NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Confederatio Helvetica

Switzerland (German: die Schweiz, French: Suisse, Italian: Svizzera and Romansh: Svizra), officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked alpine country in Central Europe. The country, which is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east, was historically a confederation, and has been a federation since 1848. Switzerland has a strong economy in finance and banking, and a long and strong tradition of political and military neutrality. This background allows Switzerland to host various international co-operations and organizations. Swiss may refer to: referring to Switzerland, English since 1515, from French Suisse, ultimately from Schwyz related to the Old Swiss Confederacy Swiss mercenaries, especially the Swiss Guard the Swiss dagger popular in 15th to 16th c. ... Switzerland stands for: the European country, see Switzerland a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana, see Switzerland County, Indiana This is a disambiguation page â€” a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Switzerland. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_Arms_of_Switzerland. ... The flag of Switzerland. ... Swiss coat of arms. ... This page lists state and national mottos for the worlds independent states and if applicable, their component states. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno is a Latin phrase that means One for all, all for one in English. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogizing the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nations government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... The Swiss Psalm is the national anthem of Switzerland. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1600x1200, 99 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Switzerland Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Countries Maps of Switzerland ... This is a list of national capitals of the world in alphabetical order. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Bern, English traditionally Berne (Bernese German BÃ¤rn , German Bern , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland, and is the fourth most populous Swiss city (after ZÃ¼rich, Geneva and Basel). ... Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the countrys languages and cultural practices. ... ZÃ¼rich (German: , ZÃ¼rich German: ZÃ¼ri , in English generally Zurich, Italian: Zurigo) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of ZÃ¼rich. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy,[1] comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein sovereignty is lodged in the assembly of all citizens who choose to participate. ... The Federal Republic of Germany and its sixteen BundeslÃ¤nder (federal states) A federal republic is a federation of states with a republican form of government. ... The Swiss Federal Council (German: Schweizerischer Bundesrat, French: Conseil fÃ©dÃ©ral suisse, Italian: Consiglio federale svizzero, Romansh: Cussegl federal svizzer) is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the government as well as the head of state of Switzerland. ... Moritz Leuenberger (born September 21, 1946) is a Swiss politician. ... The list of Presidents of the Swiss Confederation (1848-present) presents the presiding member of the Swiss Federal Council, Switzerlands seven-member executive. ... Pascal Couchepin (born April 5, 1942) is a Swiss politician. ... Samuel Schmid Samuel Schmid (born January 8, 1947) is a member of the Swiss Federal Council, heading the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports. ... Micheline Calmy-Rey (born July 8, 1945) is a Swiss politician. ... The list of Presidents of the Swiss Confederation (1848-present) presents the presiding member of the Swiss Federal Council, Switzerlands seven-member executive. ... Christoph Blocher (born 11 October 1940) is a Swiss politician, industrialist and member of the Swiss Federal Council heading the Federal Department of Justice and Police. ... Hans-Rudolf Merz (born 10 November 1942) is a Swiss politician. ... Doris Leuthard (born 10 April 1963) is a Swiss politician, lawyer, member of the Swiss National Council (since 1999) and President of the Christian Democratic Peoples Party (CVP/PDC) (since 2004). ... The Treaty of Basel of 22 September 1499 was an armistice following the Battle of Dornach, concluding the Swabian War, fought between the Swabian League and the Old Swiss Confederacy. ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (266th in leap years). ... 1499 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Ratification of the Treaty of MÃ¼nster by Gerard Terborch (1648) Banquet of the Amsterdam Civic Guard in Celebration of the Peace of MÃ¼nster by Bartholomeus van der Helst, 1648 The Peace of Westphalia, also known as the Treaties of MÃ¼nster and OsnabrÃ¼ck, refers to the... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... // Events January 17 - Englands Long Parliament passes the Vote of No Address, breaking off negotiations with King Charles I and thereby setting the scene for the second phase of the English Civil War. ... The ZÃ¼riputsch: clashes on ZÃ¼rich Paradeplatz The Restauration is the period of Swiss history lasting from 1814 to 1847. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... In 1847, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). ... Portal:Currentevents September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ... 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here areas between 10,000 kmÂ² and 100,000 kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population, using the most recently available official figures. ... Population density by country, 2006 Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries/dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The figures in the following table are based on areas including inland water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, rivers). ... Purchasing power parity (PPP) is in economics the method of using the long-run equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize the currencies purchasing power. ... Map of world GDP (PPP) by country using the IMF list for 2005 There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, based on the 2005 IMF data. ... Billion may mean: 1,000,000,000 (one thousand million; ), used by most English-speaking countries (American and usual modern British meaning) 1,000,000,000,000 (one million million; ), used by most other countries outside Asia (older British meaning). ... Countries by nominal GDP. Source: IMF (2005) This article includes a list of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Map of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (2004). ... This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Programmes Human Development Report 2006, compiled on the basis of 2004 data. ... ISO 4217 Code CHF User(s) Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Campione dItalia Inflation 1. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... A time zone is a region of the Earth that has adopted the same standard time, usually referred to as the local time. ... Time zones of Europe: Light colours indicate countries not observing daylight saving Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of the time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC - see below for explanation) is a high-precision atomic time standard. ... Areas that observe daylight saving time Areas that once observed daylight saving time Areas that have never observed daylight saving time A 2001 public service announcement for the upcoming turning back of the clocks Daylight saving time (DST), also known as summer time, is a conventional local time adopted by... Time zones of Europe: Pale colours indicate countries without daylight saving Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... Coordinated Universal Time (UTC - see below for explanation) is a high-precision atomic time standard. ... The following is a list of currently existing Internet Top-level domains (TLDs). ... .ch is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Switzerland. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... A landlocked country is one that has no coastline. ... The Alpine countries, sometimes called Alpine nations or Alpine states, are a group of nations taken to be part of either Central Europe along with the Visegrád group or Western Europe. ... Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... A confederation is an association of sovereign states or communities, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... Finance studies and addresses the ways in which individuals, businesses, and organizations raise, allocate, and use monetary resources over time, taking into account the risks entailed in their projects. ... The First Provincial Bank of Taiwan in Taipei, Republic of China was formerly the central bank of the Republic of China and issued the New Taiwan dollar. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ...

Confoederatio Helvetica, the country's official Latin name, means Helvetic Confederation. The use of Latin avoids having to favour one of the four national languages. The abbreviation (CH) is used for the same reason. The titles commonly used in French (Confédération suisse), Italian (Confederazione Svizzera) and Romansh (Confederaziun svizra) translate as "Swiss Confederation", while the German name of Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft translates literally as "Swiss Oath Fellowship" or "Swiss Commonwealth of the Covenant". A male native of Switzerland is said to be a Schweizer and a female is a Schweizerin in German; Suisse (male) and both Suisse or Suissesse (female) in French and svizzero (male) or svizzera (female) in Swiss Italian. Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... A map of Gaul showing the northern Alpine position of the Helvetii. ... A confederation is an association of sovereign states or communities, usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in Latium, the region immediately surrounding Rome. ... Eidgenossenschaft is a German word meaning confederation. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

History

Since 1848, the Swiss Confederation has been a federal state of relatively autonomous cantons, some of which have a history of confederacy that goes back more than 700 years, arguably putting them among the worlds oldest surviving republics. ...

