NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Swiss Confederation

The Swiss Confederation or Switzerland is a landlocked federal state in Europe, with neighbours Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. The country has a strong tradition of political and military neutrality, but also of international co-operation, and is home to many international organisations. World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly landlocked country (one of two such countries, the other being Uzbekistan) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... 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 (CH), the Latin version of the official name, avoids choosing one of the four official languages. The abbreviation is similarly used; for example, it is used as Switzerland's ccTLD, .ch. Latin - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .ch is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Switzerland. ...

This article explains the meaning of area as a physical quantity. ... Here 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 km² and 100,000 km². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... In the most common sense of the word, a population is the collection of people—or organisms of a particular species—living in a given geographic area. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January events January 1 Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ... Population density can be used as a measurement of any tangible item. ... This is a list of sovereign states and other territories by population. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... GDP is an acronym which can stand for more than one thing: (in economics) an abbreviation for Gross Domestic Product. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... Here is 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. ... This is a list of the worlds economies sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP) at market or government official exchange rates. ... Here is a list of countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by population as of 1 July for the same year. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by their Gross Domestic Product (Nominal) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year, divided by the average population for the same year. ... Independence is autonomous self-government of a country by its residents and indigenous population. ... Federal Charter of 1291 The Federal Charter or Letter of Alliance (in German Bundesbrief) is documenting the Eternal Alliance or League Of The Three Forest Cantons (in German Ewiger Bund der Drei Waldstätten), the union of three cantons in what is now central Switzerland, formed in early August, 1291. ... August 1st is the 213th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (214th in leap years), with 152 days remaining. ... Events May 10 - Scottish nobles recognize the authority of King Edward I of England. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... Events Peace treaty signed at Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Swiss Franc (CHF) is the currency of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. ... ISO 4217 is an international standard describing three letter codes to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization or ISO. The first two letters of the code are the two letters of ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country codes (which are similar to those used... -1... European Summer Time is the daylight saving time practised in Europe, the period during which clocks are advanced by one hour in relation to the official time observed during the rest of the year. ... Central European Time (CET) is one of the names of UTC+1 time zone, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... Central European Summer Time (CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. ... UTC also stands for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Coordinated Universal Time or UTC, also sometimes referred to as Zulu time, is an atomic realization of Universal Time or Greenwich mean time, the astronomical basis for civil time. ... The National Anthem is the name of a song by the band Radiohead. ... The Swiss Psalm is the national anthem of Switzerland. ... A top-level domain (TLD) is the last part of which Internet domain names consist of. ... .ch is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Switzerland. ...

History

Main article: History of Switzerland 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. ...

Switzerland is a federation of relatively autonomous cantons, some of which have a history of confederacy that goes back more than 700 years, arguably putting them among the world's oldest surviving republics. The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... In a broad definition a republic is a state or country that is led by people that dont found their power status on any principle beyond the control of the people living in that state or country. ...

According to the popular legend, 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 foreign rule by the Habsburgs, who then held the German imperial throne of the Holy Roman Empire. At the Battle of Morgarten in 1315, the Swiss defeated the Habsburg army and secured quasi-independence as the Swiss Confederation. The authenticity of the Federal Charter is disputed with many historians agreeing that it is in fact a forgery of the 14th century. Events May 10 - Scottish nobles recognize the authority of King Edward I of England. ... Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The town Schwyz is the capital of the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. ... Unterwalden is a region in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne. ... Federal Charter of 1291 The Federal Charter or Letter of Alliance (in German Bundesbrief) is documenting the Eternal Alliance or League Of The Three Forest Cantons (in German Ewiger Bund der Drei Waldstätten), the union of three cantons in what is now central Switzerland, formed in early August, 1291. ... Habsburg (sometimes spelled Hapsburg, but never so in official use) was one of the major ruling houses of Europe. ... The Holy Roman Empire ( German: Heiliges Römisches Reich) ( Italian: Sacro Romano Impero) ( Latin: Sacrum Romanum Imperium) ( Czech: Svatá říše římská) ( French: Saint Empire Romain Germanique) ( Polish: Święte Cesarstwo Rzymskie Narodu Niemieckiego) ( Dutch: Heilige Roomse Rijk) was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the... 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. ... Events August 13 - Louis X of France marries Clemence dAnjou. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ...

