46 Facts About Switzerland

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

Switzerland is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.

Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross, one of the world's oldest and best known humanitarian organisations.

English name Switzerland is a portmanteau of Switzer, an obsolete term for a Swiss person which was in use during the 16th to 19th centuries, and land.

State of Switzerland took its present form with the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848.

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Switzerland's precursors established a defensive alliance in 1291, forming a loose confederation that persisted for centuries.

The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found at Gachlingen, date to around 5300 BC.

In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, which was based in Geneva, after it was exempted from military requirements.

Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune, as larger events during the war intervened.

Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides and often mediated communications between the Axis and Allied powers.

Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the Allies and the Axis.

Between 1940 and 1945, Switzerland was bombed by the Allies, causing fatalities and property damage.

Switzerland was the last Western republic to grant women the right to vote.

In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving Vatican City as the last widely recognised state without full UN membership.

Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA but not the European Economic Area.

Switzerland contains two small enclaves: Busingen belongs to Germany, while Campione d'Italia belongs to Italy.

Switzerland contains two terrestrial ecoregions: Western European broadleaf forests and Alps conifer and mixed forests.

Switzerland had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 3.

Switzerland has a dense network of complementary large, medium and small towns.

Traditionally, Switzerland avoids alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action and has been neutral since the end of its expansion in 1515.

Switzerland maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as an intermediary between other states.

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

Switzerland was a founding member and hosted the League of Nations.

Thus as of 2022, no city in Switzerland has the official status either of capital or of Federal City.

Switzerland had the highest European rating in the Index of Economic Freedom 2010, while providing significant public services.

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Much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin.

Switzerland has one of the world's largest account balances as a percentage of GDP.

Apart from agriculture, economic and trade barriers between the European Union and Switzerland are minimal, and Switzerland has free trade agreements with many countries.

Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association.

Switzerland has a more flexible labor market than neighbouring countries and the unemployment rate is consistently low.

Education in Switzerland is diverse, because the constitution of Switzerland delegates the operation for the school system to the cantons.

Switzerland operates the world's longest and deepest railway tunnel and the first flat, low-level route through the Alps, the 57.

Switzerland has a publicly managed, toll-free road network financed by highway permits as well as vehicle and gasoline taxes.

Switzerland has one of the best environmental records among developed nations.

Switzerland has an economic system for garbage disposal, which is based mostly on recycling and energy-producing incinerators.

Switzerland has one of the world's oldest populations, with an average age of 42.

In reply to one critical report, the Federal Council noted that "racism unfortunately is present in Switzerland", but stated that the high proportion of foreign citizens in the country, as well as the generally successful integration of foreigners, underlined Switzerland's openness.

These include terms from Switzerland's surrounding language cultures, from similar terms in another language (Italian azione used not only as act but as discount from German Aktion).

Switzerland is home to notable contributors to literature, art, architecture, music and sciences.

Switzerland has no official state religion, though most of the cantons recognise official churches, either the Catholic Church or the Swiss Reformed Church.

Switzerland has historically boasted the world's greatest number of newspaper titles relative to its population and size.

Switzerland hosted the 1954 FIFA World Cup and was the joint host, with Austria, of the UEFA Euro 2008 tournament.

In 2009, Switzerland hosted the IIHF World Championship for the 10th time.

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

Motorsport racecourses and events were banned in Switzerland following the 1955 Le Mans disaster with exceptions for events such as Hillclimbing.

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In June 2007 the Swiss National Council, one house of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland, voted to overturn the ban, however the other house, the Swiss Council of States rejected the change and the ban remains in place.