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You are here: Home Moving to Country Facts Country Profile: Switzerland

18/11/2008Country Profile: Switzerland

Basic information on Switzerland, including climate, population, currency, languages and recent history, provided by Expertise in Labour Mobility.

Country

Switzerland or Confoederatio Helvetica (Swiss Confederation) is situated in Central Europe sharing a border with Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy and France. The country has a surface of 41,293 square kilometres. Bern (approximately 127,000 inhabitants, 2007) is the capital. Other main cities are Zurich (approximately 370,000 inhabitants, 2007), Geneva (approximately 186,000 inhabitants, 2007), Basel (approximately 166,000 inhabitants, 2007) and Lausanne (approximately 128,000 inhabitants, 2007).


The Alps take up the central and southern regions of the country and the Jura Mountains straddle the border with France in the Northeast. Over 60 percent of the Swiss territory is mountainous and a quarter of it is covered with forest. The Dufour summit (4634 metres) of Monte Rosa is the highest peak, the Matterhorn (4478 metres), however, is better known.

Climate

The mountains are mainly responsible for the variety of local and regional microclimates, but in general Switzerland has a moderate climate. There is constant snow cover at altitudes above 3000 metres.

Population


Switzerland has a population of approximately 7.5 million (2007) out of which 69 percent are Swiss German, 20 percent are of French origin, 8 are of Italian origin. 1.4 percent are foreigners and the remaining 1 percent are Romansh.

Language

Switzerland is a linguistic melting pot with three official federal languages. Swiss German is spoken by 68 percent of the population, French by 19 percent and Italian by 8 percent. A fourth language, Romansh, is spoken by 1 percent of the population. 10 percent of the population speak other languages.

Currency

The monetary unit of Switzerland is the Swiss frank/franc/franco. 1 franc consists of 100 rappen/centimes/centesimi.

National Holidays

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