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SWITZERLAND Switzerland at a Glance ethnic divisions among Swiss nationals only: German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansh 1%, other 1% religions: Climate: Terrain: Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% Temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers mostly mountainous (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes official name in english: Swiss Confederation, abbreviated CH name in local languages: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confédération Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh); Swiss Confederation (English) Short forms of name: Capital: Currency: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh); Switzerland Bern (Berne) Swiss franc (CHF) Geography: Landlocked; set on crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with south eastern France, northern Italy, and south western Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps elevation extremes: lowest point Lake Maggiore 195 m; highest point Dufourspitze 4,634 m natural resources: Land use: hydropower potential, timber, salt arable land 9.91%, permanent crops 0.58%, other 89.51% (2005) Total renewable water resources: 53.3 cu km (2005) UneSCo World Heritage sites: 10, both natural and cultural Location: Central Europe Government type: Confederation Time zone: GMT+1 Telephone dialling country code: 41 Internet country code: .ch neighbouring countries: Germany (north of Switzerland, boundary 363 km); Austria (east, boundary 165 km); Liechtenstein (east, boundary 41 km); Italy (south, boundary 741 km); France (west, boundary 572 km) Chief of state: President Doris Leuthard (since 1 January 2010); Vice President Moritz Leuenberger (since 1 January 2010). The president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council. Cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term Land area: national holiday: Independence: 1648 official Languages: Population: ethnic divisions in total population: 41,285 km² 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) German, French, Italian, Romansh 7.7 million (2009 estimate) German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansh 1%, other 6% elections: Legislative branch: President and Vice President elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 2 December 2009 (next to be held in December 2010) The Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung in German, Assemblée Fédérale in French, Assemblea Federale in Italian) consists of the Council of States and the National Council. 6
Introduction Regional organisation (26 cantons): Zürich, Berne, Luzern (Lucerne),Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden (Obwalden / Nidwalden), Glarus, Zug, Freiburg (Fribourg), Solothurn, Basel (Basel Stadt / Basel Land), Schaffhausen Appenzell (Appenzell Ausserrhoden / Appenzell Innerrhoden), Sankt Gallen, Grisons (Graubünden), Aargau, Thurgau, Ticino, Vaud, Valais (Wallis), Neuchâtel, Geneva, Jura Agricultural products: Top industries: Trade Exports, total value: Exports, commodities: grains, fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance €142.4 billion (2009 estimate) machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products Six of the 26 cantons are called “half cantons” because they elect only one member of the Council of States and, in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and a majority of cantonal votes are required, these six cantons only have a half vote. The six half cantons are Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner- Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, and Obwalden. Exports, partners: Germany 19.7%, US 9.6%, Italy 8.7%, France 8.6%, UK 5.2% (2008) Imports, total value: Imports, commodities: Imports, partners: €132.8 billion (2009 estimate) machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles Germany 33.3%, Italy 11%, France 9.4%, US 5.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2008) Judicial branch: Economy Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) Innovation: Switzerland places great emphasis on innovation, and the national Innovation Promotion Agency (CTI) supports around 300 projects per year. Its project budget for 2008 to 2011 totals €373.7 million GDP (purchasing power parity): €236.8 billion (2009 estimate) GDP (official exchange rate): €362.8 billion (2009 estimate) GDP real growth rate: GDP per capita (PPP): -1.8% (2009 estimate) €30,700 (2009 estimate), ninth in the world GDP composition by sector: agriculture 1.5%, industry 34%, services 64.5% Labour force: 4.08 million (2009 estimate) Labour force by occupation: agriculture 3.9%, industry 22.8%, services 73.2% Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2009 estimate) Downtown Bern 7
Page 1 and 2: SWITZerLAnd
Page 3 and 4: Content Switzerland Introduction
Page 5: Stone bridge in Giornico it is focu
Page 9 and 10: Jacques de Watteville, Swiss Ambass
Page 11 and 12: Canton of Berne Sustainable Develop
Page 13 and 14: Canton of Berne Bern Bernese Alps a
Page 15 and 16: Swiss National Bank Strong Financia
Page 17 and 18: Canton of Berne BEKB | BCBE Creatin
Page 19 and 20: Canton of Berne The canton’s poli
Page 21 and 22: Canton of Berne are typical of the
Page 23 and 24: Canton of Berne The ICT Cluster Ber
Page 25 and 26: Canton of Berne State Councillor fo
Page 27 and 28: Canton of Berne Model of the new nu
Page 29 and 30: Canton of Berne One of Switzerland
Page 31 and 32: Canton of Berne Ideal location, foc
Page 33 and 34: Canton of Vaud Vaud: Innovation, Re
Page 35 and 36: Canton of Vaud Lausanne City hydrau
Page 37 and 38: Lake Geneva Canton of Vaud: Home of
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Page 41 and 42: • International, Business Friendl
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Page 45 and 46: Canton of Geneva Geneva: Warm Welco
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Cantons of Basel Agility Basel - Lo
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Winterthur Churches in Zurich Zuric
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Town centre Zurich Mayor Mauch emph
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Canton of Zurich Incubator within Z
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Canton of Zurich Pfizer Switzerland
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Canton of Zurich tion retrieval alg
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Zurich Leisure and Cultural Attract
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Canton of Zurich we do not charge f
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Canton of Zurich Business traveller
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Upcoming Projects: The European Tim
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