Switzerland - CH - CHE - SUI - Europe

Last updated: April 09, 2024

Switzerland Images

The Swiss flag against a field of snow.
The Alps march across this image of Autumnal (early October) southern Europe. On either side of and above the Alps are the countries of (from left to right) France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia, while below the Alps is Italy. The Mediterranean and Ligurian Seas sit to the west of Italy, while to the right is the Adriatic Sea. As the season progresses, snow begins to whiten the Alps. Image courtesy of NASA.
Three of the higher peaks of the Bernese Alps are visible -Jungfrau (4,158 m), Moench (4,089 m), and Eiger (3,970 m). To the east and south of the Jungfrau is the Aletsch Glacier, clearly marked by dark medial moraines extending along the glacier's length parallel to the valley axis. Moraines are formed from rock and soil debris scoured along the sides of mountain glaciers that gradually accumulate in the middle of the glacier and are carried along the flow direction. Lake Brienz to the northwest is glacially carved. Image courtesy of NASA.
Aerial view of Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland and capital of Zürich canton. The city lies at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich in north-central Switzerland. Zürich is headquarters to many of Switzerland's financial institutions and banking companies.
The Matterhorn towers over the roofs of Zermatt; at 4,478 m (14,688 ft), is one of the highest peaks in the Alps.
The Matterhorn is a pyramidal mountain on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 m (14,692 ft) high, making it one of the highest, most famous, and deadliest peaks in the Alps. The steep faces, oriented to each compass point, cause regular avalanches; the snow that builds up around the base forms glaciers. Mountains around the world with similar profiles frequently earn "Matterhorn" as a nickname because of the mountain's iconic shape.
The train station in Grindelwald on a sunny day. Located in the canton of Bern, this agricultural community lies 1,034 m (3,392 ft) above sea level, and attracts tourists for hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter.
A charming street scene in Interlaken, Bern canton.
Overlooking the Mudac Museum for Contemporary Applied Arts in Lausanne. The Mudac opened in 2000 replacing the Museum for Decorative Arts.
Rosebuds reach for the heavens near a church in the valley town of Sion.
Way signs in Murren, a traditional mountain village in Bernese Oberland, unreachable by public road. The village features a view of the three towering mountains: Eiger, Monch, and Jungfrau. At an elevation of 1,650 m (5,413 ft), access to the village is via four cable cars known as Luftseilbahn-Stechelberg-Murren-Schilthorn (LSMS), which also provide access to the summit of Schilthorn, the location of a rotating restaurant with spectacular views.
Lake Lugano is a glacial lake at the border between Switzerland and Italy. At 49 sq km (19 sq mi) and an average width of approximately one kilometer (over half a mile), roughly 60% of the lake lies in Switzerland, the rest in Italy.
House overlooking an Alpine valley.
Towering peaks peer through some low-sailing clouds.
The Swiss Alps enfold a verdant valley.
Sturdily built Swiss homes lie in the shadows of some imposing mountains.
Snow, rocks, shadows, and peaks merge upward into the clouds.
Mount Wetterhorn (3,692 m; 12,110 ft), near Grindelwald, overlooks the upper reaches of an Alpine valley - still snow covered in June.
The Swiss flag against a field of snow.
The Alps march across this image of Autumnal (early October) southern Europe. On either side of and above the Alps are the countries of (from left to right) France, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia, while below the Alps is Italy. The Mediterranean and Ligurian Seas sit to the west of Italy, while to the right is the Adriatic Sea. As the season progresses, snow begins to whiten the Alps. Image courtesy of NASA.

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Switzerland Factbook Data

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Scott C. MILLER (since 11 January 2022) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

embassy: Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

mailing address: 5110 Bern Place, Washington DC 20521-5110

telephone: [41] (031) 357-70-11

FAX: [41] (031) 357-73-20

email address and website:
https://ch.usembassy.gov/

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.49% (male 683,053/female 643,067)

15-64 years: 65.13% (male 2,800,880/female 2,777,109)

65 years and over: 19.38% (2023 est.) (male 745,501/female 914,150)

This is the population pyramid for Switzerland. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.

For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.

Geographic coordinates

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female

total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Heliports

51 (2024)

Natural hazards

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; every Swiss male has to serve at least 245 days in the armed forces; conscripts receive 18 weeks of mandatory training, followed by six 19-day intermittent recalls for training during the next 10 years (2024)

note: conscientious objectors can choose 390 days of community service instead of military service; as of 2023, women comprised about 1% of the active Swiss military

Background

The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, subsequently modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country 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.

