Switzerland

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, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. 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.

 

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

47 00 N, 8 00 E

Europe

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

0 km (landlocked)

none (landlocked)

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

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

hydropower potential, timber, salt

494 sq km (2020)

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

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

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

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

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.)

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.)

0.72% (2025 est.)

10.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

5.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

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

31.1 years (2020 est.)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

0.78 (2025 est.)

4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

19.5% (2016)

57.5% (2022 est.)

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; soil pollution from chemical contaminants; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity

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

9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

53.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

federal republic (formally a confederation)

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, Genève (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

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

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

18 years of age; universal

The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party)
Evangelical Peoples' Party or EVP/PEV 
Federal Democrats or EDU 
Geneva Citizens Movement or MCR/MCG 
Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) 
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)
The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals)
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) 
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) 

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

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291

description: red square with an equal-armed white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag

history: the origin of the flag is unclear, but a white cross was used to identify Swiss Confederation troops at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

Swiss cross (white cross on red field)

red, white

high-income, non-EU European economy; top ten in GDP per capita; renowned banking and financial hub; low unemployment and inflation; slowed GDP growth post-pandemic; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; leader in innovation and competitiveness indices

$936.564 billion (2024 est.)

milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, pork, apples, barley, beef, maize, grapes (2023)

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

1.7% (2024 est.)

5.153 million (2024 est.)

15.8% (2021 est.)

9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Germany 14%, China 12%, USA 11%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2023)

gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds, base metal watches (2023)

Germany 17%, USA 9%, Italy 8%, France 6%, China 5% (2023)

gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars, jewelry (2023)

publicly owned Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) has 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; German, Italian, and French TV broadcasts widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV; SRG/SSR has 17 radio stations (2019)

.ch

HB

66 (2025)

52 (2025)

Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (2025)

approximately 145,000 Swiss Armed Forces (2024)

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported European and US weapons systems; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2025)

every Swiss man 18-30 is obligated to serve in the military or the alternative civilian service; women can serve on a voluntary basis; required military service is 245 days, including 18-21 weeks of basic training generally between the ages of 19-25, followed by six three-week recalls for refresher training over the following nine years; the system offers opportunities for conscripts to train as non-commissioned and commissioned officers in the militia with longer service commitments (2026)

200 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)

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 has contributed to the NATO-led force in Kosovo (KFOR) since 1999 (2025)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)