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 a war against the Swabian League in 1499 amounted to de facto independence from the Holy Roman Empire. Events The Decameron was finished by Giovanni Boccaccio. ... Glarus (French Glaris) is a canton in east central Switzerland. ... Zug, capital of the Swiss canton of that name, a picturesque little town at the northeastern corner of the lake of Zug, and at the foot of the Zugerberg (3255 ft. ... Lucerne (German: Luzern) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (31 December 2003), capital of the canton of Lucerne. ... Zürich IPA (in English often Zurich, which is also the standard French form of the name) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 364,558 in 2002; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... For other uses, see Bern (disambiguation). ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... Centuries: 14th century - 15th century - 16th century Decades: 1390s 1400s 1410s 1420s 1430s - 1440s - 1450s 1460s 1470s 1480s 1490s Years: 1440 1441 1442 1443 1444 1445 1446 1447 1448 1449 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 Pre-Indo-European people, Celts ( Gauls), Romans ( Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Centuries: 14th century - 15th century - 16th century Decades: 1420s 1430s 1440s 1450s 1460s - 1470s - 1480s 1490s 1500s 1510s 1520s Years: 1470 1471 1472 1473 1474 1475 1476 1477 1478 1479 Events and Trends battle of Avenches 1476 Prominent Persons Nicolaus Copernicus, Polish astronomer Categories: 1470s ... A mercenary is a soldier who fights, or engages in warfare exclusively for money, without any regard for ideological, national or political considerations. ... 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 Swabian League, an association of German cities, principally in the territory which had formed the old duchy of Swabia. ... Events July 22 - Battle of Dornach - The Swiss decisively defeat the Imperial army of Emperor Maximilian I. July 28 - First Battle of Lepanto - The Turkish navy wins a decisive victory over the Venetians. ... The Holy Roman Empire ( German: Heiliges Römisches Reich) ( Italian: Sacro Romano Impero) ( Latin: Sacrum Romanum Imperium) ( Czech: Svatá říše římská) ( French: Saint Empire Romain Germanique) ( Polish: Święte Cesarstwo Rzymskie Narodu Niemieckiego) ( Dutch: Heilige Roomse Rijk) was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the...

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. Events Leonardo da Vinci completes the Mona Lisa. ... Pope Julius II Julius II, né Giuliano della Rovere (December 5, 1443 - February 21, 1513), was pope from 1503 to 1513. ... Swiss Guards have been Swiss who fought for various European powers from the 15th century until the 19th century, called up from the separate Swiss cantons and placed at the disposal of various foreign powers by treaties (the capitulations), in return for money payments. ... Vatican may refer to: Holy See Roman Curia Vatican City Vatican Hill Vatican Palace Vatican Library This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Events June - Invasion of Persia by Sultan Selim I of the Ottoman Empire. ... The battle of Marignano took place on 13 and 14 September 1515, at a location 16 km south east of Milan, during the Italian Wars of Francis I of France. ...

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. 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. ... Events April 22 - Portugal, stipulating that the dividing line should lie 297. ... Events January 26 - Lisbon, Portugal is hit by an earthquake-- thousands die October 1 - Battle of Kappel - The forces of Zürich are defeated by the Catholic cantons. ... Events Masuria is devastated during the Deluge when it was raided by Tartars and Poles End of the war started in 1648 between Poland, Ducal Prussia, Russia and Transylvania. ... Events Treaty of Aargau signed between Catholic and Protestants. ...

Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, European countries recognised Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality (ancien régime). In 1798, armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland and in 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte imposed a new constitution, largely restoring Swiss autonomy. 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, the territory of Switzerland was increased for the last time, by the new cantons of Valais, Neuchatel and Geneva. 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 ... Zug, capital of the Swiss canton of that name, a picturesque little town at the northeastern corner of the lake of Zug, and at the foot of the Zugerberg (3255 ft. ... 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. ... Events Peace treaty signed at Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War. ... A neutral country takes no side in a war between other parties, and in return hopes to avoid being attacked by either of them. ... Events February-October - Irish Rebellion of 1798 April 7 - The Georgia and South Carolina and is later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the U.S. and Spain April 26 - France annexes Geneva May 24 - Irish nationalists rebel against British occupation forces believing that French troops were... The period of the French Revolution in the history of France covers the years between 1789 and 1799, in which democrats and republicans overthrew the absolute monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... Events January 30 - Monroe and Livingston sail for Paris to discuss, and possibly buy, New Orleans. ... 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 Français... The Congress of Vienna (October 1, 1814 - June 9, 1815) was a conference between ambassadors from the major powers in Europe that was chaired by the Austrian statesman Klemens Wenzel von Metternich and held in Vienna, Austria. ... 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Valais (also known in German as Wallis) 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. ... Neuchâtel 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. ...

In 1847, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). Its immediate cause was a 'special treaty' (Sonderbund) of the Catholic cantons. The war lasted for less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties. Apart from small riots, this was the latest armed conflict on Swiss territory. Events January January 4 - Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the United States government. ... 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 a federal constitution in 1848, amending it extensively in 1874 and establishing federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters. Since then, continued political, economic, and social improvement has characterised Swiss history. An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ... 1848 is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Events January - April January 1 - New York City annexes The Bronx January 23 - Marriage of the Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria, to Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, only daughter of Emperor Alexander III of Russia. ...

In 1920, Switzerland joined the League of Nations, and in 1963 the Council of Europe. The League of Nations was an international organisation founded after the First World War with its constitution being approved by the Paris Peace Conference in 1919. ... Events January-February January 11 - The Whisky A Go-Go night club in Los Angeles, the first disco in the USA, is opened. ... The Palace of Europe in Strasbourg The Council of Europe is an international organisation of 46 member states in the European region. ...

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, this event ultimately never occurred. The massive mobilization of Swiss armed forces under the leadership of General Henri Guisan in opposition to the Nazis is often cited as a leading reason for why Switzerland was able to escape the fate of most other western European states. Modern historical findings such as the research done by the Bergier commission indicate, that the other major reason was gold trading done by Swiss banks. So Switzerland once again managed to escape the war without being a part of major fighting. However, Swiss neutrality was somewhat violated by both Allies and the Axis in respect to airspace. Switzerland shot down both Allied and Axis airplanes. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... Henri Guisan ( 21 October 1874 - 8 April 1960) was the most recent General of the Swiss army, as Commander in Chief during World War 2. ...

Women were granted the right to vote in the first cantons in 1971, in the last canton only in 1990. In 1979, parts of the canton of Berne attained independence, forming the new canton of Jura. On April 18, 1999 the Swiss population and the cantons voted in favor of a total revised federal constitution. 1979 is a common year starting on Monday. ... For other uses, see Bern (disambiguation). ... The Canton of Jura is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the northwestern part of Switzerland. ... An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ...

In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the United Nations. Switzerland is not a member state of the EU but applied for membership therein in May 1992. Switzerland has not advanced this application since the rejection in a Swiss referendum of the European Economic Area in December 1992. However, Swiss law is gradually being adjusted to that of the EU and the government has signed a number of bilateral agreements with the European Union. It remains an objective of the government to join the European Union. Switzerland (together with Liechtenstein) has been surrounded by EU territory since the joining of Austria in 1995. The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization made up of 191 states established in 1945. ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... 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). ... The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly landlocked country (one of two such countries, the other being Uzbekistan) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ...

Politics

Main article: Politics of Switzerland Switzerland is a federal republic, and perhaps the closest state in the world to a direct democracy. ...

Switzerland features a system of government unlike any other seen in Europe, or indeed much of the world. 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. ... For other uses, see Bern (disambiguation). ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...

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. Alternative meanings: Parliamentary system, Parliament (band), Parliament (cigarette). ... The Council of States of Switzerland (German: Ständerat, French Conseil des Etats, Italian Consiglio degli Stati) is the upper house of the Swiss parliament. ... The National Council of Switzerland 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. An organizations constitution defines its form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules. ...