Environment - current issues

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; chemical contaminants and erosion damage the soil and limit productivity; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements

party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Population below poverty line

14.7% (2020 est.)

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.9%

highest 10%: 25.8% (2018 est.)

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

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

Administrative divisions

26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Geneve (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

note: the canton names are in the official language(s) of the canton with the exception of Geneve and Luzern, where the conventional names (Geneva and Lucerne) have been added in parentheses; 6 of the cantons - Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden - are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons only have a half vote

Agricultural products

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

Military and security forces

Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (Heer; aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) (2024)

note: the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Federal Department of Justice and Police, while the Armed Forces report to the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection, and Sport

Budget

revenues: $239.767 billion (2018 est.)

expenditures: $230.383 billion (2018 est.)

note: includes federal, cantonal, and municipal budgets

Capital

name: Bern

geographic coordinates: 46 55 N, 7 28 E

time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology: origin of the name is uncertain but may derive from a 2nd century B.C. Celtic place name, possibly "berna" meaning "cleft," that was subsequently adopted by a Roman settlement

Imports - commodities

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

Climate

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

Coastline

0 km (landlocked)

Constitution

history: previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000

amendments: proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons; amended many times, last in 2018

Exchange rates

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates:
0.955 (2022 est.)
0.914 (2021 est.)
0.939 (2020 est.)
0.994 (2019 est.)
0.978 (2018 est.)

Executive branch

chief of state: President of the Swiss Confederation Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024); Vice President Karin KELLER-SUTTER (since 1 January 2024); note - the Federal Council, comprised of 7 federal councillors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president

head of government: President of the Swiss Confederation Viola AMHERD (since 1 January 2024); Vice President Karin KELLER-SUTTER (since 1 January 2024)

cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

elections/appointments: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term; election last held on 13 December 2023 (next to be held in December 2024)

election results: 2023: Viola AMHERD elected president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - Viola AMHERD (The Center) 158 of 204; Karin Keller-Sutter (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 138 of 196

2022: Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223

Fiscal year

calendar year

Flag description

red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag; various medieval legends purport to describe the origin of the flag; a white cross used as identification for troops of the Swiss Confederation is first attested at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

note: in 1863, a newly formed international relief organization convening in Geneva, Switzerland sought to come up with an identifying flag or logo; they chose the inverse of the Swiss flag - a red cross on a white field - as their symbol; today that organization is known throughout the world as the International Red Cross

Illicit drugs

major source of precursor chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics; a significant importer and exporter of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine;

Independence

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Industries

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions)

judge selection and term of office: judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; note - judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to the level of party representation in the Federal Assembly

subordinate courts: Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007); note - each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

Land boundaries

total: 1,770 km

border countries (5): Austria 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 km

Land use

agricultural land: 38.7% (2018 est.)

arable land: 10.2% (2018 est.)

permanent crops: 0.6% (2018 est.)

permanent pasture: 27.9% (2018 est.)

forest: 31.5% (2018 est.)

other: 29.8% (2018 est.)

Legal system

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except for federal decrees of a general obligatory character

Legislative branch

description: bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblée Fédérale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of:
Council of States or Ständerat (in German), Conseil des États (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; members in two-seat constituencies representing cantons and single-seat constituencies representing half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote except Jura and Neuchatel cantons, which use list proportional representation vote; member term governed by cantonal law)
National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; 194 members in cantons directly elected by proportional representation vote and 6 in half cantons directly elected by simple majority vote; members serve 4-year terms)

elections:
Council of States - last held in most cantons on 22 October 2023 (each canton determines when the next election will be held)
National Council - last held on 22 October 2023 (next to be held on 31 October 2027)

election results:
Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - The Center 13, FDP.The Liberals 12, SP 9, SVP 6, Green Party 5, other 1; composition (as of 22 Oct 2023) - men 30, women 16, percent of women 34.8%

National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 28.6%, SP 18%, The Center 14.6%, FDP.The Liberals 14.4%, Green Party 9.4%, GLP 7.2%, EDU 1.2, EDV/PEV 1.9%, MCR/MCG .5%, other 4%; seats by party - SVP 62, SP 41, The Center 29, FDP.The Liberals 28, Green Party 23, GLP 10, EDU 2, EDV/PEV 2, MCR/MCG 2, other 1; composition as of October 2023 - men 123, women 77, percent of women 38.5%; note - overall Federal Assembly percent of women 37.8%

