Switzerland (2001) | Saint Pierre and Miquelon (2003) | |
Administrative divisions | 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 | none (territorial collectivity of France); note - there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are two communes - Saint Pierre, Miquelon at the second order |
Age structure | 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.) |
0-14 years: 25% (male 891; female 851)
15-64 years: 64.7% (male 2,306; female 2,210) 65 years and over: 10.3% (male 310; female 408) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs | vegetables; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish |
Airports | 67 (2000 est.) | 2 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | 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.) |
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
25 under 914 m: 25 (2000 est.) |
- |
Area | total:
41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km |
total: 242 sq km
land: 242 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes eight small islands in the Saint Pierre and the Miquelon groups |
Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey | 1.5 times the size of Washington, DC |
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, may be rendering obsolete the country's concern for neutrality. | First settled by the French in the early 17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of France's once vast North American possessions. |
Birth rate | 10.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 14.62 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$32.66 billion expenditures: $34.89 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.3 billion (1998 est.) |
revenues: $70 million
expenditures: $60 million, including capital expenditures of $24 million (1996 est.) |
Capital | Bern | Saint-Pierre |
Climate | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers | cold and wet, with much mist and fog; spring and autumn are windy |
Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 120 km |
Constitution | 29 May 1874 | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
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) |
conventional long form: Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon
conventional short form: Saint Pierre and Miquelon local long form: Departement de Saint-Pierre et Miquelon local short form: Saint-Pierre et Miquelon |
Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) | euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 8.77 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 6.74 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $NA | $NA |
Dependency status | - | self-governing territorial collectivity of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
none (territorial collectivity of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | approximately $60 million in annual grants from France |
Economy - overview | 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. | The inhabitants have traditionally earned their livelihood by fishing and by servicing fishing fleets operating off the coast of Newfoundland. The economy has been declining, however, because of disputes with Canada over fishing quotas and a steady decline in the number of ships stopping at Saint Pierre. In 1992, an arbitration panel awarded the islands an exclusive economic zone of 12,348 sq km to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Canada, although it represents only 25% of what France had sought. The islands are heavily subsidized by France to the great betterment of living standards. The government hopes an expansion of tourism will boost economic prospects. Recent test drilling for oil may pave the way for development of the energy sector. |
Electricity - consumption | 51.862 billion kWh (1999) | 39.08 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 31.955 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 21.723 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 66.768 billion kWh (1999) | 42.03 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
3.44% hydro: 59.16% nuclear: 35.43% other: 1.97% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne de la Grande Montagne 240 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 | recent test drilling for oil in waters around Saint Pierre and Miquelon may bring future development that would impact the environment |
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% | Basques and Bretons (French fishermen) |
Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.6303 (January 2001), 1.6888 (2000), 1.5022 (1999), 1.4498 (1998), 1.4513 (1997), 1.2360 (1996) | euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2001), 1.08540 (2000), 0.93863 (1999) |
Executive branch | 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% |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Claude VALLEIX (since 9 October 2002)
head of government: President of the General Council Marc PLANTAGENEST (since NA) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held, first round - 21 April 2002, second round - 5 May 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the General Council is elected by the members of the council |
Exports | $91.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products | fish and fish products, soybeans, animal feed, mollusks and crustaceans, fox and mink pelts |
Exports - partners | 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) | US 33.3%, Zambia 30.3%, Ecuador 16.2%, France 5.1%, Canada 4%, Spain 4% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar 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 | a yellow sailing ship facing the hoist side rides on a dark blue background with a black wave line under the ship; on the hoist side, a vertical band is divided into three parts: the top part (called ikkurina) is red with a green diagonal cross extending to the corners overlaid by a white cross dividing the rectangle into four sections; the middle part has a white background with an ermine pattern; the third part has a red background with two stylized yellow lions outlined in black, one above the other; these three heraldic arms represent settlement by colonists from the Basque Country (top), Brittany, and Normandy; the flag of France is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $207 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $74 million - supplemented by annual payments from France of about $60 million (1996 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
2.8% industry: 31.1% services: 66.1% (1995) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $11,000 (1996 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 8 00 E | 46 50 N, 56 20 W |
Geography - note | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, contains the highest elevations in Europe | vegetation scanty |
Highways | total:
71,059 km (including 1,638 km of expressways) paved: 71,059 km unpaved: 0 km (1999) |
total: 114 km
paved: 69 km unpaved: 45 km |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
2.8% highest 10%: 25.2% (1992) |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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 | $91.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles | meat, clothing, fuel, electrical equipment, machinery, building materials |
Imports - partners | 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) | Zambia 61.5%, France 21.8%, Canada 13% (2002) |
Independence | 1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation) | none (territorial collectivity of France; has been under French control since 1763) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.6% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments | fish processing and supply base for fishing fleets; tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 4.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 7.97 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.15 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.73 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (2000 est.) | 2.1% (1991-96 average) |
International organization participation | 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 | FZ, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000) | 1 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 250 sq km (1993 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) | Superior Tribunal of Appeals or Tribunal Superieur d'Appel |
Labor force | 3.9 million (964,000 foreign workers, mostly Italian) (1998 est.) | 3,261 (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998 est.) | fishing 18%, industry (mainly fish-processing) 41%, services 41% (1996 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
10% permanent crops: 2% permanent pastures: 28% forests and woodland: 32% other: 28% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 13.04%
permanent crops: 0% other: 86.96% (1998 est.) |
Languages | German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9% | French (official) |
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 | French law with special adaptations for local conditions, such as housing and taxation |
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 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 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (19 seats - 15 from Saint Pierre and 4 from Miquelon; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: elections last held 19 and 26 March 2000 (next to be held NA April 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PS 12, PRG 2, UDF-RPR 5 note: Saint Pierre and Miquelon elect 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPR 1; Saint Pierre and Miquelon also elects 1 seat to the French National Assembly; elections last held, first round - 9 June 2002, second round - 16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UDF 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
79.73 years male: 76.85 years female: 82.76 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 78.11 years
male: 75.82 years female: 80.51 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1982 est.) |
Location | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy | Northern North America, islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, south of Newfoundland (Canada) |
Map references | Europe | North America |
Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | 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.) |
none (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards | - |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $3.1 billion (FY98) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY98) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
1,849,034 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
1,570,918 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
42,597 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss |
noun: Frenchman(men), Frenchwoman(women)
adjective: French |
Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides, flash floods | persistent fog throughout the year can be a maritime hazard |
Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt | fish, deepwater ports |
Net migration rate | 1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -4.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 314 km; natural gas 1,506 km | - |
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) [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 | PRG [leader NA]; Rassemblement pour la Republique or RPR (now UMP) [leader NA]; Socialist Party or PS [leader NA]; Union pour la Democratie Francaise or UDF [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 7,283,274 (July 2001 est.) | 6,976 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.27% (2001 est.) | 0.3% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Basel | Saint Pierre |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 7.1 million (1997) | - |
Railways | 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) |
0 km |
Religions | Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990) | Roman Catholic 99% |
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: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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) |
general assessment: adequate
domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communication with most countries in the world; 1 earth station in French domestic satellite system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 4.82 million (1998) | 4,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 1.967 million (1999) | 0 (1994) |
Television broadcast stations | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) | 0 (there are, however, two repeaters which rebroadcast programs from France, Canada, and the US) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes | mostly barren rock |
Total fertility rate | 1.47 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.07 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1.9% (2000 est.) | 9.8% (1997) |
Waterways | 65 km
note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes |
none |