Switzerland
Description of Switzerland
Switzerland has long been respected by the main European countries for preserving its independence and neutrality; Switzerland did not take part in the World War I and II. The political and economic integration of Europe and the role played by Switzerland in the UN, improved the relationship with its neighboring countries. The country was not included in the UN until 2002. Switzerland is actively involved in the international organizations and the United Nations, but it always adheres to neutrality.
Switzerland occupies an area of 41.3 thousand square kilometers. Its capital is Bern (number of population - 128 thousand persons). The Swiss officially doesn’t call Bern the capital, but the "federal city", emphasizing the equality of all the major cities of the cantons. Bern was founded in 1191. The city's name comes from the German word "Bar", which means “a bear”. The bear is present on the flag and coat of arms of the city, in sculptural compositions of fountains and churches, and in the names of restaurants and hotels. Bern is also the administrative center of the canton of Bern.
The date of the founding of the Swiss Confederation is August 1, 1291, when three forest cantons (lands) - Ur, Schwyz and Unterwalden, protecting the independence from the Austrian Habsburgs, entered the defense alliance ("perpetual union") under the "Holy Roman Empire". By the way, the name of Switzerland comes from the name of one of these cantons - Schwyz.
Some facts about Switzerland
Population of country |
7,581,000 people |
Area of Switzerland |
41,290 sq. kilometers |
Located on the continent |
Europe (EU) |
Capital of Switzerland |
Berne |
Currency at Switzerland |
Franc (CHF) |
Domain Zone |
.ch |
Phone country code |
41 |
FIPS code of Switzerland |
SZ |
Gallery of Switzerland
Switzerland video guide
More information about Switzerland
Climate of Switzerland:
- temperate, but varies with altitude
- cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters
- cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Terrain of Switzerland:
- mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Switzerland also has such useful resources as: hydropower potential, timber, salt.
Top cities of Switzerland
№ |
City Name |
Population |
State |
Coordinates |
1 |
Zurich |
341,730 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.36667 x 8.55 |
2 |
Geneve |
183,981 people |
Canton de Geneve |
46.20222 x 6.14569 |
3 |
Basel |
164,488 people |
Basel-City |
47.5584 x 7.57327 |
4 |
Bern |
121,631 people |
Kanton Bern |
46.94809 x 7.44744 |
5 |
Lausanne |
116,751 people |
Canton de Vaud |
46.516 x 6.63282 |
6 |
Winterthur |
91,908 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.5 x 8.75 |
7 |
Sankt Gallen |
70,572 people |
Kanton St. Gallen |
47.42391 x 9.37477 |
8 |
Luzern |
57,066 people |
Kanton Luzern |
47.05048 x 8.30635 |
9 |
Zuerich (Kreis 11) |
54,260 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.42326 x 8.52166 |
10 |
Biel |
48,614 people |
Kanton Bern |
47.1324 x 7.24411 |
11 |
Zuerich (Kreis 3) |
46,018 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.35785 x 8.50296 |
12 |
Zuerich (Kreis 9) |
44,878 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.38245 x 8.47993 |
13 |
Thun |
42,136 people |
Kanton Bern |
46.75118 x 7.62166 |
14 |
Koniz |
37,196 people |
Kanton Bern |
46.92436 x 7.41457 |
15 |
La Chaux-de-Fonds |
36,825 people |
Canton de Neuchatel |
47.09993 x 6.82586 |
16 |
Zuerich (Kreis 10) |
36,216 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.40773 x 8.5005 |
17 |
Rapperswil |
34,776 people |
Kanton St. Gallen |
47.22557 x 8.82228 |
18 |
Schaffhausen, City Center |
34,000 people |
Kanton Schaffhausen |
47.69681 x 8.63346 |
19 |
Schaffhausen |
33,863 people |
Kanton Schaffhausen |
47.69732 x 8.63493 |
20 |
Zuerich (Kreis 7) |
33,820 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.37328 x 8.58038 |
21 |
Fribourg |
32,827 people |
Canton de Fribourg |
46.80237 x 7.15128 |
22 |
Chur |
32,429 people |
Kanton Graubunden |
46.84986 x 9.53287 |
23 |
Neuchatel |
31,270 people |
Canton de Neuchatel |
46.99179 x 6.931 |
24 |
Vernier |
30,086 people |
Canton de Geneve |
46.21702 x 6.08497 |
25 |
Zuerich (Kreis 6) |
29,951 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.39223 x 8.54381 |
26 |
Zuerich (Kreis 2) |
29,215 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.33756 x 8.5211 |
27 |
Zuerich (Kreis 9) / Altstetten |
people |
|
x |
28 |
Zuerich (Kreis 12) |
28,189 people |
Kanton Zurich |
47.40372 x 8.57608 |
29 |
Sion |
28,045 people |
Canton du Valais |
46.22908 x 7.35942 |
30 |
Lancy |
27,291 people |
Canton de Geneve |
46.18981 x 6.11441 |
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