About Switzerland...
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe where it is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.
Switzerland is a landlocked country whose territory is geographically divided between the Alps, the Central Plateau and the Jura that yields a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi). The Swiss population of approximately 7.8 million people concentrates mostly on the Plateau, where the largest cities are to be found. Among them are the two global cities and economic centres of Zurich and Geneva. Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product, with a nominal per capita GDP of $67,384. Zurich and Geneva have respectively been ranked as having the second and third highest quality of life in the world.
Switzerland has a stable, modern and one of the most capitalist economies in the world. It has the 2nd highest European rating after Ireland in the Index of Economic Freedom 2008, while also providing large coverage through public services. The nominal per capita GDP is higher than those of the larger western European economies and Japan, ranking 6th behind Luxembourg, Norway, Qatar, Iceland and Ireland. The Swiss franc remains one of the world's strongest currencies with the lowest inflation rate.
If adjusted for purchasing power parity, Switzerland ranks 15th in the world for GDP per capita. The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Switzerland's economy as the most competitive in the world. For much of the 20th century, Switzerland was the wealthiest country in Europe by a considerable margin. In 2005 the median household income in Switzerland was an estimated 95,000 CHF, the equivalent of roughly 90,000 USD (as of December 2009) in nominal terms.
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| Exports To Switzerland Facts |
| Location: |
Central Europe |
| Coordinates: |
47 00 N, 8 00 E |
| Int. Dialing Code: |
00 41 |
| Currency: |
Swiss francs |
| Language: |
German |
| Area: |
41,277 sq km |
| Capital City: |
Bern |
| Population: |
7,604,467 (July 2009 est.) |
| Population Ranking: |
94 |
| Employment: |
96.3% |
| Inflation: |
-0.6% (2009 est.) |
| GDP: |
$316.1 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP Ranking: |
38 |
| GDP Growth: |
-1.8% (2009 est.) |
| Internet Users: |
5.739 million (2008) |
| Television Stations: |
106 (2007) |
| Phone Lines: |
4.82 million (2008) |
| Mobile Phones: |
8.78 million (2008) |
| Major Industry: |
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance |
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