##ciekawa_strona##
Compare Australia (2003) - Switzerland (2001)
Compare Australia (2003) z Switzerland (2001)
| Australia (2003) | Switzerland (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 6 states and 2 territories*; Australian Capital Territory*, New South Wales, Northern Territory*, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia | 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.2% (male 2,045,783; female 1,949,864)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 6,680,531; female 6,553,141) 65 years and over: 12.7% (male 1,099,275; female 1,403,390) (2003 est.) |
0-14 years:
16.97% (male 634,030; female 601,929) 15-64 years: 67.73% (male 2,505,450; female 2,427,408) 65 years and over: 15.3% (male 453,366; female 661,091) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, sugarcane, fruits; cattle, sheep, poultry | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs |
| Airports | 444 (2002) | 67 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 294
over 3,047 m: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 126 914 to 1,523 m: 134 under 914 m: 13 (2002) |
total:
42 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 15 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 150
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20 914 to 1,523 m: 116 under 914 m: 14 (2002) |
total:
25 under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 7,686,850 sq km
land: 7,617,930 sq km water: 68,920 sq km note: includes Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island |
total:
41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey |
| Background | Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in 1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999. | 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, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality. |
| Birth rate | 12.55 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $86.8 billion
expenditures: $84.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY 00/01 est.) |
revenues:
$32.66 billion expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.) |
| Capital | Canberra | Bern |
| Climate | generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers |
| Coastline | 25,760 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Constitution | 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901 | 29 May 1874 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia |
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 | Australian dollar (AUD) | Swiss franc (CHF) |
| Death rate | 7.31 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | $176.8 billion (yearend 2002 est.) | $NA |
| Dependent areas | Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador J. Thomas SCHIEFFER
embassy: Moonah Place, Yarralumla, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2600 mailing address: APO AP 96549 telephone: [61] (02) 6214-5600 FAX: [61] (02) 6214-5970 consulate(s) general: Melbourne, Perth, Sydney |
chief of mission:
Ambassador J. Richard FREDERICKS embassy: Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3001 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (31) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (31) 357 73 44 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Michael J. THAWLEY
chancery: 1601 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 797-3000 FAX: [1] (202) 797-3168 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfred DEFAGO 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 | maritime delimitation and resource sharing agreements signed with East Timor resolve dispute over "Timor Gap" hydrocarbon reserves; no agreement reached on dividing Timor Sea with Indonesia (see Ashmore and Cartier Islands disputes); Australia asserts a territorial claim to Antarctica and to its continental shelf (see Antarctica) | none |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $894 million (FY 99/00) | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) |
| Economy - overview | Australia has a prosperous Western-style capitalist economy, with a per capita GDP on par with the four dominant West European economies. Rising output in the domestic economy has been offsetting the global slump, and business and consumer confidence remains robust. Australia's emphasis on reforms is another key factor behind the economy's strength. The stagnant economic conditions in major export partners and the impact of the worst drought in 100 years cast a shadow over prospects for 2003. | Switzerland, a prosperous and stable modern market economy with a per capita GDP 20% above that of the big western European economies, experienced solid growth of 3% in 2000, but growth is expected to fall back to about 2% in 2001. The Swiss in recent years have brought their economic practices largely into conformity with the EU's to enhance their international competitiveness. Although the Swiss are not pursuing full EU membership in the near term, in 1999 Bern and Brussels signed agreements to further liberalize trade ties, and the agreements should come into force in 2001. Switzerland is still considered 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. |
| Electricity - consumption | 184.4 billion kWh (2001) | 51.862 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 31.955 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 21.723 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 198.2 billion kWh (2001) | 66.768 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 90.8%
hydro: 8.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0.9% (2001) |
fossil fuel:
3.44% hydro: 59.16% nuclear: 35.43% other: 1.97% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lake Eyre -15 m
highest point: Mount Kosciuszko 2,229 m |
lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
| Environment - current issues | soil erosion from overgrazing, industrial development, urbanization, and poor farming practices; soil salinity rising due to the use of poor quality water; desertification; clearing for agricultural purposes threatens the natural habitat of many unique animal and plant species; the Great Barrier Reef off the northeast coast, the largest coral reef in the world, is threatened by increased shipping and its popularity as a tourist site; limited natural fresh water resources | 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: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 | Caucasian 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1% | German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% |