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 semi-direct democracy. Proportional Representation (PR) describes various multi-winner electoral systems which try to ensure that the proportional support gained by different groups is accurately reflected in the election result. ... 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 comprises a form of democracy and theory of civics wherein all citizens can directly participate in the decision-making process. ...

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 preeminent role in directing the legislative process as well as executing federal laws. The President of the Confederation is elected from the seven. During a one year term, he assumes special representative functions. Executive can mean: Executive (government), a branch of government; A functionary in a commercial or non-commercial organisation. ... A head of state or chief of state is the chief public representative of a nation-state, federation or commonwealth, whose role generally includes personifying the continuity and legitimacy of the state and exercising the political powers, functions and duties granted to the head of state in the countrys... The Swiss Federal Council (in German: Bundesrat, in French: Conseil fédéral, in Italian: Consiglio federale, in Romansh: Cussegl Federal) is the seven-member executive council which collectively assumes the office of head of state equivalent to that of a president or of a monarch in the government of... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... The list of Presidents of the Swiss Confederation (1848-present) presents 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 Free 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. The Christian Democratic Peoples Party of Switzerland (Also called as Christan-Democratic Party, German: Christlich Demokratische Volkspartei (CVP), French: Parti Démocrate-Chrétien Suisse (PDC), Italian: Partito Popolare Democratico Svizzero (PPD), Romansh: Partida Cristiandemocratica Svizra (PCD)) is a centre-right initially Catholic political party from Switzerland. ... 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 Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei (FDP) (in French: Parti radical-démocratique (PRD) and in 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 Démocratique du Centre, Italian: Unione Democratica del Centro, Romansh: Uniun Democratica dal Center) 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. ...

Cantons (States)

Main article: Cantons of Switzerland The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ...

The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons: 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. ... Graubünden or Grisons (German: Graubünden; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun; French: Grisons), is the largest and easternmost Swiss canton. ... A canton is a territorial subdivision of a country, e. ...

[*] these Cantons are represented by only one councilor in the Council of States. Aargau ( German Aargau, French Argovie, Italian Argovia, Romansh Argovia, in English sometimes Argovia) is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. ... 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 Bern (German: Kanton Bern; French Canton de Berne) 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. ... Glarus (French Glaris) is a canton in east central Switzerland. ... Graubünden or Grisons (German: Graubünden; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun; French: Grisons), is the largest and easternmost Swiss canton. ... 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. ... Neuchâtel is a canton of Switzerland. ... Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. ... Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. ... The Canton of Schaffhausen is a canton of Switzerland. ... Schwyz (German Schwyz, French Schwytz; Italian Svitto, Romansh Sviz) is a canton in central Switzerland between Lake Lucerne in the south and Lake Zürich in the north. ... Solothurn is a canton of Switzerland. ... St. ... Thurgau (Thurgovia) is a canton of Switzerland. ... Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland, and almost entirely Italian-speaking (except the German-speaking municipality of Bosco/Gurin). ... Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Valais (also known in German as Wallis) 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. ... Zug (French: Zoug, Italian: Zugo) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The Swiss canton of Zürich (German: Kanton Zürich) has a population of about 1. ... The Council of States of Switzerland (German: Ständerat, French Conseil des Etats, Italian Consiglio degli Stati) is the upper house of the Swiss parliament. ...

The population varies between 15,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,253,500 (Zürich), area between 37 km² (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km² (Grisons). Cantons are divided in a total of 2,889 municipalities. Municipalities are the smallest government division in Switzerland. ...

The following towns are enclaves within Switzerland: Büsingen is territory of Germany, Campione d'Italia is territory of Italy. In human geography, an enclave is a piece of land which is totally enclosed within a foreign territory. ... Büsingen am Hochrhein is a German town entirely surrounded by the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen. ... Campione (also known as Campione dItalia) is an Italian enclave within the Swiss canton of Ticino, separated from the rest of Italy by Lake Lugano and mountains. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ...

