international disputes. In 1798 the French General Napoleon and his armies occupied Switzerland. Following Napoleon's defeat in 1815, independence was restored and Switzerland was officially recognized as a neutral country. Switzerland remained neutral during World War I. The country also remained neutral during World War II and served as a refuge for Jews during the war. In later years, however, the Swiss government was strongly criticized for continuing to conduct business with Nazi Germany during World War II. Because of its desire to remain neutral in world events Switzerland deliberately did not join most international political organizations for many years. Nevertheless, the country continued to maintain strong ties with the rest of Europe. In addition, it participated in United Nations projects and in humanitarian aid efforts. During the 1990s the Swiss helped United Nations peacekeeping efforts to end ethnic warfare in nearby Balkan countries. In 2002 Switzerland finally became a full member of the United Nations. The country vowed to maintain its neutrality while working to promote peace and human rights throughout the world. Population (2001 estimate), 7,222,000. |