CIA World Fact Book, 2004/Switzerland


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!| 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, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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!| Location: !| Geographic coordinates: !| Map references: !| Area: water: 1,520 sq km land: 39,770 sq km !| Area - comparative: !| Land boundaries: border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km !| Coastline: !| Maritime claims: !| Climate: !| Terrain: !| Elevation extremes: highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m !| Natural resources: !| Land use: permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.97% (2001) !| Irrigated land: !| Natural hazards: !| Environment - current issues: !| Environment - international agreements: signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea !| Geography - note:
 * Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
 * 47 00 N, 8 00 E
 * Europe
 * total: 41,290 sq km
 * slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
 * total: 1,852 km
 * 0 km (landlocked)
 * none (landlocked)
 * temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
 * mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
 * lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
 * hydropower potential, timber, salt
 * arable land: 10.42%
 * 250 sq km (1998 est.)
 * avalanches, landslides, flash floods
 * air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
 * party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
 * landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps
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!| Population: !| Age structure: 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 2,555,089; female 2,503,331) 65 years and over: 15.3% (male 466,615; female 676,137) (2004 est.) !| Median age: male: 38.5 years female: 40.5 years (2004 est.) !| Population growth rate: !| Birth rate: !| Death rate: !| Net migration rate: !| Sex ratio: under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) !| Infant mortality rate: female: 3.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 4.94 deaths/1,000 live births !| Life expectancy at birth: male: 77.51 years female: 83.27 years (2004 est.) !| Total fertility rate: !| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: !| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: !| HIV/AIDS - deaths: !| Nationality: adjective: Swiss !| Ethnic groups: !| Religions: !| Languages: !| Literacy: total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: female:
 * 7,450,867 (July 2004 est.)
 * 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 647,362; female 602,333)
 * total: 39.5 years
 * 0.54% (2004 est.)
 * 9.83 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 8.44 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * 4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
 * at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
 * total: 4.43 deaths/1,000 live births
 * total population: 80.31 years
 * 1.42 children born/woman (2004 est.)
 * 0.5% (2001 est.)
 * 19,000 (2001 est.)
 * less than 100 (2001 est.)
 * noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
 * German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
 * Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
 * German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%
 * definition: age 15 and over can read and write
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!| Country name: conventional short form: Switzerland local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian) local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) !| Government type: !| Capital: !| Administrative divisions: !| Independence: !| National holiday: !| Constitution: !| Legal system: !| Suffrage: !| Executive branch: head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 8 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005) election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8% !| Legislative branch: elections: Council of States - last held in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14 !| Judicial branch: !| Political parties and leaders: !| Political pressure groups and leaders: !| International organization participation: !| Diplomatic representation in the US: consulate(s): Boston consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 !| Diplomatic representation from the US: embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 !| Flag description:
 * conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
 * federal republic
 * Bern
 * 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
 * 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
 * Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
 * revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998; adopted by referendum 18 April 1999; officially entered into force 1 January 2000
 * civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
 * 18 years of age; universal
 * chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
 * bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats - members serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats - members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
 * Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
 * Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, president]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, president]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER, president]; and other minor parties
 * NA
 * ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER
 * chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD
 * red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
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!| Economy - overview: !| GDP: !| GDP - real growth rate: !| GDP - per capita: !| GDP - composition by sector: industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.) !| Investment (gross fixed): !| Population below poverty line: !| Household income or consumption by percentage share: highest 10%: 25.2% (1992) !| Distribution of family income - Gini index: !| Inflation rate (consumer prices): !| Labor force: !| Labor force - by occupation: !| Unemployment rate: !| Budget: expenditures: $128 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.) !| Public debt: !| Agriculture - products: !| Industries: !| Industrial production growth rate: !| Electricity - production: !| Electricity - consumption: !| Electricity - exports: !| Electricity - imports: !| Oil - production: !| Oil - consumption: !| Oil - exports: !| Oil - imports: !| Natural gas - production: !| Natural gas - consumption: !| Natural gas - exports: !| Natural gas - imports: !| Current account balance: !| Exports: !| Exports - commodities: !| Exports - partners: !| Imports: !| Imports - commodities: !| Imports - partners: !| Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: !| Debt - external: !| Economic aid - donor: !| Currency: !| Currency code: !| Exchange rates: !| Fiscal year:
 * Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big Western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.
 * purchasing power parity - $239.3 billion (2003 est.)
 * -0.5% (2003 est.)
 * purchasing power parity - $32,700 (2003 est.)
 * agriculture: 1.5%
 * 20.1% of GDP (2003)
 * NA
 * lowest 10%: 2.6%
 * 33.1 (1992)
 * 0.6% (2003 est.)
 * 3.72 million (2003)
 * agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998)
 * 3.7% (2003 est.)
 * revenues: $123.2 billion
 * 57.1% of GDP (2003)
 * grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
 * machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
 * 0.4% (2003)
 * 68.68 billion kWh (2001)
 * 53.43 billion kWh (2001)
 * 34.54 billion kWh (2001)
 * 24.1 billion kWh (2001)
 * 0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 290,400 bbl/day (2001 est.)
 * 10,420 bbl/day (2001)
 * 289,500 bbl/day (2001)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * 0 cu m (2001 est.)
 * 3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)
 * $36 billion (2003)
 * $110 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
 * Germany 20.8%, US 11.3%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 4.9%, Japan 4% (2003)
 * $102.2 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
 * machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
 * Germany 32.3%, France 10.8%, Italy 10.7%, US 5.5%, Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.2%, UK 4.1% (2003)
 * $69.58 billion (2003)
 * NA (2000)
 * ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
 * Swiss franc (CHF)
 * CHF
 * Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999)
 * calendar year
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!| Telephones - main lines in use: !| Telephones - mobile cellular: !| Telephone system: domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) !| Radio broadcast stations: !| Radios: !| Television broadcast stations: !| Televisions: !| Internet country code: !| Internet hosts: !| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): !| Internet users:
 * 5.419 million (2002)
 * 6.172 million (2003)
 * general assessment: excellent domestic and international services
 * AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
 * 7.1 million (1997)
 * 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
 * 3.31 million (1997)
 * .ch
 * 667,275 (2004)
 * 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
 * 2.556 million (2002)
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!| Railways: standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,004 km 1.000-m gauge (974 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2003) !| Highways: paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000) !| Waterways: note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003) !| Pipelines: !| Ports and harbors: !| Merchant marine: registered in other countries: 182 (2004 est.) by type: bulk 15, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, container 3, petroleum tanker 2, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: Belgium 1, Netherlands 1, United Kingdom 6, United States 1 !| Airports: !| Airports - with paved runways: over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 !| Airports - with unpaved runways: under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.) !| Heliports:
 * total: 4,533 km
 * total: 71,011 km
 * 65 km
 * gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004)
 * Basel
 * total: 30 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT
 * 65 (2003 est.)
 * total: 42
 * total: 23
 * 2 (2003 est.)
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!| Military branches: !| Military manpower - military age and obligation: !| Military manpower - availability: !| Military manpower - fit for military service: !| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: !| Military expenditures - dollar figure: !| Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
 * Land Forces, Air Force
 * 19 years of age for compulsory military service; 17 years of age for voluntary military service; conscripts receive 15 weeks of compulsory training, followed by 10 intermittent recalls for training over the next 22 years (2004)
 * males age 15-49: 1,890,091 (2004 est.)
 * males age 15-49: 1,606,391 (2004 est.)
 * males: 45,654 (2004 est.)
 * $2.548 billion (FY01)
 * 1% (FY01)
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