Early history

In 1291 representatives of the three forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter. The charter united the involved parties in the struggle against the rule by the Habsburgs, the family then holding the Duchy of Austria in the Holy Roman Empire. At the Battle of Morgarten on 15 November 1315, the Swiss defeated the Habsburg army and secured existence of the Swiss Confederation within the Holy Roman Empire. The three forest cantons (drei Waldstätten) is the collective term for the original founding cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1291, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, all of them situated at Lake Lucerne, in German called Vierwaldstättersee lake of the four forest cantons, referring to the three cantons... Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... Schwyz (German Schwyz) is a canton in central Switzerland between Lake Lucerne in the south and Lake Zurich in the north. ... Unterwalden is the old name for what is now two cantons in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne. ... Federal Charter of 1291 The Federal Charter or Letter of Alliance (in German Bundesbrief) documents the Eternal Alliance or League Of The Three Forest Cantons (in German Ewiger Bund der Drei WaldstÃ¤tten), the union of three cantons in what is now central Switzerland, formed in early August, 1291. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... On November 15, 1315, the soldiers of Duke Leopold I of Austria were thoroughly defeated by an ambush of the Swiss Confederation near the Morgarten pass. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ...

By 1353, the three original cantons had been joined by the cantons of Glarus and Zug and the city states of Lucerne, Zürich and Berne, forming the "Old Federation" of eight states that persisted during much of the 15th century (although Zürich was expelled from the confederation during the 1440s due to a territorial conflict) and led to a significant increase of power and wealth of the federation, in particular due to the victories over Charles the Bold of Burgundy during the 1470s, and the success of the Swiss mercenaries. The traditional listing order of the cantons of Switzerland reflects this state, listing the eight "Old Cantons" first, with the city states preceding the founding cantons, followed by cantons that joined the federation after 1481, in historical order. The Swiss victory in the Swabian War against the Swabian League of emperor Maximilian I in 1499 amounted to de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire. (French Glaris) is a canton in east central Switzerland. ... (-German; French: Zoug; Italian: Zugo) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... Location within Switzerland View of the city from Lake Lucerne Another view across Lake Lucerne The Lion Monument Lucerne (German: (helpÂ· info)) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (December 31, 2003), capital of the Canton of Lucerne. ... ZÃ¼rich (German: , ZÃ¼rich German: ZÃ¼ri , in English generally Zurich, Italian: Zurigo) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of ZÃ¼rich. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Berne (German , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna , Bernese German BÃ¤rn ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland and the fourth most populous Swiss city (after ZÃ¼rich, Geneva and Basel). ... ZÃ¼rich (German: , ZÃ¼rich German: ZÃ¼ri , in English generally Zurich, Italian: Zurigo) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of ZÃ¼rich. ... Events and Trends Categories: 1440s ... Charles the Bold Charles, called the Bold (French: Charles le Téméraire) (November 10, 1433 – 1477) was Duke of Burgundy from 1467 to 1477. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples , most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Events and Trends battle of Avenches 1476 Prominent Persons Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer and mathematician A map of Europe in the 1470s. ... Swiss mercenaries crossing the Alps (Luzerner Schilling) Swiss mercenaries were soldiers notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... Events May 3 - Mehmed II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire dies and is succeeded by his son Beyazid II. May 21 - Christian I, King of Denmark and Norway dies and is succeeded by his son John (1481-1513) With the death of Duke Charles IV of Anjou, Anjou was reverted... The Battle of Hard was the first major battle of the Swabian War. ... The Swabian League, an association of German cities, principally in the territory which had formed the old duchy of Swabia. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Portrait by Albrecht DÃ¼rer, 1519 (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna). ... 1499 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The double-headed eagle The Holy Roman Empire was a mainly Germanic conglomeration of lands in Central Europe during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. ...

In 1506, Pope Julius II engaged the Swiss Guard that continues to serve the Vatican to the present day. The expansion of the federation, and the reputation of invincibility acquired during the earlier wars, suffered a first setback in 1515 with the Swiss defeat in the Battle of Marignano. The success of Zwingli's Reformation in some cantons led to inter-cantonal wars in 1529 and 1531 (Kappeler Kriege). The conflict between Catholic and Protestant cantons persisted, erupting in further violence at the battles of Villmergen in 1656 and 1712. Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality (ancien régime). 1506 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Julius II, born Giuliano della Rovere (December 5, 1443 â€“ February 21, 1513), was Pope from 1503 to 1513. ... Papal Swiss Guards in traditional uniforms Swiss Guards are Swiss mercenary soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards and palace guards at foreign European courts from the late 15th century until the present day (in the form of the Papal Swiss Guard). ... 1515 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants France, Republic of Venice Duchy of Milan Commanders Francis I, Gian Giacomo Trivulzio, Bartolomeo dAlviano, Louis de la TrÃ©moille Maximilian Sforza, Cardinal Matthaeus Schiner Strength 30,000 Unknown The Battle of Marignano, in the phase of the Italian Wars (1494â€“1559) that is called the War of... Zwinglis Successor Zwinglis successor, Heinrich Bullinger, was elected on December 9, 1531, to be the pastor of the Great Minster at Zürich, a position which he held to the end of his life (1575). ... The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Conflict is a state of opposition, disagreement or incompatibility between two or more people or groups of people, which is sometimes characterized by physical violence. ... Protestantism is one of three main groups within Christianity. ... The Battles of Villmergen (Canton of Aargau, 47Â°21â€² N 8Â°15â€² E) were two battles between reformed and Catholic cantons. ... The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster by Gerard Terborch (1648) The Peace of Westphalia, also known as the treaties of Münster and Osnabrück, is the series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years War and officially recognized the United Provinces and Swiss Confederation. ... World map showing Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of the Earth. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ...

French invasion of 1798

In 1798, the armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland and imposed a new unified constitution. This centralised the government of the country and effectively abolished the cantons. The new regime was known as the Helvetic Republic and was highly unpopular. It had been imposed by a foreign invading army, and had destroyed centuries of tradition, including the right to worship. It had made Switzerland nothing more than a French satellite state. Uprisings were common and only the presence of French troops kept them from succeeding. The brutal French suppression of the Nidwalden revolt in September is a good example of the suppressing presence of the french army. The French Revolution (1789â€“1799/1804) was a vital period in the history of France and Europe as a whole. ... Official seal of the Helvetic Republic (depicting William Tell). ... Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. ...

