Switzerland
Country Data Dashboard
| Government type: | federal republic (formally a confederation) |
| Capital: | Bern |
| Languages: | German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9% (2019 est.) |
People & Society
Ethnicity (2020 est.)
Religion (2020 est.)
Age structure
Economy
Economic overview
high-income, non-EU European economy; top ten in GDP per capita; renowned banking and financial hub; low unemployment and inflation; slowed GDP growth post-pandemic; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; leader in innovation and competitiveness indices
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) in Billion $
Real GDP per capita in $
Exports & Imports in billion $
Top 5 Import Partner in 2022 (50%)
Top 5 Import Commodities in 2022
- gold 💰
- packaged medicine 💊
- vaccines 💉
- cars 🚗
- garments 👕
Top 5 Export Partner in 2022 (50%)
Top 5 Export Commodities in 2022
- gold 💰
- vaccines 💉
- packaged medicine 💊
- nitrogen compounds 💨
- base metal watches ⌚
Geography
Map
Area
Natural resources
- hydropower potential 💧⚡
- timber 🌲
- salt 🧂
Climate
temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Historical Background Information
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. A constitution of 1848, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. 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.