Compare Switzerland (2003) - Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2002)

Compare Switzerland (2003) z Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2002)

	Switzerland (2003)	Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) (2002)

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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
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.)	0-14 years: NA% 15-64 years: NA% 65 years and over: NA%
Agriculture - products	grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs	fodder and vegetable crops; sheep, dairy products
Airports	66 (2002)	5 (2001)
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)	total: 2 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 25 1524 to 2437 m: 1 under 914 m: 24 (2002)	total: 3 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Area	total: 41,290 sq km land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km	total: 12,173 sq km land: 12,173 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the two main islands of East and West Falkland and about 200 small islands
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey	slightly smaller than Connecticut
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.	Although first sighted by an English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement (French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Birth rate	9.59 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	NA births/1,000 population
Budget	revenues: $30 billion expenditures: $30 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)	revenues: $66.2 million expenditures: $67.9 million, including capital expenditures of $23.2 million
Capital	Bern	Stanley
Climate	temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers	cold marine; strong westerly winds, cloudy, humid; rain occurs on more than half of days in year; occasional snow all year, except in January and February, but does not accumulate
Coastline	0 km (landlocked)	1,288 km
Constitution	18 December 1998	3 October 1985; amended 1997 and 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)	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF)	Falkland pound (FKP)
Death rate	8.82 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	NA deaths/1,000 population
Debt - external	$NA	$NA
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina
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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
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	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Disputes - international	none	claimed by Argentina
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $1.1 billion (1995)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	none
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.	The economy was formerly based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming, but today fishing contributes the bulk of economic activity. In 1987 the government began selling fishing licenses to foreign trawlers operating within the Falklands exclusive fishing zone. These license fees total more than $40 million per year, which goes to support the island's health, education, and welfare system. Squid accounts for 75% of the fish taken. Dairy farming supports domestic consumption; crops furnish winter fodder. Exports feature shipments of high-grade wool to the UK and the sale of postage stamps and coins. The islands are now self-financing except for defense. The British Geological Survey announced a 200-mile oil exploration zone around the islands in 1993, and early seismic surveys suggest substantial reserves capable of producing 500,000 barrels per day; to date no exploitable site has been identified. An agreement between Argentina and the UK in 1995 seeks to defuse licensing and sovereignty conflicts that would dampen foreign interest in exploiting potential oil reserves. Tourism is increasing rapidly, with about 30,000 visitors in 2001. The second largest source of income is interest paid on money the government has in the bank. The British military presence also provides a sizeable economic boost.
Electricity - consumption	53.43 billion kWh (2001)	11.2 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports	34.54 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports	24.1 billion kWh (2001)	0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production	68.68 billion kWh (2001)	12 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 1.3% hydro: 59.5% nuclear: 37.1% other: 2% (2001)	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Usborne 705 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	overfishing by unlicensed vessels is a problem; reindeer were introduced to the islands in 2001 for commercial reasons; this is the only commercial reindeer herd in the world unaffected by the Chornobyl disaster
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%	British
Exchange rates	Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.56 (2002), 1.69 (2001), 1.69 (2000), 1.5 (1999), 1.45 (1998)	Falkland pounds per US dollar - 0.6981 (January 2002), 0.6944 (2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997); note - the Falkland pound is at par with the British pound
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%	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Governor Howard PEARCE (since 3 December 2002); Chief Executive A. M. GURR (since NA); Financial Secretary D. F. HOWATT (since NA) cabinet: Executive Council; three members elected by the Legislative Council, two ex officio members (chief executive and the financial secretary), and the governor elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch
Exports	10,420 bbl/day (2001)	$7.6 million (1995)
Exports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products	wool, hides, meat
Exports - partners	Germany 19.2%, US 10.2%, Italy 9.6%, France 8.9%, UK 7.7% (2002)	UK, Japan, Chile, NZ
Fiscal year	calendar year	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag	blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Falkland Island coat of arms in a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms contains a white ram (sheep raising is the major economic activity) above the sailing ship Desire (whose crew discovered the islands) with a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto DESIRE THE RIGHT