When war broke out between France and other countries Switzerland found itself being invaded by other outside forces from Austria and Russia. The Swiss were divided mainly between "Republicans" who were in favour of a centralised government, and "Federalists" who wanted to restore autonomy to the cantons. In Paris in 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte organised a meeting of the leading Swiss politicians from both sides. The result was the Act of Mediation which largely restored Swiss autonomy and introduced a Confederation of 19 Cantons. From then on much of Swiss politics would be about balancing the cantons' tradition of self-rule with the need for a central government. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 fully re-established Swiss independence and the European powers agreed to permanently recognise the Swiss neutrality. At this time, Switzerland experienced its last increase in territory to date, with the admission of the cantons of Valais, Neuchâtel and Geneva... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Region ÃŽle-de-France Department Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand DelanoÃ« (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land areaÂ¹ 86. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des... The Act of Mediation was issued by Napoleon Bonaparte on 19 February 1803, abolishing the Helvetic Republic which had existed since the invasion of Switerland by French troops in 1798. ... The Congress of Vienna was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held on the way to Vienna, Austria, from September 1, 1814, to June 9, 1815. ... The Valais (German: ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country, in the Pennine Alps around the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva. ... NeuchÃ¢tel is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the name of the westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France and centered around the city of Geneva. ...

Constitution of 1848

In 1845, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). The Catholics disliked the moves towards a more united Switzerland which the Radical Party, then in government, was promoting. The Catholics therefore came up with a 'special treaty' (Sonderbund) which the Radicals objected to. The war lasted for less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties. Apart from small riots, this was the most recent armed conflict on Swiss territory. The Sonderbund (meaning separate alliance, in German), was a league created in 1845 in Switzerland between seven Catholic and Conservative cantons in order to protect their interests against a centralization of power. ...

As a consequence of the civil war, Switzerland adopted the use of referenda and a federal constitution in 1849. This constitution provided for a central authority while leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. The constitution was amended extensively in 1872 in order to take into account the rise in population, the Industrial Revolution and the settling of a single currency. It also established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters. Download high resolution version (800x629, 201 KB) City of Zug (1548) File links The following pages link to this file: Switzerland Zug ... Download high resolution version (800x629, 201 KB) City of Zug (1548) File links The following pages link to this file: Switzerland Zug ... , capital of the Swiss canton of that name, is a picturesque little town at the northeastern corner of the lake of Zug, and at the foot of the Zugerberg (992 m (3255 ft. ... Ballots of the Argentine plebiscite of 1984 on the border treaty with Chile A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita, originally a decree of the Concilium Plebis) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... The Swiss Constitution (Bundesverfassung in German, Constitution fÃ©dÃ©rale in French, Constituzione federale in Italian and Constituziun federala in Romansh) is at the highest level of Switzerlands judicial system. ... A Watt steam engine in Madrid. ... A unitary currency can increase the economic stability of a country while enhancing trade within its borders. ...

In 1893, the constitution was revised with unusually strong elements of direct democracy, which remains unique even today. Since then, continued political, economic, and social improvement has characterised Swiss history. Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy,[1] comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein sovereignty is lodged in the assembly of all citizens who choose to participate. ...

20th century

In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, and in 1963 the Council of Europe. Switzerland proclaimed neutrality in World War I and was not involved militarily in the conflict. Neutrality was again proclaimed in World War II, and although a German intervention was both planned and anticipated, it ultimately did not occur. The massive mobilisation of Swiss armed forces under the leadership of General Henri Guisan is often cited as a decisive factor that the German invasion was never initiated. These findings also imply that Switzerland's neutrality was compromised, as some Swiss citizens may have helped to launder the wealth stolen in the Holocaust.^[4] On the other hand, during the war, Switzerland became a hub for spying activities against Germany and the Axis Powers, which helped to bring about their defeat. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (892x610, 251 KB) Summary Picture of Zurichs GrossmÃ¼nster, taken in december of 2005. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (892x610, 251 KB) Summary Picture of Zurichs GrossmÃ¼nster, taken in december of 2005. ... The GrossmÃ¼nster Facade of the monastery building, now housing the theological faculty of the University of Zurich The GrossmÃ¼nster (great minster) is one of the three major churches of ZÃ¼rich the others being the FraumÃ¼nster and St. ... ZÃ¼rich (German: , ZÃ¼rich German: ZÃ¼ri , in English generally Zurich, Italian: Zurigo) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of ZÃ¼rich. ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded after the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... The Palace of Europe in Strasbourg European Flag: used by the Council of Europe and by the European Union The Council of Europe (French: Conseil de lEurope , German: Europarat /ËŒÉ”Éª.Ëˆro. ... {{Infobox Military Conflict |conflict = World War I |partof = |image = |caption = Clockwise from top: Trenches on the Western Front; a British Mark IV tank crossing a trench; Royal Navy battleship HMS Irresistible sinking after striking a mine at the Battle of the Dardanelles; a Vickers machine gun crew with gas masks... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... Henri Guisan (monument at Avenches) Equestrian statue of Henri Guisan, in Lausanne, Switzerland Henri Guisan (21 October 1874 - 7 April 1960) was the most recent General of the Swiss army, as Commander in Chief during World War II, and probably Switzerlands most famous soldier. ... Concentration camp inmates during the Holocaust The Holocaust was Nazi Germanys systematic genocide (ethnic cleansing) of various ethnic, religious, national, and secular groups during World War II. Early elements include the Kristallnacht pogrom and the T-4 Euthanasia Program established by Hitler that killed some 200,000 people. ...

Women were granted the right to vote in the first cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971, and in the last canton, Appenzell Innerrhoden, in 1990. In 1979, parts of the canton of Bern attained independence, forming the new canton of Jura. On 18 April 1999 the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favour of a completely revised federal constitution. Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Appenzell Innerrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Inner Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. ... This article is about the year. ... For the Smashing Pumpkins song, see 1979 (song). ... Location within Switzerland The city of Bern, English traditionally Berne (Bernese German BÃ¤rn , German Bern , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland, and is the fourth most populous Swiss city (after ZÃ¼rich, Geneva and Basel). ... The Canton of Jura is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the northwestern part of Switzerland. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

21st century

In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations, leaving the Vatican as the last widely recognised State without full UN membership. Switzerland is a founding member of the EFTA, but is not a member of the European Economic Area. An application for membership in the European Union was sent in May 1992, but not advanced since the EEA was rejected in December 1992 when Switzerland was the only country to launch a referendum on the EEA. There have since been several referenda on the EU issue, but these have not enjoyed enough attention. However, Swiss law is gradually being adjusted to conform with that of the EU and the government has signed a number of bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland, together with Liechtenstein, has been completely bordered by the EU since Austria's membership in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed, by a 55% majority, to join the Schengen treaty, a result that was regarded by EU commentators as a sign of support by Switzerland, a country that is traditionally perceived as isolationist. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ... The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was established on May 3, 1960 as an alternative for European states that were not allowed or did not wish to join the European Community (now the European Union). ... EFTA countries (except Switzerland) EU countries Acceding EU countries (in EAA entry talks) Together these form the EEA. The European Economic Area (EEA) came into being on January 1, 1994 following an agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union (EU). ... Bilateralism is a term referring to trade or political relations between two states. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ... Isolationism is a foreign policy which combines a non-interventionist military and a political policy of economic nationalism (protectionism). ...