| Exchange rates | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.84 (2002), 1.93 (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.55 (1999), 1.59 (1998) | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen of Australia ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Michael JEFFREY (since 11 August 2003)
head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since 20 July 1999) cabinet: Parliament nominates and selects, from among its members, a list of candidates to serve as government ministers; from this list, the governor general swears in the final selections for the Cabinet elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is sworn in as prime minister by the governor general note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party |
chief of state:
President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2001); Vice President Kaspar VILLIGER (since 1 January 2001); 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 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 6 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2001) election results: Moritz LEUENBERGER elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76%; Kaspar VILLIGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 72% |
| Exports | 523,400 bbl/day (2001) | $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Exports - commodities | coal, gold, meat, wool, alumina, iron ore, wheat, machinery and transport equipment | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products |
| Exports - partners | Japan 18.5%, US 9.6%, South Korea 8.3%, China 6.9%, New Zealand 6.5%, UK 4.7%, Singapore 4.1%, Taiwan 4% (2002) | EU 65.8% (Germany 22.6%, France 9.2%, Italy 8.0%, UK 5.5%, Austria 3.2%), US 12.4%, Japan 4.0% (1999) |
| Fiscal year | 1 July - 30 June | calendar year |
| Flag description | blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and a large seven-pointed star in the lower hoist-side quadrant known as the Commonwealth Star, representing the federation of the colonies of Australia in 1901; the star depicts one point for each of the six original states and one representing all of Australia's internal and external territories; the remaining half is a representation of the Southern Cross constellation in white with one small five-pointed star and four larger, seven-pointed stars | 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 - $525.5 billion (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 3%
industry: 26% services: 71% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 3.6% (2002 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 27 00 S, 133 00 E | 47 00 N, 8 00 E |
| Geography - note | world's smallest continent but sixth-largest country; population concentrated along the eastern and southeastern coasts; regular, tropical, invigorating, sea breeze known as "the Doctor" occurs along the west coast in the summer | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe |
| Highways | total: 811,603 km
paved: 314,090 km (including 18,619 km of expressways) unpaved: 497,513 km (1999 est.) |
total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) paved: 71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 25.4% (1994) |
lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992) |
| Illicit drugs | Tasmania is one of the world's major suppliers of licit opiate products; government maintains strict controls over areas of opium poppy cultivation and output of poppy straw concentrate | 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 | 530,800 bbl/day (2001) | $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, computers and office machines, telecommunication equipment and parts; crude oil and petroleum products | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles |
| Imports - partners | US 18.3%, Japan 12.3%, China 10.1%, Germany 5.7%, UK 4.6% (2002) | EU 77.7% (Germany 31.0%, France 12.0%, Italy 9.7%, Netherlands 5.1%, UK 5.7%), US 7.1%, Japan 2.9% (1999) |
| Independence | 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies) | 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 4.3% (2002 est.) | 8.6% (2000 est.) |
| Industries | mining, industrial and transportation equipment, food processing, chemicals, steel | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.23 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.8% (2002 est.) | 1.5% (2000 est.) |
| International organization participation | ANZUS, APEC, ARF (dialogue partner), AsDB, ASEAN (dialogue partner), Australia Group, BIS, C, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNMEE, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 571 (2002) | 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) |
| Irrigated land | 24,000 sq km (1998 est.) | 250 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Judicial branch | High Court (the chief justice and six other justices are appointed by the governor general) | Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) |
| Labor force | 9.2 million (37256) | 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | services 73%, industry 22%, agriculture 5% (1997 est.) | services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 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: 6.88%
permanent crops: 0.03% other: 93.09% (1998 est.) |
arable land:
10% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 32% other: 28% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | English, native languages | German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% |
| Legal system | based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | 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 Parliament consists of the Senate (76 seats - 12 from each of the six states and two from each of the two mainland territories; one-half of the members elected every three years by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (150 seats - this is up from 148 seats in 2001 election; members elected by popular vote on the basis of preferential representation to serve three-year terms; no state can have fewer than five representatives)
