Switzerland (2003)

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Switzerland 2003 year


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
Age structure	0-14 years: 16.6% (male 623,428; female 591,709) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 2,519,302; female 2,439,560) 65 years and over: 15.6% (male 470,257; female 674,382) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products	grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs
Airports	66 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 41 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 25 1524 to 2437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Area	total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Background	Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland 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.
Birth rate	9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget	revenues: $30 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
Capital	Bern
Climate	temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	18 December 1998
Country name	conventional long form: Swiss Confederation conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German), Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian) local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera (Italian)
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF)
Death rate	8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external	$NA
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Mercer REYNOLDS III embassy: Jubilaeumsstrasse 93, 3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador Christian BLICKENSTORFER chancery: 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 745-7900 FAX: [1] (202) 387-2564 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco consulate(s): Boston
Disputes - international	none
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)
Economy - overview	Switzerland is a prosperous and stable modern market economy with low unemployment, a highly skilled labor force, and a per capita GDP larger than that of the big western European economies. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Switzerland remains a safe haven for investors, because it has maintained a degree of bank secrecy and has kept up the franc's long-term external value. Reflecting the anemic economic conditions of Europe, GDP growth dropped in 2001 to about 0.8%, to 0.2% in 2002, and to -0.3% in 2003.
Electricity - consumption	53.43 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	34.54 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	24.1 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	68.68 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Environment - current issues	air pollution from vehicle emissions and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity
Environment - international agreements	party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups	German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Exchange rates	Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.56 (2002), 1.69 (2001), 1.69 (2000), 1.5 (1999), 1.45 (1998)
Executive branch	chief of state: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2003); Vice President Ruth METZLER (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held NA December 2002 (next to be held NA December 2003) election results: Pascal COUCHEPIN elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - NA%; Ruth METZLER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - NA%
Exports	34.54 billion kWh (2001)
Exports	$100.3 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Exports	0 cu m (2001 est.)
Exports	10,420 bbl/day (2001)
Exports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products
Exports - partners	Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 8.9%, UK 7.7% (2002)
Fiscal year	calendar year
Flag description	red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $233.4 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2% industry: 34% services: 64% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	0.1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates	47 00 N, 8 00 E
Geography - note	landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps
Heliports	1 (2002)
Highways	total: 71,011 km paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
Illicit drugs	because of more stringent government regulations, used significantly less as a money-laundering center; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin
Imports	24.1 billion kWh (2001)
Imports	$94.4 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)
Imports	3.093 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Imports	289,500 bbl/day (2001)
Imports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles
Imports - partners	Germany 27.4%, France 11.4%, Italy 9.7%, US 8.5%, Russia 5.8%, UK 5.4%, Austria 4.6%, Netherlands 4.1% (2002)
Independence	1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)
Industrial production growth rate	3.2% (2001)
Industries	machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Infant mortality rate	total: 4.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 4.47 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	0.5% (2002 est.)
International organization participation	ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)
Irrigated land	250 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)
Labor force	4 million (2001)
Labor force - by occupation	services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998)
Land boundaries	total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
Land use	arable land: 10.57% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.82% (1998 est.)
Languages	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%
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 - members 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) elections: Council of States - last held NA 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held NA October 2007) election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - FDP 18, CVP 15, SVP 7, SPS 6; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 27.7%, SPS 24.2%, FDP 16%, CVP 12.9%, Greens 7.7%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 52, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 16
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 79.99 years male: 77.11 years female: 83.02 years (2003 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: female:
Location	Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy
Map references	Europe
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)
Merchant marine	total: 29 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 597,049 GRT/1,051,380 DWT ships by type: bulk 16, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 6, US 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$2.548 billion (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 1,834,638 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age	20 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 42,761 (2003 est.)
National holiday	Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Nationality	noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss
Natural hazards	avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Natural resources	hydropower potential, timber, salt
Net migration rate	1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines	gas 1,831 km; oil 212 km; refined products 7 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders	Christian Democratic People's Party (Christichdemokratische Volkspartei der Schweiz or CVP, Parti Democrate-Chretien Suisse or PDC, Partito Democratico-Cristiano Popolare Svizzero or PDC, Partida Cristiandemocratica dalla Svizra or PCD) [Philipp STAEHELIN, president]; Green Party (Grune Partei der Schweiz or Grune, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda) [Ruth GENNER and Patrice MUGNY, co-presidents]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Christiane LANGENBERGER, president]; 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) [Christiane BRUNNER, president]; 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, president]; and other minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA
Population	7,318,638 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%
Population growth rate	0.21% (2003 est.)
Ports and harbors	Basel
Radio broadcast stations	AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	total: 4,511 km standard gauge: 3,483 km 1.435-m gauge (3,472 km electrified) narrow gauge: 982 km 1.000-m gauge (975 km electrified); 46 km 0.800-m gauge (46 km electrified) (2002)
Religions	Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	general assessment: excellent domestic and international services domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	4.82 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.967 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations	115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain	mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes
Total fertility rate	1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate	1.9% (2002 est.)
Waterways	65 km note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes

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