Politics

The bicameral Swiss parliament, the Federal Assembly, is the primary seat of power, apart from the Federal Council. Both houses, the Council of States and the National Council, have equal powers in all respects, including the right to introduce legislation. Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 433 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 433 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Curia Confoederationis Helveticae Bundeshaus or Federal Palace (French: Palais fÃ©dÃ©ral, Italian: Palazzo federale; Latin: Curia Confoederationis Helveticae) is the name of the building in Bern in which the Swiss Federal Assembly (federal parliament) and the Federal Council is housed. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Bern, English traditionally Berne (Bernese German BÃ¤rn , German Bern , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland, and is the fourth most populous Swiss city (after ZÃ¼rich, Geneva and Basel). ... Switzerland is a federal republic, and perhaps the closest state in the world to a direct democracy. ... The bicameral legislature of the United States is housed in a capitol building with two wings. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orangeâ€”the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, and the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... The Council of States of Switzerland (German: StÃ¤nderat, French Conseil des Etats, Italian Consiglio degli Stati) is the upper house of the Swiss parliament. ... The National Council of Switzerland (German: Nationalrat, French: Conseil National, Italian: Consiglio Nazionale) is the large Chamber of the parliament and has 200 seats. ...

Under the 1999 constitution, cantons hold all powers not specifically delegated to the federation.

The 46 members of the Council of States (two from each canton and one from former half cantons) are directly elected in each canton, whereas the 200 members of the National Council are elected directly under a system of proportional representation. Members of both houses serve for 4 years. Through referenda, citizens may challenge any law voted by federal parliament and through initiatives introduce amendments to the federal constitution, making Switzerland a direct democracy. Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation, or PR), is an electoral system delivering a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies). ... A referendum (plural: referendums or referenda) or plebiscite is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. ... In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ... Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy,[1] comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein sovereignty is lodged in the assembly of all citizens who choose to participate. ...

The top executive body and collective Head of State is the Federal Council, a collegial body of seven members. Although the constitution provides that the Assembly elects and supervises the members of the Council, the latter (and its administration) has gradually assumed a pre-eminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven to assume special representative functions for a one-year term. Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Swiss Federal Council (German: Schweizerischer Bundesrat, French: Conseil fÃ©dÃ©ral suisse, Italian: Consiglio federale svizzero, Romansh: Cussegl federal svizzer) is the seven-member executive council which constitutes the government as well as the head of state of Switzerland. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The President of the Confederation (Italian: , French: , German: ) is the presiding member of the Swiss Federal Council, Switzerlands seven-member executive. ...

From 1959 to December 2003, the four major parties were represented in the Federal Council according to the "magic formula", proportional to their representation in federal parliament: 2 Christian Democrats (CVP/PDC), 2 from the Social Democrats (SPS/PSS), 2 Liberal Democrats (FDP/PRD), and 1 from the Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC). This traditional distribution of seats, however, is not backed up by any law, and in the 2003 elections to the Federal Council the CVP/PDC lost their second seat to the SVP/UDC, which became the strongest party in Switzerland's legislative the same year. The Christian Democratic Peoples Party of Switzerland (Also called Christan-Democratic Party, German: Christlich Demokratische Volkspartei (CVP), French: Parti DÃ©mocrate-ChrÃ©tien Suisse (PDC), Italian: Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero (PPD), Romansh: Partida Cristiandemocratica Svizra (PCD)) is a political party in Switzerland and a member of the Swiss coalition... The Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (also rendered as Socialist Party of Switzerland, in German: Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz (SPS), French Parti socialiste suisse (PSS), Italian Partito Socialista Svizzero, Romansh Partida Socialdemocrata de la Svizra. ... The Free Democratic Party of Switzerland (German: Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz (FDP), French: Parti radical-dÃ©mocratique suisse (PRD), Italian: Partito liberale radicale svizzero (PLR)) is a free market liberal party in Switzerland. ... The Swiss Peoples Party (SVP) also known as the Democratic Union of the Centre German: Schweizerische Volkspartei, French: Union DÃ©mocratique du Centre, Italian: Unione Democratica di Centro, Romansh: Partida Populara Svizra) is a political party in Switzerland. ...

The function of the Federal Supreme Court is to hear appeals of cantonal courts or the administrative rulings of the federal administration. The judges are elected by the Federal Assembly for six-year terms. The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland (Tribunal fédéral in French, Schweizerisches Bundesgericht in German, Tribunale federale in Italian) is the supreme court of Switzerland. ...

The international relations of Switzerland are the responsibility of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and of all other departments for their respective fields of activity. ... Voting in Switzerland is the process with which Swiss citizens make decisions about governance and elect officials. ...

Direct democracy

Since the entry into force of the 1848 federal constitution, Switzerland features a system of government not seen at the national level in any other place on Earth: direct democracy, sometimes called half-direct democracy since it is complemented by the more commonplace institutions of a parliamentary democracy. The instruments of Swiss direct democracy at the federal level are the constitutional initiative and the referendum, also called people's rights. These instruments also exist at the cantonal and municipal level, occasionally in an expanded or different form. Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy,[1] comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein sovereignty is lodged in the assembly of all citizens who choose to participate. ... A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ...

By calling a federal referendum a group of citizens may challenge a law that has been passed by Parliament, if they can gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days. If so, a national vote is scheduled where voters decide by a simple majority whether to accept or reject the law. Eight cantons together can also call a referendum on a federal law. A simple majority is the most common requirement in voting for a measure to pass, especially in deliberative bodies and small organizations. ...

Similarly, the federal constitutional initiative allows citizens to put a constitutional amendment to a national vote, if they can get 100,000 voters to sign the proposed amendment within 18 months.^[5] Parliament can complement the proposed amendment with a counter-proposal, with voters having to indicate a preference on the ballot in case both proposals are accepted. Constitutional amendments, whether introduced by initiative or in Parliament, must be accepted by a double majority of both the national popular vote and a majority of the cantonal popular votes.^[6] A constitutional amendment is an alteration to the constitution of a nation or a state. ... A double majority is the name given to a vote which requires a majority of votes according to two separate criteria. ...

International institutions in Switzerland

An unusual number of international institutions have their seats in Switzerland, in part due to its politics of neutrality. The Red Cross was founded there in 1863 and still has its institutional center in the country. It is not a member of the European Union; a major referendum proposing the Swiss people rejected membership in the early 1990s. Switzerland was one of the last countries to join the United Nations, in 2002. The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Germans dancing on the Berlin Wall in late 1989, the symbol of the cold war divide falls down as the world unites in the 1990s. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity. ...

Energy politics

The energy generated in Switzerland comprises around 40% nuclear power and 60% from hydroelectricity. A nuclear power station. ... Hydraulic turbine and electrical generator. ...

On 18 May, 2003, a popular initiative named Moratorium Plus asked about an extension of an existing law forbidding the building of new nuclear power plants. Both were turned down: Moratorium Plus by a margin of 41.6% for and 58.4% opposed, and Electricity Without Nuclear by a margin of 33.7% for and 66.3% opposed. The former ten-year moratorium on the construction of new nuclear power plants was the result of a citizens' initiative voted on in 1990 which had passed with 54.5% Yes vs. 45.5% No votes (see Nuclear power phase-out in Switzerland for details). May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. ... In law, a moratorium (from Latin morari, to delay) is a legal authorization postponing for a specified time the payment of debts or obligations. ... In political science, the initiative (also known as popular or citizens initiative) provides a means by which a petition signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters can force a public vote on a proposed statute, constitutional amendment, charter amendment or ordinance. ... A nuclear power plant at Grafenrheinfeld, Germany. ...