Maritime claims

none (landlocked)

International organization participation

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

National holiday

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291; note - since 1 August 1891 celebrated as Swiss National Day

Nationality

noun: Swiss (singular and plural)

adjective: Swiss

Natural resources

hydropower potential, timber, salt

Geography - note

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

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

Pipelines

1,800 km gas, 94 km oil (of which 60 are inactive), 17 km refined products (2017)

Political parties and leaders

The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) [Gerhard PFISTER] (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party)
Evangelical Peoples' Party or EVP/PEV [Lilian STUDER]
Federal Democrats or EDU [Daniel FRISCHKNECH]
Geneva Citizens Movement or MCR/MCG [Ana ROCH]
Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) [Jurg GROSSEN]
Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Balthasar GLATTLI]
The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals) [Thierry BURKART]
Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Cedric WERMUTH and Mattea MEYER]
Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Marcel DETTLING]

Ports and terminals

river port(s): Basel (Rhine)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunication systems

general assessment: Switzerland has one of the highest broadband penetration rates within Europe, with a focus on services of at least 1Gb/s; this has been supported by sympathetic regulatory measures as well as by cooperative agreements between the main telcos, and with local utilities; fast fiber is complemented by 5G services reaching about 97% of the population by early 2021; together, these networks will soon enable the telcos to provide ultra-fast broadband services nationally, ahead of most other countries in the region; the competitive mobile market is served by three network operators and a small number of MVNOs; 5G services offered by the MNOs offer data rates of up to 2Gb/s, and although various cantons have called a halt to extensions of 5G, citing health concerns, the regulator and environment ministry have put in place measures aimed at ensuring that network roll outs can continue without disruption; with the migration of subscribers to LTE and 5G networks, the MNOs have been able to begin closing down their GSM networks and repurpose physical assets and spectrum; although not a member of the EU, the country’s economic integration has meant that its telecom market deregulation has followed the EU’s liberalization framework, including the recent regulations on international voice roaming; this report presents an analysis of Switzerland’s fixed-line telecom market, including an assessment of network infrastructure (2021)

domestic: fixed-line is 33 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership is 120 per 100 persons (2022)

international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)

Terrain

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Government type

federal republic (formally a confederation)

Country name

conventional long form: Swiss Confederation

conventional short form: Switzerland

local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German)/ Confederation Suisse (French)/ Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)/ Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)

local short form: Schweiz (German)/ Suisse (French)/ Svizzera (Italian)/ Svizra (Romansh)

abbreviation: CH

etymology: name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Swiss Confederacy that formed in the late 13th century

Location

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Map references

Europe

Irrigated land

327 sq km (2016)

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jacques Henri PITTELOUD (since 16 September 2019)

chancery: 2900 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900

FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564

email address and website:
washington@eda.admin.ch

https://www.eda.admin.ch/washington

consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

consulate(s): Boston

Internet country code

.ch

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 14,726 (Eritrea), 11,441 (Afghanistan), 8,039 (Syria), (mid-year 2022); 65,615 (Ukraine) (as of 5 March 2024)

stateless persons: 891 (2022)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$818.427 billion (2022 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Credit ratings

Fitch rating: AAA (2000)

Moody's rating: Aaa (1982)

Standard & Poors rating: AAA (1988)

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Total renewable water resources

53.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years

male: 17 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Urbanization

urban population: 74.2% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030

Broadcast media

the publicly owned radio and TV broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR), operates 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; TV broadcasts from stations in Germany, Italy, and France are widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV services; SRG/SSR operates 17 radio stations that, along with private broadcasters, provide national to local coverage )

(2019)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

National anthem

name: the Swiss anthem has four names: "Schweizerpsalm" [German] "Cantique Suisse" [French] "Salmo svizzero," [Italian] "Psalm svizzer" [Romansch] (Swiss Psalm)

lyrics/music: Leonhard WIDMER [German], Charles CHATELANAT [French], Camillo VALSANGIACOMO [Italian], and Flurin CAMATHIAS [Romansch]/Alberik ZWYSSIG

note: unofficially adopted 1961, officially 1981; the anthem has been popular in a number of Swiss cantons since its composition (in German) in 1841; translated into the other three official languages of the country (French, Italian, and Romansch), it is official in each of those languages

This is an audio of the National Anthem for Switzerland. The national anthem is generally a patriotic musical composition - usually in the form of a song or hymn of praise - that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions, or struggles of a nation or its people. National anthems can be officially recognized as a national song by a country's constitution or by an enacted law, or simply by tradition. Although most anthems contain lyrics, some do not.

