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 | SWITZERLAND[Schweiz = Suisse = Svizzera = Svizra = Helvetia] : |
| General useful information |
| Note: some data are of constant value, while other are due to changes, fluctuations etc. |
| Nation and population |
| official name (short form): Schweiz, Suisse, Svizzera, Svizra |
| country code ISO: CH //; - FIPS: SZ |
| location: Central West Europe |
| time zone: +1 UT* [*= applying daylight saving time] |
| surface (land) area: 41285 sq.km = 15940 sq.mi //; - area incl. inland waters: sq.km = sq.mi |
| geographical position in extreme co-ordinates: North: 48° N / South: 46° N / East: 10° E / West: 6° E |
| borders (land): Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, France |
| borders (coastline): none |
| climate: temperate continental, with variations depending on altitude |
| Government |
| independent since: 1291 ; 1499-09-22 ; 1815 |
| type of government: confederative republic |
| capital: Bern (administrative), Lausanne (judicial) |
| administrative division: Kanton / canton (26) |
| Population |
| population according to the last two censuses (1990): 6873,687 /-; (2000): 7284,930 |
| total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 7262,372 /-; 2001: 7300,000 |
| population density: 176 per sq.km = 456 per sq.mi |
| population growth: 0,8% //; - doubling time: not applicable, exceeds 100 years |
| birth rate: 10 - 11 per 1000 |
| death rate: 9 per 1000 |
| fertility rate: 2 children per female |
| maternal mortality: 5 per 100,000 |
| infant mortality (1-4 years): 5 per 1000 |
| life expectancy: 80 years (male: 77; female: 83) |
| age breakdown: 0-14 years: 16% //; - 15-59 years: 64% //; - 60+ years: 20% |
| urbanisation: 68% //; - urbanisation growth: 1% |
| percentage of urban population in the greatest city: 22% |
| Ethnic composition, language, religion |
| ethnic groups: German 65%; French 18%; Italian 5%; Yugoslav 5%; Portuguese 2%; German 1%; Spanish 1%; Romansch 1%; Turk 1% |
| languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch (all official) |
| religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 46%; Protestant 40%; other 14% |
| Health |
| daily food intake: 3222 calories per capita |
| population with access to safe water: 100% |
| people per physician: 556 |
| people per hospital bed: 190 |
| Education, literacy |
| school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 98% |
| school enrolment: secondary education: 86% |
| school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 25% |
| adult literacy: virtually 100% (male: %; female: %) |
| Economy and infrastructure |
| Economy and trade |
| currency: Swiss Frank/franc = 100 Rappen/centimes |
| annual inflation rate: 1,3% |
| population below poverty line: % |
| Gross Domestic Product: USD 25240 per capita |
| GNI USD 38140 per capita //; - [ppp: 30450] |
| GDP growth: 0,2% |
| income: USD 33510 per capita |
| import: USD 79365 per capita //; - export: USD 80455 per capita |
| trade: USD 19088 per capita //; - or 69% of GDP |
| trade partners: DE FR IT US |
| human development index: 0,924 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 11 |
| female labour force: 41% |
| unemployment: 2% |
| tourism: 11 million |
| Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy |
| land use: arable land: 10% //; - grass land: 40% //; - wooded area: 26% //; - arid land and desert: ca 20% |
| agriculture: labour force: 6% //; - part of agriculture in GDP: 4% |
| agricultural products: milk, sugar beets, potatoes, wheat, barley, apples, grapes, vegetables |
| livestock (million): cattle: 1,6 / goats: 0,06 / horses: 0,05 / pigs: 1,5 / poultry: 6,8 / sheep: 0,4 |
| fish catch: 1840 metric tonnes |
| industry: labour force: 30% //; - part of industry in GDP: 42% |
| industrial products: machinery, precision engineering, chemicals, electronics, optics, metals, watches, textiles, foodstuffs |
| mining products: rock salt |
| CO2 emission per capita: 5,9 |
| services: labour force: 30% //; - part of services in GDP: 42% |
| energy use (kg per capita): 3738 |
| electricity use (per capita): 7291 |
| annual water use (per capita): 173 |
| Traffic, communication |
| road network: 71099 km //; - of which paved: 96% //; - of which are motorways: 1642 km |
| vehicles: 430 per 1000 |
| railways: 4942, or: 5208 km //; - railways passenger/km: 11400 |
| navigable inland waterways: 1208 km |
| ownership telephone: 613 - 699 per 1000 |
| ownership radio receivers: 791 - 1000 per 1000 |
| ownership tv-sets: 370 - 536 per 1000 |
| newspaper circulation: 415 per 1000 |
| persons per post office: 1920 |
| personal computers: 500 per 1000 |
| Some physical landmarks |
| mountains: Dufourspitze 4634 m, Dom 4545, Weisshorn 4506, Matterhorn 4478, Dent Blanche 4357 |
| lowest point: ca 250 m, in the NW tip, near Basel where the river Rhein leaves the country |
| lakes (natural): Lake Constance, Geneva (Lac Léman), Zürichsee, Lac de Neuchâtel, Vierwaldstätter See, Bielersee > |
| > some more natural lakes: Thunersee, Brienzersee, Zugersee // lakes (artificial reservoirs): none, or unknown |
| lakes (deepest): unknown |
| rivers: Rhein (Rhine), Rhône, Aare, Inn, Ticino |
| canals: none, or unknown |
| waterfalls: Trummelbach 400 m, Giessbach 300, Staubbach 300 |
| caves: longest system: none, or unknown / deepest: // glaciers: Aletschgletscher |
| islands: none |
| deserts: none |
| other natural features: mountain passes: Gr. St. Bernard, Bernina, Flüela, Simplon, Furka, Grimsel, Gotthard |
| Additional remarks, especially on the statistical information |
| other important features: |
| apart from physical landmarks most of the above figures are changeable, in most cases they date from the 1990's |
| primary sources used for the general information: |
| BB CA EV PW WA WB WR, and some national statistical yearbooks |
| particulars concerning population data: |
To the page containing the population growth statistics of the country
To the page containing the historical population growth statistics of the provinces
To the page containing urban historical population statistics
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Internet website:Latest modification of this page on 2004-03-08 by Jan Lahmeyer
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