Geography

With an area of 41,000 square kilometers, Switzerland is a small country. The population is around 7.4 million, resulting in a population density of 184 people per km² (roughly comparable to the U. S. state of Maryland). Map of Switzerland from French Wikipedia uploaded by fr:Utilisateur:Greatpatton. ... Map of Switzerland from French Wikipedia uploaded by fr:Utilisateur:Greatpatton. ... The word Usa has more than one meaning: U.S.A. - The United States of America Usa, Oita - A city in Japan This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... State nickname: Old Line State; Free State Other U.S. States Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Official languages English Area 32,160 km² (42nd) - Land 25,338 km² - Water 6,968 km² (21%) Population (2000) - Population 5,296,486 (19th) - Density 165 /km² (5th) Admittance into...

The Swiss landscape is characterised by the Alps, a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Amongst the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4,634 m, 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 or the Ticino, flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zürich, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Constance and farther down. The Alps is the collective name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria in the east, Slovenia, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany, through to France in the west. ... Chief peaks and mountain passes in the Swiss Alps: Regions Bernese Oberland with chief peaks and moutain passes from Lake Geneva to the Furka, the Reuss Valley and Lake Lucerne; Lepontine Alps from the Simplon to the Splugen and south of the Furka and Oberalp Passes; from the St Gotthard... Dufourspitze (De. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 1 km and 10 km (103 and 104 m). ... Austrias longest glacier, the Pasterze, winds its 8 km (5 mile) route at the foot of Austrias highest mountain, the Grossglockner A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... The Rhine canyon (Ruinaulta) in Graubünden in Switzerland Length 1. ... 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. ... The Jet dEau fountain in Lake Geneva in Geneva Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman, Le Léman or Lac de Genève, (German: Genfersee) is the second largest freshwater lake in central Europe (after Lake Balaton), divided between France (Haute-Savoie) and Switzerland (cantons of Vaud, Geneva, and Valais). ... Lake Zurich showing a sailing boat, a popular pastime on the lake Lake Zurich, Illinois. ... Lake Neuchâtel (in French: Lac de Neuchâtel, in German: Neuenburgersee) is a lake in Western Switzerland (French-speaking Switzerland). ... Lake Constance (German Bodensee, also known as Schwäbisches Meer (informally) and sometimes written Lake of Constance) is a lake on the Rhine between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. ...

The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be fairly mountainous such as with the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but it can vary greatly locally, from the harsh conditions on the high mountains to the pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. 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). ... 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. ... Map of the climate of the Earth The climate (ancient Greek: κλίμα) is the weather averaged over a long period of time. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ...

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. ... 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... Chief peaks and mountain passes in the Swiss Alps: Regions Bernese Oberland with chief peaks and moutain passes from Lake Geneva to the Furka, the Reuss Valley and Lake Lucerne; Lepontine Alps from the Simplon to the Splugen and south of the Furka and Oberalp Passes; from the St Gotthard...

Economy

Main article: Economy of Switzerland Despite a dearth of natural resources, the Swiss economy is among the worlds most advanced and prosperous. ...

Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP higher than that of the big western European economies. Switzerland is a member of the European Free Trade Association. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the European Union's to enhance their international competitiveness. Full EU membership is a long-term objective of the Swiss government. To this end, it has established an Integration Office (http://www.europa.admin.ch/e/index.htm) under the Department of Foreign and Economic Affairs. In order to minimise the negative consequences of Switzerland's isolation from the rest of Europe, Bern and Brussels signed seven agreements, called Bilateral Agreements I, to further liberalise trade ties in 1999 and entering into force 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 is waiting ratification. The second series includes the Schengen treaty and the Dublin Convention. They continue to discuss further areas for cooperation. 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 via bilateral agreements. In economics, the gross domestic product (GDP) is a measure of the amount of the economic production of a particular territory in financial capital terms during a specific time period. ... 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). ... The European Union or EU is an intergovernmental organisation of European countries, which currently has 25 member states. ... The Schengen treaty is an agreement originally signed on June 14, 1985, by five European Union countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France and Germany). ... 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 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 Baloise Batigroup Brown Boveri & Cie Bucher Bucherer Bühler Câbles Cortaillod Caran dAche Ciba (merged into Ciba-Geigy) Ciba Specialty Chemicals Ciba...

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Switzerland Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the countrys languages and cultural practices. ...

Switzerland sits at the crossroads of several major European cultures, which have heavily influenced the country's languages and cultural practices. Switzerland has four official languages: German (64%; yellow) in the north and centre, French (19%; purple) to the west, Italian (8%; green) in the south, and finally Romansh, a Romance language spoken by a small minority (<1%; red) in the southeastern canton of Graubünden. The German spoken here is predominantly a Swiss dialect known as Swiss German, but newspapers and some broadcasts use High German. Most Swiss speak two or more languages and resident foreigners and temporary foreign workers make up about 20% of the population. 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 ... 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 is a Romance language spoken by about 70 million people, most of whom live in Italy. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is any of the various Rhaetian languages spoken in 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 is a Romance language spoken by about 70 million people, most of whom live in Italy. ... Romansh (also spelled Rumantsch, Romansch or Romanche) is any of the various Rhaetian languages spoken in Switzerland. ... 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. ... Graubünden or Grisons (German: Graubünden; Italian: Grigioni; Romansh: Grischun; French: Grisons), is the largest and easternmost Swiss canton. ... Swiss German (Schweizerdeutsch, Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizerdütsch, Schwyzertütsch) is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland. ... Subdivisions Middle German Upper German High German (in German, Hochdeutsch; please note that Hochdeutsch is also used to refer to todays standard German) is any of several West Germanic languages spoken in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Luxembourg (as well as in neighbouring portions of Belgium, France (Alsace), Italy...

The largest religion in Switzerland is Roman Catholicism, to which some 43% of the population adhere. Various Protestant faiths number some 35% of the population, and immigration has established Islam (4%) and Eastern Orthodoxy (2%) as sizable minority religions. The remainder belongs to very small minorities or is unaffiliated. The stability and prosperity of Switzerland, combined with a linguistically and religiously diverse population has led some to describe the country as a consensus state or a consociational state. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Islam ( Arabic al-islām الإسلام, listen?) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith and the worlds second-largest religion. ... 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 remarkably stable, due to consultation between the elites of each of its major social groups. ...

This is a list of famous Swiss and notable people from or resident in Switzerland and cantons forming present-day Switzerland. ...

Culture

Main article: Culture of Switzerland The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. ...

The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. Traditionally Switzerland is not considered one of the centres of European culture, but this conception might be deceptive.

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 has 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.

Strong regionalism in Switzerland makes it difficult to speak of a homogenous Swiss culture. The influence of German, French and Italian culture on their neighbouring parts and the influence of Anglo-American culture cannot be denied. The Rhaeto-Romanic culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is robust.

The Swiss are noted for their banks, their chocolate, their cheese, their pocket knives, their watches, and their private boarding schools. The essential function of a bank is to provide services related to the storing of value and the extending of credit. ... A stack of chocolate pieces, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. ... Cubes of Emmental Swiss cheese Swiss cheese is the generic name for several related varieties of cheese, originally made in Switzerland. ... Categories: Stub | Switzerland | Knives | Mechanical hand tools ... This page is about timekeeping devices. ... A boarding school is a self-contained educational total institution where students not only study but where some or all students may live. ...

The tallest building in Switzerland is the Basler Messeturm. The Basler Messeturm (Basel Trade Fair Tower), located in Basel, is Switzerlands tallest building. ...

Switzerland has long had a distinct cultural identity, despite its diversity of German, French and other ethnicities. ... The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours, but over the years a distinctive culture with strong regional differences has developed. ... The Swiss cuisine is distinguished. ... SRG SSR idée suisse is the business name of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation -- in German: Schweizerische Radio- und Fernsehgesellschaft (SRG), in Romansh Societad svizra da radio e televisiun, in Italian: Società svizzera di radiotelevisione (SSR), in French: Société suisse de radiodiffusion et télévision (SSR). ...

Miscellaneous topics

See also: 2003 in Switzerland, other events of 2004, 2005 in Switzerland and the Timeline of history of Switzerland. ... See also: 2004 in Switzerland, other events of 2005, 2006 in Switzerland and the Timeline of history of Switzerland. ... Telephones - main lines in use: 4. ... Transportation in Switzerland Railways Main article: Swiss railroads total: 4492 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3483 km 1. ... Military of Switzerland On May 18, 2003, Swiss voters approved the military reform project Army XXI that will drastically reduce the size of the Swiss Army. ... This is a survey of the postage stamps and postal history of Switzerland. ... These are data codes for Switzerland. ... These are lists of cities in Switzerland. ... This is a list of famous Swiss and notable people from or resident in Switzerland and cantons forming present-day Switzerland. ... This page aims to list articles related to Switzerland. ... States colour-shaded according to entry (darkest being earliest) The European Union originally consisted of six member states. ... The European Union has a number of relationships with nations that are not formally part of the Union. ...

External links

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Categories: European countries | Switzerland This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ... Albania is a Mediterranean country in southeastern Europe. ... National motto: Virtus Unita Fortior (Latin: Virtue united is stronger) Official language: Catalan. ... Armenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Austria (German: Republik Österreich) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. ... Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan) is a country in the Caucasus, in the crossroads of Europe and Southwest Asia, with an east coast on the Caspian Sea. ... Belarus (Belarusian: Белару́сь or Biełaruś, Russian: Белару́сь (formerly: Белору́ссия), Polish: Białoruś) is a landlocked nation of Eastern Europe with the capital Minsk. ... The Kingdom of Belgium (Dutch: Koninkrijk België, French: Royaume de Belgique, German: Königreich Belgien) is a country in Western Europe, bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, and the North Sea. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... The Republic of Bulgaria is a republic in the southeast of Europe. ... The Republic of Croatia is a crescent-shaped country in Europe bordering the Mediterranean, Central Europe and the Balkans. ... Cyprus (in Greek Kypros Κύπρος and in Turkish Kıbrıs) is an island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, 113 kilometres (70 miles) south of Turkey and around 120 km west of the Syrian coast. ... National motto: Truth prevails (Czech: Pravda vítězí) Official language Czech Capital Praha (Prague) President Václav Klaus Prime Minister Jiří Paroubek Area - Total - % water Ranked 114th 78,866 km² 2% Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 76th 10. ... The Kingdom of Denmark is geographically the smallest Nordic country and is part of the European Union. ... The Republic of Estonia is a country in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. ... The Republic of Finland (Finnish: Suomen tasavalta, Swedish: Republiken Finland) is a Nordic country in northeastern Europe, bordered by the Baltic Sea to the southwest, the Gulf of Finland to the southeast and the Gulf of Bothnia to the west. ... The French Republic or France (French: République française or France) is a country whose metropolitan territory is located in western Europe, and which is further made up of a collection of overseas islands and territories located in other continents. ... Greece, officaly called the Hellenic Republic (Greek: Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), is a country in the southeast of Europe on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula. ... The Republic of Hungary (Magyar Köztársaság) or Hungary (Magyarország) is a landlocked country in Central Europe, bordered by Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. ... Iceland - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Ireland (Irish: Poblacht na hÉireann) is the official description of an independent state which covers approximately five-sixths of the island of Ireland, off the coast of north-west Europe. ... The Italian Republic or Italy (Italian: Repubblica Italiana or Italia) is a country in southern Europe. ... The Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republika), or Latvia (Latvian: Latvija), is a country in Northern Europe. ... The Principality of Liechtenstein (German: Fürstentum Liechtenstein) is a tiny, doubly landlocked country (one of two such countries, the other being Uzbekistan) in Central Europe, bordered by Switzerland to its west and by Austria to its east. ... The Republic of Lithuania (in Lithuanian, Lietuva) is a republic in Northeastern Europe. ... The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a small landlocked state in the north-west of the continental European Union, bordered by France, Germany and Belgium. ... National motto: None Official languages Macedonian2 Capital Skopje President Branko Crvenkovski Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski Area - Total - % water Ranked 145th 25,713 km² 1. ... Official languages Maltese and English Capital Valletta Largest City Birkirkara President Edward (Eddie) Fenech Adami Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi Religion Catholicism Area - Total - % water Ranked 184th 316 km² Negligible Population - Total (2003) - Density Ranked 211th 399,867 1262/km² Independence - Date From the UK September 21, 1964 Currency lira Time... The Republic of Moldova is a landlocked country in eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the east. ... The Principality of Monaco or Monaco (French: Principauté de Monaco or Monaco; Monegasque: Munegu or Principatu de Munegu) is a city state and the second-smallest country in the world, wedged in between the Mediterranean Sea and France along the French Riviera or Côte dAzur (The Blue Coast). ... Norway - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Republic of Poland, a democratic country with a population of 38,626,349 and area of 312,685 km², is located in Central Europe, between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and... Romania (formerly spelled Rumania or Roumania; Romanian: România) is a country in southeastern Europe. ... The Russian Federation (Russian: Росси́йская Федера́ция, transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija), or Russia (Russian: Росси́я, transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija), is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and northern Asia. ... The Most Serene Republic of San Marino or San Marino (Italian: Serenissima Repubblica di San Marino or San Marino) is one of the smallest nations in the world. ... Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian: Србија и Црна Гора, often abbreviated as SCG) is the name of the union of Serbia and Montenegro, two former Yugoslav republics united since 2003 in a loose confederation. ... National motto: None Official language Slovak Capital Bratislava President Ivan Gašparovič Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda Area - Total - % water Ranked 126th 49,035 km² Negligible Population - Total (2004) - Density Ranked 103rd 5,379,455 109/km² Independence January 1, 1993 (division of Czechoslovakia) Currency Slovak koruna Time zone - in summer CET... Slovenia - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... The Kingdom of Spain or Spain (Spanish and Galician: Reino de España or España; Catalan: Regne dEspanya; Basque: Espainiako Erresuma) is a country located in the southwest of Europe. ... The Kingdom of Sweden (Swedish: Konungariket Sverige listen) is a Nordic country in Scandinavia, in Northern Europe. ... Ukraine (Україна, Ukrayina in Ukrainian; Украина in Russian) is a republic in eastern Europe which borders Russia to the east, Belarus to the north, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary to the west, Romania and Moldova to the southwest and the Black Sea to the south. ... The State of the Vatican City ( Latin: Status Civitatis Vaticanæ), is a landlocked enclave surrounded by the city of Rome in Italy, and the smallest independent state in the world (both in area and in population). ... The coat of arms of the Holy See The term Holy See (Latin: Sancta Sedes, lit. ... Dependency has a number of meanings: In project management, a dependency is a link amongst a projects terminal elements. ... Map of Akrotiri (Western) SBA Akrotiri (also known as the Western Sovereign Base Area or WSBA) and Dhekelia (also known as the Eastern Sovereign Base Area or ESBA) are UK Sovereign Base Areas (SBAs) in Cyprus, a former British Crown Colony. ... Motto: None Official language Faroese Capital Tórshavn Monarch Margrethe II Prime Minister Jóannes Eidesgaard Area - Total - % water World ranking: 189th 1,399 km² — Population - Total (2004) - Density World ranking: 211th 48,228 33. ... Motto: Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti (Latin: Conquered By No Enemy) Languages English (official), an English-influenced Spanish dialect called Llanito is also spoken Capital (Gibraltar) Coordinates 36°07′ N 5°21′ W Governor and Commander-in-Chief Sir Francis Richards Chief Minister Peter Caruana Area - Total - % water not ranked (192 if... The Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. ... Jan Mayen Jan Mayen Island, a part of the Kingdom of Norway, is a 373-square-kilometer arctic volcanic island partly covered by glaciers and divided into two parts by a narrow isthmus. ... The Bailiwick of Jersey is a British crown dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. ... The Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin in Manx), a British crown dependency, lies in the Irish Sea almost equidistant from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. ... Svalbard, part of the Kingdom of Norway, lies in the Arctic Ocean north of mainland Europe. ... A bicontinental country is a country whose contiguous continental territory (or in case an island state - its different islands) lie in two different continents. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Asia A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ... World map showing location of Europe A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. ...