Major urban areas - population

1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Physicians density

4.38 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Hospital bed density

4.6 beds/1,000 population (2018)

National symbol(s)

Swiss cross (white cross on red field, arms equal length); national colors: red, white

Mother's mean age at first birth

31.1 years (2020 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

71.6% (2017)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 53.7% (2017 est.)

government consumption: 12% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 24.5% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories: -1.4% (2017 est.)

exports of goods and services: 65.1% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services: -54% (2017 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 51.6

youth dependency ratio: 22.8

elderly dependency ratio: 28.7

potential support ratio: 3.5 (2021 est.)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

Population distribution

population distribution corresponds to elevation with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2021)

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 6 (2020)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 179

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 28,857,994 (2018)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,841,310,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population

rural: 100% of population

total: 100% of population

unimproved: urban: 0% of population

rural: 0% of population

total: 0% of population (2020 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.)

note: data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth

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.)

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.)

major-language sample(s):
Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

German audio sample

French audio sample

Italian audio sample

Imports - partners

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

Literacy

total population: NA

male: NA

female: NA

Disputes - international

none identified

Elevation

highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m

lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m

mean elevation: 1,350 m

Current health expenditure

11.8% of GDP (2020)

Military - note

the Swiss military is responsible for territorial defense, limited support to international disaster response and peacekeeping, and providing support to civil authorities when their resources are not sufficient to ward off threats to internal security or provide sufficient relief during disasters; Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality but does periodically participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military and peacekeeping operations; however, Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it contributed to the NATO-led Kosovo force (KFOR) in 1999 and, as of 2024, continued doing so with up to 195 personnel

the military is comprised of conscripts, militia, and a small professional component; it is led by the Chief of the Armed Forces with an Armed Forces Staff and consists of a Joint Operations Command (JOC), an Armed Forces Logistics Organization, an Armed Forces Command Support Organization, and a Training and Education Command; the JOC controls, among other subordinate commands, the Air Force, the Land Forces, four territorial divisions, the Military Police Command, and the Special Forces Command; the primary combat forces of the Army/Land Forces are three mechanized brigades, plus additional reserve brigades of armor, infantry, and mountain infantry forces; the four territorial divisions link the Army with the cantons; the Air Force is responsible for airspace protection (air sovereignty and air defense, including ground-based air defense), air transport, and airborne intelligence; it has about 50 US-origin multirole fighter aircraft (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 100,000, including cadre/professionals, conscripts, and militia; the Swiss Armed Forces consist of a small core of cadre/professional personnel along with a mix of militia and 18-20,000 conscripts brought in each year for training (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported weapons systems; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of military armaments to Switzerland; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2023)

Military deployments

up to 195 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2023)

Terrorist group(s)

Terrorist group(s): Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 970 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 640 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 160 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 6.056 million tons (2016 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 1.938 million tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 32% (2015 est.)

Average household expenditures

on food: 9.2% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 3.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 8.97 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 34.48 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.98 megatons (2020 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), (Black Sea) Danube (795,656 sq km), (Adriatic Sea) Po (76,997 sq km), (Mediterranean Sea) Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Major lakes (area sq km)

fresh water lake(s): Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Rhein (Rhine) river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Old City of Berne (c); Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (n); Monte San Giorgio (n); Abbey of St Gall (c); Three Castles, Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (c); La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (c); Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (c)

Coal

production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

consumption: 150,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports: 139,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 0.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear: 34.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar: 3.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind: 0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity: 56.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

biomass and waste: 4.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Natural gas

production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

consumption: 3,616,169,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports: 3,577,884,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 300 bbl/day (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 220,000 bbl/day (2019 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports: 60,900 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.77 (2023 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

57.5% (2023 est.)

