32 Facts About Swiss Confederation

Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe.

The English adjective Swiss Confederation is a loanword from French, in use since the 16th century.

The Swiss Confederation began to adopt the name for themselves after the Swabian War of 1499, used alongside the term for "Confederates", Eidgenossen, used since the 14th century.

Old Swiss Confederation Confederacy was an alliance among the valley communities of the central Alps.

The Swiss Confederation refused to fight alongside the French in the name of the Helvetic Republic.

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Swiss Confederation troops served foreign governments until 1860 when they fought in the siege of Gaeta.

Single system of weights and measures was introduced, and in 1850 the Swiss Confederation franc became the Swiss Confederation single currency, complemented by the WIR franc in 1934.

Swiss Confederation neutrality was seriously questioned by the short-lived Grimm–Hoffmann affair in 1917.

The Swiss Confederation expressed fear and concern that the bombings were intended to put pressure on Switzerland to end economic cooperation and neutrality with Nazi Germany.

Some Swiss Confederation cantons approved this in 1959, while at the federal level, it was achieved in 1971 and, after resistance, in the last canton Appenzell Innerrhoden in 1990.

Nonetheless, Swiss Confederation law is gradually changing to conform with that of the EU, and the government signed bilateral agreements with the European Union.

Swiss Confederation Plateau has greater open and hilly landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds or vegetable and fruit fields, but it is still hilly.

Swiss Confederation climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly across localities, from glacial conditions on the mountaintops to the near-Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip.

The President of the Swiss Confederation is elected by the Assembly from among the seven members, traditionally in rotation and for a one-year term; the President chairs the government and executes representative functions.

Swiss Confederation citizens are subject to three legal jurisdictions: the municipality, canton and federal levels.

Switzerland is not a member of the European Union; the Swiss Confederation people have consistently rejected membership since the early 1990s.

Apart from the United Nations headquarters, the Swiss Confederation is host to many UN agencies, including the World Health Organization, the International Labour Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and about 200 other international organisations, including the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Swiss Confederation citizens are prohibited from serving in foreign armies, except for the Swiss Confederation Guards of the Vatican, or if they are dual citizens of a foreign country and reside there.

About two-thirds of young Swiss Confederation are found suitable for service; for the others, various forms of alternative service are available.

Issues thought to affect the whole Swiss Confederation were the subject of periodic meetings in various locations.

The Swiss Confederation have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the EU, in an effort to compete internationally.

Swiss Confederation have faced EU and international pressure to reduce banking secrecy and raise tax rates to parity with the EU.

In common with other developed countries, the Swiss Confederation population increased rapidly during the industrial era, quadrupling between 1800 and 1990 and has continued to grow.

Swiss Confederation residents are required to buy health insurance from private insurance companies, which in turn are required to accept every applicant.

Swiss Confederation culture is characterised by diversity, which is reflected in diverse traditional customs.

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The undisputed giants of 20th-century Swiss Confederation literature are Max Frisch and Friedrich Durrenmatt, whose repertoire includes Die Physiker and Das Versprechen, released in 2001 as a Hollywood film.

The Swiss Confederation Broadcasting Corporation, whose name was recently changed to SRG SSR, is charged with the production and distribution of radio and television content.

Many Swiss Confederation follow ice hockey and support one of the 12 teams of the National League, which is the most attended league in Europe.

Swiss Confederation won 20 Grand Slam tournaments overall including a record 8 Wimbledon titles.

Traditional sports include Swiss Confederation wrestling or "Schwingen", a tradition from the rural central cantons and considered the national sport by some.

Traditional Swiss Confederation cuisine uses ingredients similar to those in other European countries, as well as unique dairy products and cheeses such as Gruyere or Emmental, produced in the valleys of Gruyeres and Emmental.

Swiss Confederation wine is produced mainly in Valais, Vaud, Geneva and Ticino, with a small majority of white wines.