Country
Countries A-Z
Switzerland
Swiss Confederation
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German)
Confédération Suisse (French)
Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
Confederaziun Svizra (Romansch)
Political Status: Neutral confederation since 1291; equivalent of federal system embodied in constitution of May 29, 1874; current constitution, revising and reforming that of 1874, adopted April 18, 1999, effective from January 1, 2000.
Area: 15,943 sq. mi. (41,293 sq. km.).
Population: 8,115,678 (2012E—UN); 7,655,628 (2012E—U.S. Census).
Major Urban Centers (2005E): BERN (118,000), Zürich (327,000), Geneva (177,000), Basel (163,000), Lausanne (109,000).
Official Languages: German, French, Italian. Romansch is recognized as a national language but without full official status.
Monetary Unit: Swiss Franc (market rate October 3, 2011: 1.09 francs = $1US).
President: Micheline CALMY—REY (Social Democratic Party); elected by the Federal Assembly on December 8, 2010, and installed on January 1, 2011, for a one-year term to succeed Doris LEUTHARD (Christian Democratic ...