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Compare Switzerland (2007) - Saudi Arabia (2007)
Compare Switzerland (2007) z Saudi Arabia (2007)
| Switzerland (2007) | Saudi Arabia (2007) | |
 |  | |
| 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 | 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 16.1% (male 630,341/female 584,167)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 2,596,996/female 2,553,108) 65 years and over: 15.8% (male 489,895/female 700,154) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,369,285/female 5,162,585)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,316,694/female 7,089,370) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 348,827/female 314,277) (2007 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs | wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk |
| Airports | 65 (2007) | 213 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 42
over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 16 (2007) |
total: 77
over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 23
under 914 m: 23 (2007) |
total: 136
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 15 (2007) |
| Area | total: 41,290 sq km
land: 39,770 sq km water: 1,520 sq km |
total: 2,149,690 sq km
land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US |
| 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 sovereignty 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. | Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. |
| Birth rate | 9.66 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 29.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $143 billion
expenditures: $142.1 billion (2006 est.) |
revenues: $174.8 billion
expenditures: $104.1 billion (2006 est.) |
| Capital | name: Bern
geographic coordinates: 46 57 N, 7 26 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
name: Riyadh
geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes |
| Coastline | 0 km (landlocked) | 2,640 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 | governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992 |
| Country name | conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German); Confederation Suisse (French); Confederazione Svizzera (Italian); Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh) local short form: Schweiz (German); Suisse (French); Svizzera (Italian); Svizra (Romansh) |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah |
| Death rate | 8.51 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.55 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | $1.077 trillion (30 June 2006) | $46.6 billion (2006 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Peter R. CONEWAY
embassy: Jubilaumsstrasse 93, CH-3005 Bern mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [41] (031) 357 70 11 FAX: [41] (031) 357 73 44 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Ford FRAKER
embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Urs ZISWILER
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, San Francisco consulate(s): Boston |
chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York |
| Disputes - international | none | Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $1.1 billion (1995) | since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief; pledged a total of $1.59 billion to Lebanon in assistance and deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an additional $1.1 billion in early 2007 |
| 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 safehaven 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 stagnated during the 2001-03 period, improved during 2004-05 to 1.8% annually and to 2.9% in 2006. Even so, unemployment has remained at less than half the EU average. | Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses 25% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. The government is promoting private sector and foreign participation in the power generation, telecom, natural gas, and petrochemical industries. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the government to post large budget surpluses, Riyadh has substantially boosted spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries. The government has announced plans to establish six "economic cities" in different regions of the country to promote development and diversification. |
| Electricity - consumption | 58.26 billion kWh (2005) | 146.9 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports | 32 billion kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports | 38.35 billion kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - production | 56.1 billion kWh (2005) | 165.6 billion kWh (2005) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 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 | desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills |
| 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6% | Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% |
| Exchange rates | Swiss francs per US dollar - 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004), 1.3467 (2003), 1.5586 (2002) | Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75 (2003), 3.75 (2002) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Micheline CALMY-REY (since 1 January 2007); Vice President Pascal COUCHEPIN (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) elected by the Federal Assembly usually from among its 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 a one-year term (they may not serve consecutive terms); election last held on 13 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2007) election results: Micheline CALMY-REY elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 76.5%; Pascal COUCHEPIN elected vice president; percent of Federal Assembly vote - 86.5% |
chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king |
| Exports | 11,360 bbl/day (2004) | 8.554 million bbl/day (2004) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products | petroleum and petroleum products 90% |
| Exports - partners | Germany 19.7%, US 11.1%, Italy 8.8%, France 8.6%, UK 4.8% (2006) | Japan 17.7%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9%, China 7.2%, Taiwan 4.6%, Singapore 4.4% (2006) |
| 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 | green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932 |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1.5%
industry: 34% services: 64.5% (2003 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 63.6% services: 33.4% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.7% (2006 est.) | 4.3% (2006 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 47 00 N, 8 00 E | 25 00 N, 45 00 E |
| Geography - note | landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps | extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal |
| Heliports | 2 (2007) | 8 (2007) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: 2.9%
highest 10%: 25.9% (2000) |
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, Southwest Asian heroin, and Western European synthetics; domestic cannabis cultivation and limited ecstasy production | death penalty for traffickers; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement |
| Imports | 267,000 bbl/day (2004) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural products, textiles | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles |
| Imports - partners | Germany 31.7%, Italy 10.6%, France 10%, US 6.2%, Netherlands 4.7%, Austria 4.3% (2006) | US 12.3%, Germany 8.6%, China 8%, Japan 7.3%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.8%, South Korea 4.1% (2006) |
| Independence | 1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 6.5% (2006 est.) | 1.9% (2006 est.) |
| Industries | machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, and insurance | crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 4.28 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 4.77 deaths/1,000 live births female: 3.77 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.1% (2006 est.) | 2.2% (2006 est.) |
| International organization participation | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | 250 sq km (2003) | 16,200 sq km (2003) |
| Judicial branch | Federal Supreme Court (judges elected for six-year terms by the Federal Assembly) | Supreme Council of Justice |
| Labor force | 3.8 million (2006 est.) | 6.311 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 4.6%
industry: 26.3% services: 69.1% (1998) |
agriculture: 12%
industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total: 1,852 km
border countries: Austria 164 km, France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km |
total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
| Land use | arable land: 9.91%
permanent crops: 0.58% other: 89.51% (2005) |
arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005) |
| 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 (official) 0.5%, other 2.8% (2000 census)
note: German, French, Italian, and Romansch are all national and official languages |
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 | based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| 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; membership consists of 2 representatives from each canton and 1 from each half canton; to 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 on 19 October 2003 (each canton determines when the next election will be held); National Council - last held on 21 October 2007 (next to be held in October 2011) 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 29%, SPS 19.5%, FDP 15.6%, CVP 14.6%, Greens 9.6%, other 11.7%; seats by party - SVP 62, SPS 43, FDP 31, CVP 31, Green Party 20, other small parties 13 |
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years, to date no such elections have been held or announced |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 80.62 years
male: 77.8 years female: 83.59 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 75.88 years
male: 73.85 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen |
| Map references | Europe | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | none (landlocked) | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified |
| Merchant marine | total: 32 ships (1000 GRT or over) 577,765 GRT/918,974 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 13, cargo 8, chemical tanker 4, container 6, specialized tanker 1 registered in other countries: 121 (Antigua and Barbuda 5, Bahamas 2, Cyprus 3, France 3, Indonesia 3, Italy 5, Liberia 11, Malta 22, Marshall Islands 14, Panama 26, Paraguay 1, Portugal 2, Russia 6, Singapore 2, St Vincent and The Grenadines 12, Tonga 1, UK 1, Vanuatu 2) (2007) |
total: 59 ships (1000 GRT or over) 847,094 GRT/1,059,026 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8 foreign-owned: 10 (Egypt 1, Greece 2, Kuwait 6, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 63 (Bahamas 15, Comoros 1, Dominica 1, France 1, Liberia 24, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 3, Panama 14) (2007) |
| Military branches | Swiss Armed Forces: Land Forces, Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe); Switzerland has no navy, but maintains a fleet of military patrol boats to patrol Swiss borders (2006) | Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1% (2005 est.) | 10% (2005 est.) |
| National holiday | Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291) | Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) |
| Nationality | noun: Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective: Swiss |
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian |
| Natural hazards | avalanches, landslides, flash floods | frequent sand and dust storms |
| Natural resources | hydropower potential, timber, salt | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper |
| Net migration rate | 2.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -5.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Pipelines | gas 1,831 km; oil 94 km; refined products 7 km (2006) | condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006) |
| Political parties and leaders | Green Party (Gruene 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) [Christophe DARBELLAY]; Radical Free Democratic Party (Freisinnig-Demokratische Partei der Schweiz or FDP, Parti Radical-Democratique Suisse or PRD, Partitio Liberal-Radicale Svizzero or PLR) [Fulvio PELLI]; 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]; 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]; and other minor parties | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| Population | 7,554,661 (July 2007 est.) | 27,601,038
note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 0.381% (2007 est.) | 2.06% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 113 (plus many low-power stations), shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Railways | total: 4,839 km
standard gauge: 3,561 km 1.435-m gauge (3,195 km electrified) narrow gauge: 1,268 km 1.000-m gauge (1,274 km electrified); 10 km 0.800-m gauge (10 km electrified) (2006) |
total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2006) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 41.8%, Protestant 35.3%, Muslim 4.3%, Orthodox 1.8%, other Christian 0.4%, other 1%, unspecified 4.3%, none 11.1% (2000 census) | Muslim 100% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.017 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.969 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.314 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.196 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; male |
| 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: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems international: country code - 966; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine cable to Djibouti, Egypt and Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 5.04 million (2006) | 4.5 million (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 7.418 million (2006) | 19.663 million (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations | 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995) | 117 (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes | mostly uninhabited, sandy desert |
| Total fertility rate | 1.44 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.94 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% (2006 est.) | 13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.) |
| Waterways | 65 km (Rhine River between Basel-Rheinfelden and Schaffhausen-Bodensee) (2003) | - |
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