GDP	purchasing power parity - $233.4 billion (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $52 million (1996 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2% industry: 34% services: 64% (2002 est.)	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $32,000 (2002 est.)	purchasing power parity - $19,000
GDP - real growth rate	0.1% (2002 est.)	1%
Geographic coordinates	47 00 N, 8 00 E	51 45 S, 59 00 W
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	deeply indented coast provides good natural harbors; short growing season
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 71,011 km paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (2000)	total: 550 km paved: at least 50 km unpaved: NA (2002)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.6% 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	289,500 bbl/day (2001)	$24.7 million (1995)
Imports - commodities	machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles	fuel, food and drink, building materials, clothing
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)	UK, Japan, Chile, NZ
Independence	1 August 1291 (Founding of the Swiss Confederation)	none (overseas territory of the UK; also claimed by Argentina)
Industrial production growth rate	3.2% (2001)	NA%
Industries	machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments	wool and fish processing; sale of stamps and coins; tourism
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.)	NA deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	0.5% (2002 est.)	3.6% (1998) (1998)
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	ICFTU
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	44 (Switzerland and Liechtenstein) (2000)	2 (2000)
Irrigated land	250 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly)	Supreme Court (chief justice is a nonresident); Magistrates Court (senior magistrate presides over civil and criminal divisions); Court of Summary Jurisdiction
Labor force	4 million (2001)	1,100 (est.)
Labor force - by occupation	services 69.1%, industry 26.3%, agriculture 4.6% (1998)	agriculture 95% (mostly sheepherding and fishing)
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: 10.57% permanent crops: 0.61% other: 88.82% (1998 est.)	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (99% permanent pastures, 1% other) (1998 est.)
Languages	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%	English
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	English common law
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	unicameral Legislative Council (10 seats - 2 ex officio, 8 elected by popular vote, members serve four-year terms); presided over by the governor elections: last held 22 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 8; note - 71% voter turnout
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 79.99 years male: 77.11 years female: 83.02 years (2003 est.)	total population: NA years male: NA years female: NA years
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	Southern South America, islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, east of southern Argentina
Map references	Europe	South America
Maritime claims	none (landlocked)	continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
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.)	none (2002 est.)
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK
Military branches	Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards	British Forces Falkland Islands no regular indigenous military forces; (includes Army, Royal Air Force, and Royal Navy), Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$2.548 billion (FY01)	$NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1% (FY01)	NA%
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)	Liberation Day, 14 June (1982)
Nationality	noun: Swiss (singular and plural) adjective: Swiss	noun: Falkland Islander(s) adjective: Falkland Island
Natural hazards	avalanches, landslides, flash floods	strong winds persist throughout the year
Natural resources	hydropower potential, timber, salt	fish, wildlife
Net migration rate	1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	NA migrant(s)/1,000 population
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	none; all independents
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none
Population	7,318,638 (July 2003 est.)	2,967 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	0.21% (2003 est.)	2.44% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Basel	Stanley
Radio broadcast stations	AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998)	AM 1, FM 7, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios	-	1,000 (1997)
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)	0 km
Religions	Roman Catholic 46.1%, Protestant 40%, other 5%, none 8.9% (1990)	primarily Anglican, Roman Catholic, United Free Church, Evangelist Church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Lutheran, Seventh-Day Adventist
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	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: NA domestic: government-operated radiotelephone and private VHF/CB radiotelephone networks provide effective service to almost all points on both islands international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) with links through London to other countries
Telephones - main lines in use	4.82 million (1998)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	1.967 million (1999)	NA
Television broadcast stations	115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995)	2 (operated by the British Forces Broadcasting Service) note: cable television is available in Stanley (2002)
Terrain	mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes	rocky, hilly, mountainous with some boggy, undulating plains
Total fertility rate	1.48 children born/woman (2003 est.)	NA children born/woman
Unemployment rate	1.9% (2002 est.)	full employment; labor shortage
Waterways	65 km note: The Rhine carries heavy traffic on the Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee stretches; there are also 12 navigable lakes	none

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