Cantons (states)

The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons: The Valais (German: ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country, in the Pennine Alps around the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva. ... Canton Ticino or Ticino (German: (helpÂ· info)) is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. ... GraubÃ¼nden or Grisons (German: ; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun, French: Grisons) is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. ... The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the name of the westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France and centered around the city of Geneva. ... The Canton of Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland located in the southwestern part of the country. ... NeuchÃ¢tel is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Jura is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the northwestern part of Switzerland. ... The Swiss canton of Bern (German: Kanton Bern; French Canton de Berne) has a population of about 947,000. ... Thurgau (Thurgovia) is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Canton of ZÃ¼rich (German: Kanton ) has a population of about 1. ... For other uses, see Aargau (disambiguation). ... Lucerne (German Luzern) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Solothurn is a canton of Switzerland. ... Basel-Country (German: Basel-Landschaft; French: Bâle-Campagne) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Schaffhausen is a canton of Switzerland. ... Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... Schwyz (German Schwyz) is a canton in central Switzerland between Lake Lucerne in the south and Lake Zurich in the north. ... (French Glaris) is a canton in east central Switzerland. ... St. ... Appenzell Innerrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Inner Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Appenzell Ausserrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Outer Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. ... is a canton of Switzerland. ... Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. ... (-German; French: Zoug; Italian: Zugo) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Fribourg is a canton of Switzerland. ... Basel-Stadt (in German: Basel-Stadt) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... Motto: LibertÃ©, Ã‰galitÃ©, FraternitÃ© Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Anthem: La Marseillaise Capital (largest city) Paris French Government Unitary republic - President Jacques Chirac - Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin Formation - French State 843 (Treaty of Verdun) - Current constitution 1958 (5th Republic) Accession to EU March 25, 1957 Area - Total 1 674,843 km... Anthem: Il Canto degli Italiani (also known as Fratelli dItalia) Capital (and largest city) Rome Italian1 Government Republic - President Giorgio Napolitano - Prime Minister Romano Prodi Formation - Unification 17 March 1861 - Republic 2 June 1946 Accession to EU March 25, 1957 (founding member) Area - Total 301,318 kmÂ² (71st) 116... Motto: none Anthem: Oben am jungen Rhein (High Above the Young Rhine) Capital Vaduz Largest city Schaan Official language(s) German Government Prince Regent Head of Government Constitutional monarchy Hans-Adam II Alois Otmar Hasler Independence 1806 Area - Total - Water (%) 160 kmÂ² (189th) negligible Population - July 2005 est. ... Motto: none Anthem: (German for Land of Mountains, Land on the River) Capital (and largest city) Vienna German 1 Government Republic - President Heinz Fischer - Chancellor Wolfgang SchÃ¼ssel Independence - Austrian State Treaty in force July 27, 1955 - Declaration of Neutrality October 26, 1955 Accession to EU January 1, 1995 Area... Motto: (German for Unity and Justice and Freedomâ€) Anthem: (3rd stanza) also called Capital (and largest city) Berlin German 1 Government Federal Republic - President Horst KÃ¶hler - Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) Formation - Holy Roman Empire 843 (Treaty of Verdun) - Unification January 18, 1871 - Federal Republic May 23, 1949 - Reunification October... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... A canton is a territorial subdivision of a country, e. ...

*These cantons are represented by only one councillor in the Council of States. For other uses, see Aargau (disambiguation). ... Appenzell Innerrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Intérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Inner Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Appenzell Ausserrhoden (German; French: Appenzell Rhodes-Extérieures; in English sometimes Appenzell Outer Rhodes) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Basel-Stadt (in German: Basel-Stadt) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... Basel-Country (German: Basel-Landschaft; French: Bâle-Campagne) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Swiss canton of (helpÂ· info) is bilingual (German: Kanton Bern; French Canton de Berne) and has a population of about 947,000. ... The Canton of Fribourg is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the name of the westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France and centered around the city of Geneva. ... (French Glaris) is a canton in east central Switzerland. ... GraubÃ¼nden or Grisons (German: ; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun, French: Grisons) is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Jura is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the northwestern part of Switzerland. ... Lucerne (German Luzern) is a canton of Switzerland. ... NeuchÃ¢tel is a canton of Switzerland. ... Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. ... is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Schaffhausen is a canton of Switzerland. ... Schwyz (German Schwyz) is a canton in central Switzerland between Lake Lucerne in the south and Lake Zurich in the north. ... Solothurn is a canton of Switzerland. ... St. ... Thurgau (Thurgovia) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Canton Ticino or Ticino (German: (helpÂ· info)) is the southernmost canton of Switzerland. ... Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Valais (German: ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country, in the Pennine Alps around the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva. ... The Canton of Vaud is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland located in the southwestern part of the country. ... (-German; French: Zoug; Italian: Zugo) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Canton of ZÃ¼rich (German: Kanton ) has a population of about 1. ... The Council of States of Switzerland (German: StÃ¤nderat, French Conseil des Etats, Italian Consiglio degli Stati) is the upper house of the Swiss parliament. ...

Their populations vary between 15,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,253,500 (Zürich), and their area between 37 km² (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km² (Graubünden). The Cantons comprise a total of 2,889 municipalities. Municipalities are the smallest government division in Switzerland. ...

Within Switzerland there are two enclaves: Büsingen belongs to Germany, Campione d'Italia belongs to Italy. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... BÃ¼singen am Hochrhein is a German town entirely surrounded by the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen. ... Map showing the location of the Campione enclave near the center. ...

In a referendum held in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg on 11 May 1919 over 80% of those voting supported a proposal that the state should join the Swiss Confederation. However, this was prevented by the opposition of the Austrian Government, the Allies, Swiss liberals, the Swiss-Italians and the Swiss-French.^[7] Vorarlberg is the westernmost state (Land) of Austria. ... May 11 is the 131st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (132nd in leap years). ... Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... In Austrian history, the First Republic refers to the period after World War I, following the breakdown of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, up to World War II. This period was marked by violent strife between the left and the right, e. ... European military alliances in 1914. ... This article is part of or related to the Liberalism series Categories: Politics stubs | Liberal related stubs | Liberalism by country | Swiss political parties ... Map of the languages of Switzerland; Romandy is shown in purple. ...

