Outside perceptions of Switzerland are replete with clichés and stereotypes, from clocks to chocolate and alphorns to Heidi. Here’s what you might not know.
Say “Switzerland” and a host of images come to mind: mountains, watches, chocolate, banks. There is something in all of these, though they tend to obscure the complex reality of Switzerland today.Think you know all about Switzerland? Read on for an assortment of facts that goes beyond the clichés. In addition, visit the Federal Statistical OfficeExternal link for a wealth of information.
Editorial note: this entry was current as ofMay 2017 and is no longer being updated.
Random facts
Switzerland is bordered by five countries: Italy, France, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein.
Switzerland stretches350km from east to west, and 220km north to south.
The highest mountain in Switzerland is the Dufourspitze in canton Valais, which rises to 4,634m.
Switzerland has three main topographical zones: the mountainous alpine region (60%), the central plateau (30%), and the Jura mountains (10%).
In 2015, the life expectancy at birth for boys born in Switzerland was 80.7 years, and 84.9 years for girls.
Despite being home to the headquarters of large multinational corporations like Nestlé and Novartis, most Swiss businesses are small or medium-sized. More than 99% of enterprises have fewer than 250 full-time workers, but employ about two-thirds of the total workforce.
Switzerland is traditionally a Christian country, both Catholic and Protestant, and the Federal Constitution still begins by invoking the name of God.
The Swiss national hero William Tell may never have existed, but like Robin Hood, he may have some basis in fact.
One of the most influential philosophers of the 18th century, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, was a citizen of Geneva.
The Helvetii, a Celtic tribe who battled Julius Caesar, gave their name to the Swiss territory. The Latin name for the country, Helvetia, still appears on Swiss stamps. The letters CH appearing on Swiss cars and in internet addresses stand for the Latin words Confoederatio Helvetica, meaning Swiss Confederation.
Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in Switzerland in 1957.
Swiss women only got the vote at national level in 1971. In canton Appenzell Inner Rhodes they had to wait until 1990 before they could vote in cantonal elections.
www.nic.ch. The domain ch, as with other ccTLDs, is based on the ISO 3166-2 code for Switzerland derived from Confoederatio Helvetica (Helvetic Confederation), the Latin name for the country, which was used because of its neutrality with regard to the four official languages of Switzerland.
SWI swissinfo.ch is a Swiss multilingual international news and information company based in Bern. It is a part of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR). Its content is Swiss-centred, with top priority given to in-depth information on politics, the economy, the arts, science, education, and direct democracy.
Switzerland is famous for its mountains, clocks and its food – especially cheese and chocolates. It's a fantastic place for winter sports. The British Royals love to snowboard in Klosters while skiing in Zermatt gives you fantastic views of the iconic Matterhorn mountain.
Switzerland is renowned for having a strong and varied export market. Pharmaceuticals, gems, chemicals, and machinery are the main contributors. Another key factor is Switzerland's focus on its own industries.
Since 1848 the Swiss Confederation has been a federal republic of relatively autonomous cantons, some of which have a history of federation that goes back more than 700 years, putting them among the world's oldest surviving republics. The early history of the region is tied to that of Alpine culture.
In German language, Switzerland is mostly referred to using Schweiz (and schweizerisch for Swiss), but conservative Swiss German people prefer the somewhat old-fashioned official name Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (and eidgenössisch for Swiss).
Switzerland was formed in 1291 as a union of three states and became an independent country in 1815. The constitution, adopted in 1848, does not allow for troops to be sent to serve in foreign wars. The country has remained neutral in conflicts around the world, including both world wars.
2. Who has the best network in Switzerland? According to Swiss Mobile Network Test 2022 by Connect (in German only), Swisscom has the best network in Switzerland, closely followed by Sunrise. Trailing by a slightly wider margin, Salt places third and last among the Swiss network providers.
Schweizer Fernsehen (SF; "Swiss Television") was the German-language division of SRG SSR, in charge of production and distribution of television programmes in Switzerland for German-speaking Switzerland.
Like many other European countries, Switzerland imposes a license fee for all households. The government uses the proceeds of this license to help fund the country's public broadcaster, SRG SSR. This includes TV and radio channels, as well as online media products such as streaming services like Play Suisse.
Switzerland is known as the “ Land of the Alps”. This is one of the small yet most breathtakingly beautiful countries in Europe continent. This country is renowned for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and high-quality life. Switzerland offers a unique experience to every traveler in the world.
Switzerland leads rankings on economic competitiveness, quality of life, innovation and good governance thanks to an enviable mix of social, political and economic success factors. For citizens, Switzerland provides prosperity, leisure time and access to pristine nature.
Switzerland lies at the heart of Europe. It has three distinct geographical regions: the Alps, the Central Plateau and the Jura. The country boasts an extraordinary variety of landscapes and habitats, which make it a highly attractive place to live in and do business.
Introduction: My name is Dr. Pierre Goyette, I am a enchanting, powerful, jolly, rich, graceful, colorful, zany person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
