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Administrative divisions 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; Kantone, singular - Kanton in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausser-Rhoden, Appenzell Inner-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Ambassadors from Finland > Current Finnish Ambassadors > Ambassador	Pekka Ojanen
Ambassadors from Israel > Current Israeli Ambassadors > Israeli Ambassador	Ilan Elgar
ambassadors to the United States > Ambassador	Christian Blickenstorfer
Capital city	Bern
Capital city > Daylight saving time +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Capital city > Geographic coordinates	46 57 N, 7 26 E
Capital city > Name	Bern
Capital city > Time difference UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000
Corruption	9.1		[7th of 160]
countries' copyright length > Usual term of copyright protection	70 pma
date of transition to republican system of government > Republic since	October 24, 1684
Diplomatic representation from the US > Chief of mission Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY
Diplomatic representation from the US > Embassy Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern
Diplomatic representation from the US > FAX	[41] (031) 357 73 44
Diplomatic representation from the US > Mailing address use embassy street address
Diplomatic representation from the US > Telephone	[41] (031) 357 70 11
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chancery 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation in the US > Chief of mission	Ambassador Urs ZISWILER
Diplomatic representation in the US > Consulate(s) general Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation in the US > FAX	[1] (202) 387-2564
Diplomatic representation in the US > Telephone	[1] (202) 745-7900
Elections > Head of state	Election by parliament
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Address	5 Marlborough Avenue
embassies and high commissions in Ottawa > Neighbourhood	Sandy Hill
Executive branch > Cabinet Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its members for a four-year term
Executive branch > Chief of state President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government representing the Federal Council; the Federal Council is the formal chief of state and head of government whose council members, rotating in one-year terms as federal president, represent the Council
Executive branch > Election results Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 80.0%; Hans-Rudolf MERZ elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5%
Executive branch > Elections president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 12 December 2007 (next to be held in December 2008)
Executive branch > Head of government President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2008); Vice President Hans-Rudolf MERZ (since 1 January 2008)
Federal republic > Contemporary > Style	Confederation
Flag description red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
Flag modification	12		[120th of 197]
Foreign relations > Croatia > Date of Establishment	January 30, 1992
Foreign relations > Nepal > Date of Establishment	November 10, 1959
General government final consumption expenditure > annual % growth	1.38 %		[90th of 147]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$	30,038,430,000 constant 2000 US$		[25th of 145]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant 2000 US$ (per capita)	4,064.971 constant 2000 US$ per c		[20th of 146]
General government final consumption expenditure > constant LCU	50728900000
General government final consumption expenditure > current LCU	52932400000
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$	42,567,270,000 $		[24th of 169]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per $ GDP)	0.119 $ per $1 of GDP		[117th of 184]
General government final consumption expenditure > current US$ (per capita)	5,760.444 $ per capita		[19th of 184]
Government type formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom	Simon Featherstone
Heads of Missions from the United Kingdom > Resident Heads of Missions > Type	Embassy
How Democratic Is the American Constitution? > International comparisons > Electoral system	PR (list)
How Democratic Is the American Constitution? > International comparisons > Party system	Multi
How Democratic Is the American Constitution? > International comparisons > Strongly bicameral?	Yes
How Democratic Is the American Constitution? > International comparisons > Structure	Parliamentary
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Independence Day > Date	August 1
International organization participation ADB (nonregional members), AfDB (nonregional members), Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Judicial branch Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Kuala Lumpur embassies > Neighborhood	Taman U-Thant
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Maximum	15 months
Laws against Holocaust denial > Penalties for violation > Minimum	Fine or 1 year
Legal origin German
Legal system civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Federal Assembly or Bundesversammlung (in German), Assemblee Federale (in French), Assemblea Federale (in Italian) consists of the Council of States or Standerat (in German), Conseil des Etats (in French), Consiglio degli Stati (in Italian) (46 seats; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to serve four-year terms) and the National Council or Nationalrat (in German), Conseil National (in French), Consiglio Nazionale (in Italian) (200 seats; members are elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
Legislative branch > Election results Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13; note - seating for the Council of States as of December 2007 is CVP 16, FDP 12, SVP 7, SPS 9, other 2
Legislative branch > Elections Council of States - last held in most cantons on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011)
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
political parties > Multi party	•
Political parties and leaders Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER]; Christian Democratic People's Party (Christlichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SPS, Parti Socialist Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) [Hans-Juerg FEHR]; Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica de Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) [Ueli MAURER]; and other minor parties
Procedures to build a warehouse > number	15		[112nd of 168]
Procedures to build a warehouse > number (per capita)	2.017 per 1 million people		[90th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number	22		[145th of 170]
Procedures to enforce a contract > number (per capita)	2.958 per 1 million people		[96th of 171]
Procedures to register property > number	4		[143rd of 167]
Procedures to register property > number (per capita)	537.844 per 1 billion people		[92nd of 167]
Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament > %	25 %		[35th of 174]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number	6		[148th of 171]
Start-up procedures to register a business > number (per capita)	0.807 per 1 million people		[102nd of 171]
Status federal democracy
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal
Time required to build a warehouse > days	152 days		[109th of 168]
Time required to enforce a contract > days	215 days		[158th of 171]
Time required to register property > days	16 days		[141st of 167]
Time required to start a business > days	20 days		[132nd of 171]
Time to prepare and pay taxes > hours	68 hours		[164th of 169]
Time to resolve insolvency > years	3 years		[80th of 151]
Total businesses registered > number	311,324		[31st of 71]
Total businesses registered > number (per capita)	42.421 per 1 million people		[30th of 83]
Trademarks, nonresidents	4,608		[16th of 99]
Trademarks, nonresidents (per capita)	0.637 per 1 million people		[28th of 146]
Trademarks, residents	7,665		[19th of 98]
Trademarks, residents (per capita)	1,060.194 per 1 million people		[12th of 142]
Transnational Issues > Disputes > International	none
United Nations mission http://www.uno.admin.ch/sub_uno/e/uno.html
Washington, D.C. embassies > Neighborhood	Woodley Park

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