Geography

With an area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi), Switzerland is a relatively small country. The population is about 7.4 million, resulting in a population density of 182 people per square kilometre (472/sq mi).^[8] Map of Switzerland from French Wikipedia uploaded by fr:Utilisateur:Greatpatton. ... Map of Switzerland from French Wikipedia uploaded by fr:Utilisateur:Greatpatton. ... Download high resolution version (1167x767, 229 KB)A very large map of Switzerland showing places in Switzerland (red) and the neighbouring areas (grey), large lakes (blue) , main rivers (blue), main railways (black), motorways (orange) and places of interest (brown). ... Download high resolution version (1167x767, 229 KB)A very large map of Switzerland showing places in Switzerland (red) and the neighbouring areas (grey), large lakes (blue) , main rivers (blue), main railways (black), motorways (orange) and places of interest (brown). ... Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1534 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1920x2560, 1534 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Sent is a municipality with approximately 870 inhabitants in the Swiss Canton GraubÃ¼nden. ... GraubÃ¼nden or Grisons (German: ; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun, French: Grisons) is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require rewriting and/or reformatting. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (â‰ˆ1,609 m) in length. ...

Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau, and the Jura mountains. The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Among the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4,634 metres (15,203 ft), are found countless valleys, some with glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhône, the Inn, the Aare, and the Ticino flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zürich, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Constance. The Swiss Alps are the central portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. ... The Swiss plateau (plateau suisse in French, Schweizer Mittelland in German) constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Alps. ... Looking towards Lelex from near to CrÃªt de La Neige The Jura folds are located north of the main Alpine orogenic front and are being continually deformed, accommodating the northwards compression due to Alpine folding. ... The West face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ... The Swiss Alps are the central portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. ... Dufourspitze (De. ... This article is about a foot as a unit of length. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity and undergoes internal deformation. ... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... Length 800 km Elevation of the source 1753 m Average discharge 1800 m³/ s Area watershed 100,200 km² Origin Rhône glacier Mouth Mediterranean Sea Basin countries Switzerland, France The River Rhône ( Latin Rhodanus, French Rhône, Occitan Rose, German Rotten) is one of the major rivers (ca. ... The Inn is a river in Switzerland, Austria and Germany. ... For other possible meanings, see AAR, a disambiguation page The Aar (in German Aare) is the greatest river which both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland. ... The Ticino River is a tributary of the Po. ... Lake Geneva or Lake LÃ©man (French Lac LÃ©man, le LÃ©man, or Lac de GenÃ¨ve) is the second largest freshwater lake in Central Europe (after Lake Balaton). ... Lake Zurich showing a sailing boat, a popular pastime on the lake Lake Zurich (also spelled Lake ZÃ¼rich or Lake of ZÃ¼rich; in German ZÃ¼richsee) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the town of ZÃ¼rich. ... Lake NeuchÃ¢tel (French: Lac de NeuchÃ¢tel; German: Neuenburgersee) is a lake in Western Switzerland (French-speaking Switzerland). ... Map of the Bodensee; Schweiz is Switzerland, Deutschland is Germany, and Osterreich is Austria. ...

The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be mountainous, for example, in the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from harsh conditions on the high mountains to the often pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. Looking towards Lelex from near to CrÃªt de La Neige The Jura folds are located north of the main Alpine orogenic front and are being continually deformed, accommodating the northwards compression due to Alpine folding. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... A Mediterranean climate is a climate that resembles those of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. ...

Switzerland's eco-systems can be particularly vulnerable due to the many valleys separated by high mountains, often forming unique ecologies, and the mountainous regions themselves, with a rich range of plants not found at other altitudes.

See also: Swisstopo topographical survey, List of lakes of Switzerland, List of rivers of Switzerland, List of mountain passes in Switzerland. Swisstopo is the common name for the Swiss Federal Office of Topography (in German: Bundesamt fÃ¼r Landestopografie. ... Largest Lakes in Switzerland (Area larger than 20 km²) Lake Geneva (Lac Léman, Lac de Genève) - 581. ... Rivers of Switzerland: The longest Swiss rivers (> 100 km) Rhine - 375 km - 36494 km² Aar - 295 km - 17779 km² Rhone River - 264 km - 10403 km² Reuss River - 158 km - 3425 km² Linth / Limmat - 140 km - 2416 km² Saane/Sarine - 128 km - 1892 km² Thur... This is a list of mountain passes in Switzerland. ...

Economy

Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy, with a nominal per capita GDP that is higher than those of the big western European economies, United States and Japan, though on a PPP basis, it ranks tenth. For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin. However, since the early 1990s it has suffered from slow growth and, in 2005, fell to fourth among European states with populations above one million in terms of nominal Gross Domestic Product per capita behind Ireland, Denmark and Norway and to the tenth position in terms of Gross Domestic Product per capita at purchasing power parity (also behind the European countries Austria and Iceland; (see list). Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 2327 KB) [edit] Summary [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Switzerland Saas-Grund Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1920x2560, 2327 KB) [edit] Summary [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Switzerland Saas-Grund Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital... Saas-Grund is a Swiss village in the Saas-Valley in the Wallis mountains with the gondola-lift to the Kreuzboden (2400 m) and Hohsaas (3100 m). ... Saas-Fee is a Swiss village and tourism centre in the Saas-Valley in the Wallis mountains. ... The economy of Switzerland is one of the worlds most stable. ... Purchasing power parity (PPP) is in economics the method of using the long-run equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize the currencies purchasing power. ... IMF 2005 figures of total GDP of nominal compared to PPP. Absolute, not adjusted for population. ... IMF 2005 figures of total GDP of nominal compared to PPP. Absolute, not adjusted for population. ... Purchasing power parity (PPP) is in economics the method of using the long-run equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize the currencies purchasing power. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita, based on the 2005 IMF data. ... The European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was established on May 3, 1960 as an alternative for European states that were not allowed or did not wish to join the European Community (now the European Union). ...

In recent years, the Swiss have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with those of the European Union, in an effort to enhance their international competitiveness, but this has not produced strong growth. Full EU membership is a long-term objective of the Swiss government, but there is considerable popular sentiment against this. To this end, it has established an Integration Office under the Department of Foreign and Economic Affairs. To minimise the negative consequences of Switzerland's isolation from the rest of Europe, Bern and Brussels signed seven agreements, called bilateral agreements, to further liberalise trade ties. These agreements were signed in 1999 and took effect in 2001. This first series of bilateral agreements included the free movement of persons. A second series covering nine areas was signed in 2004 and awaits ratification. The second series includes the Schengen treaty and the Dublin Convention. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. Preparatory discussions are being opened on four new areas: opening up the electricity market, participation in the European GPS system Galileo, cooperating with the European centre for disease prevention and recognising certificates of origin for food products. Switzerland voted against membership in the European Economic Area in December 1992 and has since maintained and developed its relationships with the European Union and European countries through bilateral agreements. A full report on the potential advantages and inconveniences of full EU membership is expected to be published in June 2006 by the Department of Foreign affairs. EU membership supporters hope this report could help reopen the internal debate, which has been dormant since March 2001, when the Swiss people refused in a popular vote to start accession negotiations with the EU. Nickname: The Capital Of Europe, Comic City City of a 100 Museums Map showing the location of Brussels in Belgium Coordinates: Country Belgium Region Brussels-Capital Region Founded 979 Founded (Region) June 18, 1989 Mayor (Municipality) Freddy Thielemans Area - City 162 (Region) kmÂ² (62. ... Schengen Treaty members are in dark blue, while signatories (where it is not yet implemented) are in light blue. ... The Dublin Convention (or sometimes the Dublin accords) is a European Union (EU) law to streamline the application process for refugees seeking political asylum under the Geneva Convention, as amended by the New York Protocol. ... The Galileo positioning system is a proposed satellite navigation system, to be built by the European Union (EU) as an alternative to GPS (which is controlled by the United States military) and the Russian GLONASS. The system should be operational by 2010, two years later than originally anticipated. ... EFTA countries (except Switzerland) EU countries Acceding EU countries (in EAA entry talks) Together these form the EEA. The European Economic Area (EEA) came into being on January 1, 1994 following an agreement between the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Union (EU). ...

