Switzerland, officially known as the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in Central Europe. It is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. The capital of Switzerland is Bern, while Zurich and Geneva are the country's largest cities.

Switzerland is a federal parliamentary republic composed of 26 cantons, each with its own constitution and government. The country has a high degree of political and economic stability and is known for its neutrality in international conflicts.

Switzerland is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, with a highly developed economy that is dominated by the service sector. The country is also known for its banking and finance industries, as well as its high-tech manufacturing and pharmaceutical sectors. Switzerland is home to many multinational corporations, including Nestle, Novartis, and Roche.

The country has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its beautiful scenery, including the Swiss Alps, lakes, and forests. Switzerland is also famous for its chocolate, cheese, and watches, which are highly sought after around the world.

Switzerland is a multilingual country with four official languages: German, French, Italian, and Romansh. The country has a highly educated population and is known for its excellent universities and research institutions.

Switzerland is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the European Free Trade Association. The country is not a member of the European Union but maintains close ties with the organization through a series of bilateral agreements.

Telephone Code
41

Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance: 144; Fire: 118; Police: 117

Vaccinations
See WHO recommendations

Climate
Temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Currency (Code)
Swiss francs (CHF)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): C, J

Major Languages
German (or Swiss German), French, Italian, English, Portuguese, Albanian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish

Major Religions
Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.5%

Potable Water
Yes

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Matterhorn; Jungfraujoch; Interlaken; Lucerne; Lake Geneva; Chateau de Chillon; Zurich; Lake Lugano; Bern

Major Sports
Soccer, ice hockey, tennis, skiing, schwingen (wrestling)

Cultural Practices
Speaking too loudly in public, especially on cell phones, is frowned upon.

Tipping Guidelines
A service charge is typically added at restaurants so no tipping is needed, but you can round up the bill for the wait staff. Round up a taxi fare or add 5%. Tipping is usually expected for hotel staff. A bellhop should receive 1-2 francs for each bag carried.

Souvenirs
Chocolate; cuckoo clocks, music boxes, and other wood carved items; cheese; Swiss army knives; watches/clocks; paper cut pictures; embroidered fabric; schnapps spirits

Traditional Cuisine
Rösti — grated potato patties sometimes including herbs and spices, onions, ham, or cheese and pan-fried in butter or oil; the dish is cut into wedges for serving

Geography
Area
total: 41,277 sq km
land: 39,997 sq km
water: 1,280 sq km

Climate
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Natural resources
hydropower potential, timber, salt

People and Society
Population
8,563,760 (2023 est.)

Ethnic groups
Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.)

Languages
German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9%; note - German, French, Italian, and Romansh are all national and official languages; shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language (2019 est.)

Religions
Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)

Population growth rate
0.64% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
federal republic (formally a confederation)

Capital
name: Bern

Economy
Economic overview
high-income, non-EU European economy; renowned banking and financial hub; extremely low unemployment; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; fairly high public debt

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$618.228 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita
$71,000 (2021 est.)

Agricultural products
milk, sugar beet, wheat, potatoes, pork, barley, apples, maize, beef, grapes

Industries
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals

Exports
$571.376 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - partners
Germany 16%, United States 14%, United Kingdom 8%, China 7%, France 6%, India 6%, Italy 5% (2019)

Exports - commodities
gold, packaged medicines, medical cultures/vaccines, watches, jewelry (2019)

Imports
$480.522 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners
Germany 21%, Italy 8%, France 6%, United States 6%, United Kingdom 5%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
gold, packaged medicines, jewelry, cars, medical cultures/vaccines (2019)