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Compare Switzerland (2005) - Western Sahara (2001)

Compare Switzerland (2005) z Western Sahara (2001)

 Switzerland (2005)Western Sahara (2001)
 SwitzerlandWestern Sahara
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 (under de facto control of Morocco)
Age structure 0-14 years: 16.6% (male 643,497/female 597,565)


15-64 years: 68% (male 2,570,544/female 2,522,365)


65 years and over: 15.4% (male 472,769/female 682,630) (2005 est.)
0-14 years:
NA%

15-64 years:
NA%

65 years and over:
NA%
Agriculture - products grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads)
Airports 65 (2004 est.) 11 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 42


over 3,047 m: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 10


914 to 1,523 m: 8


under 914 m: 16 (2004 est.)
total:
3

2,438 to 3,047 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 23


under 914 m: 23 (2004 est.)
total:
8

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
3 (2000 est.)
Area total: 41,290 sq km


land: 39,770 sq km


water: 1,520 sq km
total:
266,000 sq km

land:
266,000 sq km

water:
0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey about the size of Colorado
Background The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. Switzerland's sovreignty and neutrality have long been honored by the major European powers, and the country 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. Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 cease-fire; a referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed and is not expected to occur until at least 2002.
Birth rate 9.77 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Budget revenues: $131.5 billion


expenditures: $140.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)
revenues:
$NA

expenditures:
$NA, including capital expenditures of $NA
Capital Bern none
Climate temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 1,110 km
Constitution revision of Constitution of 1874 approved by the Federal Parliament 18 December 1998, adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, officially entered into force 1 January 2000 -
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:
Western Sahara

former:
Spanish Sahara
Currency - Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Death rate 8.48 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Debt - external $NA (2000) $NA
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Pamela P. WILLEFORD


embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11


FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44
none
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
Disputes - international none claimed and administered by Morocco, but sovereignty is unresolved and the UN is attempting to hold a referendum on the issue; the UN-administered cease-fire has been in effect since September 1991
Economic aid - donor ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) -
Economic aid - recipient - $NA
Economy - overview Switzerland is a peaceful, 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, with a small rise to 1.8% in 2004. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. Western Sahara, a territory poor in natural resources and lacking sufficient rainfall, depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. Most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Incomes and standards of living are substantially below the Moroccan level.
Electricity - consumption 54.53 billion kWh (2002) 83.7 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 32.3 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 27.8 billion kWh (2002) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 63.47 billion kWh (2002) 90 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - 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:
Sebjet Tah -55 m

highest point:
unnamed location 463 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 sparse water and lack of arable land
Environment - international agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to:
none of the selected agreements

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% Arab, Berber
Exchange rates Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002), 1.6876 (2001), 1.6888 (2000) Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 10.590 (January 2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999), 9.604 (1998), 9.527 (1997), 8.716 (1996)
Executive branch chief of state: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: President Samuel SCHMID (since 1 January 2005); Vice President Moritz LEUENBERGER (since 1 January 2005); 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 8 December 2004 (next to be held December 2005)


election results: Samuel SCHMID elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 70.7%; Moritz LEUENBERGER elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - 64.8%
none
Exports 10,420 bbl/day (2001) $NA
Exports - commodities machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products phosphates 62%
Exports - partners Germany 20.2%, US 10.5%, France 8.7%, Italy 8.3%, UK 5.1%, Spain 4% (2004) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
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 -
GDP - purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1.5%


industry: 34%


services: 64.5% (2003 est.)
agriculture:
NA%

industry:
NA%

services:
40%-45% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $33,800 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $NA
GDP - real growth rate 1.8% (2004 est.) NA%
Geographic coordinates 47 00 N, 8 00 E 24 30 N, 13 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 -
Heliports 2 (2004 est.) 1 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 71,212 km


paved: 71,212 km (including 1,706 of expressways)