This is a list of Swiss companies, currently active and former ones: Asea Brown Boveri (ABB) Adecco AMAG Arbonia Forster ASCOM ATAG ATAG Ernst Young Bally Shoe Baloise Batigroup Bucher Bucherer BÃ¼hler AG CÃ¢bles Cortaillod Caran dAche Ciba Specialty Chemicals CityNightLine, is a Night Train company servicing... Swiss banks are world-renowned for their stability, privacy and protection of clients. ... Somewhat unusually for a landlocked country, Switzerland has a long tradition of civilian navigation, both on its lakes and rivers, and on the high seas. ...

Demographics

Switzerland lies at the crossroads of several major European cultures that have heavily influenced the country's languages and culture. Switzerland has four official languages: German (64%) in the north and centre; French (20.4%) to the west; Italian (6.5%) in the south; and Romansh (a Romance language), that is spoken locally by a small minority (< 1%) in the southeastern canton of Graubünden. (Some dialects of Franco-Provençal have speakers in rural communities in the region where French is spoken. This language has no legal status.) The federal government is obliged to communicate in the four official languages. In the federal parliament, German, French, Italian and Romansh are the official languages and simultaneous translation is provided. The German spoken in Switzerland is predominantly a group of dialects collectively known as Swiss German, but written communication and broadcasts typically use standard High German. Similarly, there are some dialects in the other speaking part of Switzerland, called Swiss French and Ticinese (a dialect of Italian). Also the official languages (German, French and Italian) borrow some terms not understood outside of Switzerland, i.e. terms from other languages (German Billette ^[10] from French), from similar term in another language (Italian azione used not as act but as discount from German Aktion). Learning one of the other national languages at school is obligatory for all Swiss, so most Swiss are supposed to be at least bilingual (in reality, many Swiss are more fluent in English than in their own country's other languages, particularly the German-speaking Swiss). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x957, 277 KB) Beschreibung Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Switzerland Demographics of Switzerland ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x957, 277 KB) Beschreibung Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Switzerland Demographics of Switzerland ... German (called Deutsch in German; in German the term germanisch is equivalent to English Germanic), is a member of the western group of Germanic languages and is one of the worlds major languages. ... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... Italian ( , or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 70 million people, primarily in Italy. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... Main languages in Switzerland[1]: German (63. ... Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the countrys languages and cultural practices. ... An official language is a language that is given a privileged legal status in a state, or other legally-defined territory. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... The Romance languages, also called Romanic languages, are a subfamily of the Italic languages, specifically the descendants of the Vulgar Latin dialects spoken by the common people evolving in different areas after the break-up of the Roman Empire. ... GraubÃ¼nden or Grisons (German: ; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun, French: Grisons) is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. ... Franco-ProvenÃ§al (FrancoprovenÃ§al) or Arpitan (in vernacular: patouÃ¨s) (in Italian: francoprovenzale, provenzale alpina, arpitano, patois; French: francoprovenÃ§al, arpitan, patois) is a Romance language with several dialects in a linguistic sub-group separate from Langue dOÃ¯l and Langue dOc. ... A dialect (from the Greek word Î´Î¹Î¬Î»ÎµÎºÏ„Î¿Ï‚, dialektos) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Swiss French (Suisse romand in French) is the name used for the different dialects of French spoken in the Francophone part of Switzerland known as Romandy. ... Ticinese (ticines, ticinées) is a common denomination for Lombard language varieties spoken in Canton Ticino (Tessin). ... The term multilingualism can refer to phenomena regarding an individual speaker who uses or can speak two or more languages, a community of speakers where two or more languages are used or spoken, or between speakers of different languages. ...

Resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 21% of the population. Most of these are from European Union countries (Italians being the largest group, at 4%), with smaller numbers from the rest of the world, including refugees from the former Yugoslavia (5%) and Turks (1%). Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in Latin, ÐˆÑƒÐ³Ð¾ÑÐ»Ð°Ð²Ð¸Ñ˜Ð° in Cyrillic, English: Land of the South Slavs) describes four political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ...

The country has seen growth in the population of Hmong, Lao and Vietnamese people, and also immigrants from Mexico and South America. This is a list of famous Swiss and notable people from or resident in Switzerland and cantons forming present-day Switzerland. ...

Religion

Switzerland has no country-wide state religion, though most of the cantons (except for Geneva and Neuchâtel) recognize official churches, in all cases including the Roman Catholic Church and the Swiss Reformed Church, in some cantons also the Old Catholic Church and Jewish congregations.^[11] These churches are financed by official taxation of adherents. A church in Fischenthal, a village in the canton of ZÃ¼rich Switzerland has no country-wide state religion, though most of the cantons (except for Geneva and NeuchÃ¢tel) recognize official churches, in all cases including the Roman Catholic Church and the Swiss Reformed Church, in some cantons also... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 736 KB) Summary Church in Fischentahl, village in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 736 KB) Summary Church in Fischentahl, village in the canton of Zurich, Switzerland. ... Fischenthal is a municipality in the district of Hinwil, in the canton of ZÃ¼rich, Switzerland. ... The Canton of ZÃ¼rich (German: Kanton ) has a population of about 1. ... Nations with state religions: Buddhism Islam Shia Islam Sunni Islam Orthodox Christianity Protestantism Roman Catholic Church A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the name of the westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France and centered around the city of Geneva. ... NeuchÃ¢tel is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins and sees itself as the same Church founded by Jesus and maintained through Apostolic Succession from the Twelve Apostles. ... The Reformed branch of Protestantism in Switzerland was started in Zurich by Huldrych Zwingli and spread within a few years to Basle (Johannes Oecolampadius), Berne (Berchtold Haller and Niklaus Manuel), St. ... The Old Catholic Church is a community of Christian churches. ...

Christianity is the predominant religion of Switzerland, divided between the Roman Catholic Church (44% of the population) and various Protestant denominations (38.5%). Immigration has brought Islam (4.3%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (1.8%) as sizeable minority religions.^[12]. The 2005 Eurobarometer poll^[13] found 48% to be theist, 39% expressing belief in "a spirit of life force", 9% atheist and 4% agnostic. This article is becoming very long. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins and sees itself as the same Church founded by Jesus and maintained through Apostolic Succession from the Twelve Apostles. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ...

The country is historically about evenly balanced between Catholic and Protestant, with a confusing patchwork of majorities over most of the country. Some cantons, such as Appenzell, are even officially divided into Catholic and Protestant sections^{[citation needed]} The larger cities (Bern, Zürich, Basel, Geneva) are predominately Protestant. Central Switzerland as well as the Ticino is traditionally Catholic. The Swiss constitution of 1848, under the recent impression of the clashes of Catholic vs. Protestant cantons that culminated in the Sonderbundskrieg, consciously defines a consociational state, allowing the peaceful co-existence of Catholics and Protestants. A 1980 initiative calling for the complete separation of church and state was clearly rejected, with only 21.1% voting in support. The Swiss Constitution (Bundesverfassung in German) is at the highest level of Switzerlands judicial system. ... In 1847, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). ... Political scientists define a consociational state as a state which has major internal divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, yet nonetheless manages to remain stable, due to consultation among the elites of each of its major social groups. ... Jesus vertreibt die HÃ¤ndler aus dem Tempel (Jesus and the Money Changers [in the Temple]) by Giovanni Paolo Pannini. ...

Culture

The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. In particular, French-speaking regions have tended to orient themselves on French culture, German-speaking on German culture, and Italian-speaking on Italian culture; thus, a region may be more strongly culturally connected to the neighboring country that shares its language than to the rest of its own land. The linguistically isolated Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is also robust. This strong regionalism in Switzerland makes it difficult to speak of a homogeneous Swiss culture. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 844 KB) fr: DÃ©monstration de danses folkloriques Ã Lausanne, Suisse Demonstration of folk danses Lausanne, Switzerland Work by Rama Reuploaded by Schutz to correct the name; originally uploaded under http://commons. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 844 KB) fr: DÃ©monstration de danses folkloriques Ã Lausanne, Suisse Demonstration of folk danses Lausanne, Switzerland Work by Rama Reuploaded by Schutz to correct the name; originally uploaded under http://commons. ... Lausanne is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac LÃ©man), and facing Ã‰vian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura hills to its north. ... The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. ... Switzerland has long had a distinct cultural identity, despite its diversity of German, French and other ethnicities. ... The Swiss cuisine is unique in its many regional influences from its neighbors cuisine, including Italian, French, and German cuisine. ... SRG SSR idÃ©e suisse is the Swiss public broadcasting organisation, founded in 1931. ...

A number of culturally active Swiss have chosen to move abroad, probably given the limited opportunities in their homeland. At the same time, the neutrality of Switzerland and the low taxes have attracted many creative people from all over the world. In war times the tradition of political asylum helped to attract artists, whilst recently low taxes seem predominant. Power lines leading to a trash dump hover just overhead in El Carpio, a Nicaraguan refugee camp in Costa Rica Under international law, a refugee is a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her... Look up artist in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

International rankings

Political and economic rankings

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) Beschreibung Beschreibung: Ãœbersicht des Korruptionswahrnehmungsindexes, nach LÃ¤ndern (Stand: 2005) Description: Overview of the index of perception of corruption (last update: 2005) Description: Carte du monde de lindice de perception de la corruption (annÃ©e 2005) Quelle... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB) Beschreibung Beschreibung: Ãœbersicht des Korruptionswahrnehmungsindexes, nach LÃ¤ndern (Stand: 2005) Description: Overview of the index of perception of corruption (last update: 2005) Description: Carte du monde de lindice de perception de la corruption (annÃ©e 2005) Quelle... Transparency International (TI) is an international organisation addressing corruption, including, but not limited to, political corruption. ... This map reflects the findings of Freedom Houses 2006 survey Freedom in the World, concerning the state of world freedom in 2005. ... Reporters Without Borders, or RWB (French: Reporters sans frontiÃ¨res, Spanish: Reporteros Sin Fronteras, or RSF) is a French origin international non-governmental organization that advocates freedom of the press, founded by its current general-secretary, Robert Menard. ... The international dollar is a hypothetical unit of currency that has the same purchasing power that the U.S. dollar has in the United States at a given point in time. ... World map of the Gini coefficient This is a list of countries or dependencies by Income inequality metrics, sorted in descending order according to their Gini coefficient. ... The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality developed by the Italian statistician Corrado Gini and published in his 1912 paper Variabilità e mutabilità. It is usually used to measure income inequality, but can be used to measure any form of uneven distribution. ... World literacy rates by country, based on The World Factbook. ...

Health rankings

Map of countries and territories by fertility rate This is a list of countries by total fertility rate (TFR): the expected number of children born per woman in her child-bear years, based on 2006 age-specific fertility rate data. ... This is a list of countries by infant mortality rate, based on The World Factbook, 2005 estimates. ... World map showing Life expectancy This is a list of countries by life expectancy, based on The World Factbook, 2006 estimates. ... The following is a List of suicide rates by country. ... This is a list of countries and territories by HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate, based on The World Factbook, accessed in September 2005. ...

Other rankings

Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here CO2 emission per capita per year per country This is a list of countriesafsdafdasfsdfsfsdfafsafsdafsadfs by carbon dioxide emissions per capita from 1990 through 2003. ... This article or section may contain external links added only to promote a website, product, or service â€“ otherwise known as spam. ... The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international organization of those developed countries that accept the principles of representative democracy and a free market economy. ... This is a list of countries ordered by per-capita consumption of beer, as of 2004. ... Cheese is a solid food made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, and other mammals. ... Chocolate most commonly comes in dark, milk, and white varieties, with cocoa solids contributing to the brown coloration. ...

Notes

A map showing the distribution of the Swiss languages; drawn by Kokiri: German (64%; yellow), French (19%; purple), Italian (8%; green), Romansh (less than 1%; red) File links The following pages link to this file: Switzerland Categories: GFDL images ... A map showing the distribution of the Swiss languages; drawn by Kokiri: German (64%; yellow), French (19%; purple), Italian (8%; green), Romansh (less than 1%; red) File links The following pages link to this file: Switzerland Categories: GFDL images ... Map of the languages of Switzerland; Romandy is shown in purple. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, along with German, Italian and French. ... Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno is a Latin phrase that means One for all, all for one in English. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ...

References

The Historical Dictionary of Switzerland is an encyclopedia on the history of Switzerland that aims to take into account the results of modern historical research in a manner accessible to a broader audience. ... The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication of The Economist Newspaper Ltd edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ... February 14 is the 45th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

History

Early history

French invasion of 1798

Constitution of 1848

20th century

21st century

Politics

Direct democracy

International institutions in Switzerland

Energy politics

Cantons (states)

Geography

Economy

Demographics

Religion

Culture

International rankings

Political and economic rankings

Health rankings

Other rankings

Notes

References

See also

External links

Official Switzerland

History

References

Media

Tourism

Contents

History GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Early history

French invasion of 1798

Constitution of 1848

20th century

21st century

Politics

Direct democracy

International institutions in Switzerland

Energy politics

Cantons (states)

Geography

Economy

Demographics

Religion

Culture

International rankings

Political and economic rankings

Health rankings

Other rankings

Notes

References

See also

External links

Official Switzerland

History

References

Media

Tourism

History