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 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 November 5, 2012: 0.94 franc = $1US).

President of the Federal Council: Eveline WIDMER-SCHLUMPF (Conservative Democratic Party); elected by the Federal Assembly on December 14, 2011, and inaugurated on January 1, 2012, for a one-year term to succeed Micheline ...