Remittances

0.32% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.34% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.38% of GDP (2020 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Nuclear energy

Number of operational nuclear reactors: 4 (2023)

Number of nuclear reactors under construction: 0

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors: 2.97GW (2023)

Percent of total electricity production: 28.8% (2021)

Percent of total energy produced: 34.2% (2021)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down: 1

Space program overview

space program integrated within the ESA framework; manufactures satellites and satellite payloads and products/components for satellite launch vehicles, satellites (particularly remote sensing, navigational, and telecommunications), and ground stations, including electronics, fairings, laser and fiber optics, sensor and nano technologies, scientific instruments, and software; produces atomic clocks (for navigational needs); has a considerable space research effort and has provided scientific instruments for a range of ESA and other space programs; participates in international space programs such as the International Space Station; has relations with a range of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, ESA and EU member states, Japan, and the US; the Swiss space industry is spread across approximately 100 businesses, most of which provide niche capabilities and supplies to large space companies (2023)

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Space agency/agencies

Switzerland does not have its own national space agency; it does most of its research and development within the framework of the European Space Agency’s (ESA) activities and programs; the Swiss Space Office, under the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI), is the government body responsible for space matters, including implementing national space policy, coordinating space activities, serving as the government point of contact for space industry and scientific institutions, and representation with the ESA and other international partners; the Federal Commission on Space Affairs provides advice and recommendations to the Federal Council on space matters; the Committee on Space Research of the Swiss Academy of Sciences coordinates and stimulates space research in Switzerland (2023)

Labor force

4.968 million (2022 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 9.1% (2021 est.)

male: 9.4%

female: 8.8%

Net migration rate

6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 44 years (2023 est.)

male: 43.3 years

female: 44.8 years

Debt - external

$1.909 trillion (2019 est.)
$1.931 trillion (2018 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$923.628 billion (2022 est.)
$1.11 trillion (2021 est.)
$1.083 trillion (2020 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Waterways

1,292 km (2010) (there are 1,227 km of waterways on lakes and rivers for public transport and 65 km on the Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee for commercial goods transport)

Refined petroleum products - imports

165,100 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Public debt

19.99% of GDP (2021 est.)
20.85% of GDP (2020 est.)
18.95% of GDP (2019 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Total fertility rate

1.59 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Military expenditures

0.7% of GDP (2022)
0.7% of GDP (2021)
0.7% of GDP (2020)
0.7% of GDP (2019)
0.7% of GDP (2018)

Unemployment rate

4.3% (2022 est.)
5.1% (2021 est.)
4.82% (2020 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population

8,563,760 (2023 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

1.1% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Internet users

total: 8.352 million (2021 est.)

percent of population: 96% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

38.739 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 319,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 31.494 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 6.926 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Area

total: 41,277 sq km

land: 39,997 sq km

water: 1,280 sq km

Taxes and other revenues

10.09% (of GDP) (2021 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$634.296 billion (2022 est.)
$618.413 billion (2021 est.)
$586.775 billion (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

Roadways

total: 83,131 km (2022)

Airports

62 (2024)

Infant mortality rate

total: 3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

male: 3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 10,450,200 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 120 (2022 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

33.1 (2018 est.)

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.84% (2022 est.)
0.58% (2021 est.)
-0.73% (2020 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Refined petroleum products - exports

7,345 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Current account balance

$81.231 billion (2022 est.)
$72.055 billion (2021 est.)
$2.451 billion (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Real GDP per capita

$72,300 (2022 est.)
$71,000 (2021 est.)
$67,900 (2020 est.)

note: data in 2017 dollars

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 4,028,238 (2020 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 47 (2020 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 25.5% (2020 est.)

male: 28.1% (2020 est.)

female: 22.9% (2020 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

19.5% (2016)

Energy consumption per capita

137.918 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Death rate

8.4 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Birth rate

10.2 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 22.921 million kW (2020 est.)

consumption: 56.407 billion kWh (2020 est.)

exports: 32.549 billion kWh (2020 est.)

imports: 26.988 billion kWh (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 4.19 billion kWh (2020 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 17 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Liechtenstein)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Imports

$518.451 billion (2022 est.)
$481.093 billion (2021 est.)
$429.875 billion (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports

$627.54 billion (2022 est.)
$579.017 billion (2021 est.)
$474.042 billion (2020 est.)

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 2,918,500 (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2022 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

61,550 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 9.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 3.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 1.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83.8 years (2023 est.)

male: 81.9 years

female: 85.8 years

Real GDP growth rate

2.57% (2022 est.)
5.39% (2021 est.)
-2.14% (2020 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Industrial production growth rate

4.63% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Railways

total: 5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0.7% (2017 est.)

industry: 25.6% (2017 est.)

services: 73.7% (2017 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Education expenditures

5.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Population growth rate

0.78% (2023 est.)

Sources: