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World > Europe > Switzerland
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Switzerland |
Introduction:
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The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country was not involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
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| Official name: |
Swiss Confederation |
| Capital: |
name: Bern
geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
| Government type: |
formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic |
| Population: |
7,554,661 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national |
| Official Currency: |
Swiss Franc (CHF)
Current Swiss Franc Exchange Rates
Historical Swiss Franc Exchange Rates
Chart Swiss Franc Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
CHF |
| Area: |
total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km
water: 1,520 sq km |
| Climate: |
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers |
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Map of Switzerland
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