Fast Facts
Continent: Europe
Area: 41,285 km2
Capital: Bern
Currency: Swiss Frank
Population: 8,000,000
Dialing Code: 41
Official Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh
Type Of Government: Federation, Federal republic, Direct democracy
Continent: Europe
Area: 41,285 km2
Capital: Bern
Currency: Swiss Frank
Population: 8,000,000
Dialing Code: 41
Official Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh
Type Of Government: Federation, Federal republic, Direct democracy
Fun Facts About Switzerland
- The official name of Switzerland is ‘Switzerland and Confoederatio Helvetica’.
- Switzerland was founded in 1291, as a union of three cantons chafing against Habsburg rule, and became independent in 1815.
- Swiss system of government has been based on the US Constitution.
- 100,000 Swiss can make the demand, via referendum, for the revision of the Constitution.
- In Switzerland, a new president is elected every year, while seven members of the Swiss Federal Council (Executive branch) are elected every four years.
- There are four official languages in Switzerland, namely German, French, Italian, and Romansh.
- In Switzerland, people are either Roman Catholics or Protestants.
- Switzerland has the second highest employment rate in the OECD, after Iceland.
- Switzerland has the second highest life expectancy in Europe, after Sweden.
- Tobacco consumption is widespread in this country and also holds the record of one of the highest cannabis consumption in the world, along with a few parts of Europe and North America.
- The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was founded in 1863 in Geneva only and it is still based there.
- Switzerland is widely recognized as an international research center, which strongly promotes technology and science.
- Alphorn and Yodeling are often associated with Swiss music.
- The most common Swiss surname is Müller.
- Switzerland has 63,577km of walking paths.
- Switzerland borders 5 other countries: Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein.
- Lac leman (Lake Geneva) is the lagest land locked lake in Western Europe.
- In Switzerland you are never more than 13 miles from a lake or river in which you can swim.
- The largest edible chestnut forest in the Alps is in Malcantone near Lugano, Switzerland.