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
total:
6,200 km

paved:
1,350 km

unpaved:
4,850 km (1991 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 2.6%


highest 10%: 25.2% (1992)
lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
Illicit drugs a major international financial center vulnerable to the layering and integration stages of money laundering; despite significant legislation and reporting requirements, secrecy rules persist and nonresidents are permitted to conduct business through offshore entities and various intermediaries; transit country for and consumer of South American cocaine and Southwest Asian heroin -
Imports 289,500 bbl/day (2001) $NA
Imports - commodities machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs
Imports - partners Germany 32.8%, Italy 11.3%, France 9.9%, US 5.2%, Netherlands 5%, Austria 4.3% (2004) Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts
Independence 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) -
Industrial production growth rate 4.7% (2004 est.) NA%
Industries machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments phosphate mining, handicrafts
Infant mortality rate total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 3.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
-
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 0.9% (2004 est.) NA%
International organization participation ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, 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), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC none
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (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) -
Labor force 3.77 million (2004 est.) 12,000
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 4.6%, industry 26.3%, services 69.1% (1998) animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50%
Land boundaries total: 1,852 km


border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km
total:
2,046 km

border countries:
Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km
Land use arable land: 10.42%


permanent crops: 0.61%


other: 88.97% (2001)
arable land:
0%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
19%

forests and woodland:
0%

other:
81%
Languages German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 20.4%, Italian (official) 6.5%, Serbo-Croatian 1.5%, Albanian 1.3%, Portuguese 1.2%, Spanish 1.1%, English 1%, Romansch 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)


note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national languages, but only the first three are official languages
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic
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 in most cantons 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held 19 October 2003 (next to be held October 2007)


election results: Council of States - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CVP 15, FDP 14, SVP 8, SPS 6, other 3; National Council - percent of vote by party - SVP 26.6%, SPS 23.3%, FDP 17.3%, CVP 14.4%, Greens 7.4%, other small parties all under 5%; seats by party - SVP 55, SPS 54, FDP 36, CVP 28, Green Party 13, other small parties 14
-
Life expectancy at birth total population: 80.39 years


male: 77.58 years


female: 83.36 years (2005 est.)
-
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (1980 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
NA

total population:
NA%

male:
NA%

female:
NA%
Location Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco
Map references Europe Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue
Merchant marine total: 23 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 604,843 GRT/1,050,914 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 12, cargo 6, chemical tanker 2, container 3


foreign-owned: 6 (United Kingdom 6)


registered in other countries: 291 (2005)
-
Military branches Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe) NA
Military expenditures - dollar figure $2.548 billion (FY01) $NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1% (FY01) NA%
National holiday Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) -
Nationality noun: Swiss (singular and plural)


adjective: Swiss
noun:
Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)

adjective:
Sahrawian, Sahraouian
Natural hazards avalanches, landslides, flash floods hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility
Natural resources hydropower potential, timber, salt phosphates, iron ore
Net migration rate 3.58 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) -
Pipelines gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders 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]; 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) [Doris LEUTHARD, president]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Marianne KLEINER-SCHLAEPFER, 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) [Hans-Juerg FEHR, 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 none
Population 7,489,370 (July 2005 est.) 250,559 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line NA NA%
Population growth rate 0.49% (2005 est.) -
Ports and harbors Basel Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun)
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios - 56,000 (1997)
Railways total: 4,527 km


standard gauge: 3,232 km 1.435-m gauge (3,211 km electrified)


narrow gauge: 1,285 km 1.000-m gauge (1,273 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2004)
0 km
Religions Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, Muslim 4.3%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) Muslim
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
-
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign has yet to be completed
Telephone system general assessment: excellent domestic and international services


domestic: extensive cable and microwave radio relay networks


international: country code - 41; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean)
general assessment:
sparse and limited system

domestic:
NA

international:
tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco
Telephones - main lines in use 5.419 million (2002) about 2,000 (1999 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular 6.172 million (2003) 0 (1999)
Television broadcast stations 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) NA
Terrain mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast
Total fertility rate 1.42 children born/woman (2005 est.) -
Unemployment rate 3.4% (2004 est.) NA%
Waterways 65 km


note: Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee, some canals, and 12 navigable lakes (2003)
none
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