elections: Senate - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by February 2005); House of Representatives - last held 10 November 2001 (next to be held by February 2005) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 35, Australian Labor Party 28, Australian Democrats 8, Green Party 2, One Nation Party 1, Country Labor Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Liberal Party-National Party coalition 82, Australian Labor Party 65, independent and other 3 |
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 a basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Council of States - last held in 1999 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 24 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2003) 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 - SPS 22.5%, SVP 22.6%, FDP 19.9%, CVP 15.8%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SPS 51, SVP 44, FDP 43, CVP 35, Greens 9, other small parties 18 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.13 years
male: 77.27 years female: 83.13 years (2003 est.) |
total population:
79.73 years male: 76.85 years female: 82.76 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 100% male: 100% female: 100% (1980 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Oceania, continent between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy |
| Map references | Oceania | Europe |
| Maritime claims | contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
none (landlocked) |
| Merchant marine | total: 51 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,415,810 GRT/1,806,554 DWT
ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 6, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 2, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 6 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: France 2, UK 2, US 14 (2002 est.) |
total:
24 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 435,966 GRT/780,458 DWT ships by type: bulk 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 5, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military branches | Australian Army, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force | Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $11.39 billion (FY02) | $3.1 billion (FY98) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 2.9% (FY02) | 1.2% (FY98) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 5,037,538 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.) | males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age (2003 est.) | 20 years of age |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 142,377 (2003 est.) | males:
42,597 (2001 est.) |
| National holiday | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) | Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) |
| Nationality | noun: Australian(s)
adjective: Australian |
noun:
Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss |
| Natural hazards | cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires | avalanches, landslides, flash floods |
| Natural resources | bauxite, coal, iron ore, copper, tin, gold, silver, uranium, nickel, tungsten, mineral sands, lead, zinc, diamonds, natural gas, petroleum | hydropower potential, timber, salt |
| Net migration rate | 4.05 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Pipelines | condensate 36 km; condensate/gas 243 km; gas 27,321 km; liquid petroleum gas 240 km; oil 4,779 km; oil/gas/water 104 km; water 40 km (2003) | crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km |
| Political parties and leaders | Australian Democrats [Andrew BARTLETT]; Australian Labor Party [Mark LATHAM]; Australian Progressive Alliance [Meg LEES]; Country Labor Party [leader NA]; Australian Greens [Bob BROWN]; Liberal Party [John Winston HOWARD]; The Nationals [John ANDERSON]; One Nation Party [Len HARRIS] | 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) [Adalbert DURRER, 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) [Ruedi BAUMANN, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Franz STEINEGGER, 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 | Australian Monarchist League [leader NA]; Australian Republican Movement [leader NA] | NA |
| Population | 19,731,984 (July 2003 est.) | 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.93% (2003 est.) | 0.27% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Devonport (Tasmania), Fremantle, Geelong, Hobart (Tasmania), Launceston (Tasmania), Mackay, Melbourne, Sydney, Townsville | Basel |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 262, FM 345, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 7.1 million (1997) |
| Railways | total: 41,588 km (4,612 km electrified)
broad gauge: 2,193 km 1.600-m gauge standard gauge: 23,648 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 15,456 km 1.067-m gauge dual gauge: 291 km dual gauge (2002) |
total:
4,492 km (1,564 km double track) standard gauge: 3,317 km 1.435-m gauge (3,288 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,165 km 1.000-m gauge (1,165 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (1998) |
| Religions | Anglican 26.1%, Roman Catholic 26%, other Christian 24.3%, non-Christian 11%, other 12.6% | 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: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: excellent domestic and international service
domestic: domestic satellite system; much use of radiotelephone in areas of low population density; rapid growth of mobile cellular telephones international: submarine cables to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia; satellite earth stations - 10 Intelsat (4 Indian Ocean and 6 Pacific Ocean), 2 Inmarsat (Indian and Pacific Ocean regions) (1998) |
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 | 10.05 million (2000) | 4.82 million (1998) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 8.6 million (2000) | 1.967 million (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | 104 (1997) | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) |
| Terrain | mostly low plateau with deserts; fertile plain in southeast | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes |
| Total fertility rate | 1.76 children born/woman (2003 est.) | 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.3% (2002) | 1.9% (2000 est.) |
| Waterways | 8,368 km (mainly used by small, shallow-draft craft) | 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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