Switzerland is bordered by France to the west, Germany to the north, Austria to the east and Italy to the south. It has the highest mountains in Europe, with waterfalls and lakes set amid green pastures. The highest peaks are Dufour Peak, 4634m (15,217ft), on the Italian border; the Dom, 4545m (14,912ft); the Matterhorn, 4478m (14,692ft); and the Jungfrau, 4166m (13,669ft).Small, mountainous and wealthy, with a population of just seven million, Switzerland is renowned for its enviable quality of life in a country that ticks along like clockwork. Its products are sought after the world over, from dangerously delicious cheese and chocolate to luxurious watches whose timekeeping is as sharp as a Swiss army knife, another popular export from this clever little nation in the Alps.
Switzerland’s famed political neutrality and isolated location, ring-fenced by mountains, have enabled it to play a safe but central role in European affairs. These factors also gave rise to the coveted Swiss bank account, whose anonymity, along with tax relief and what may be the safest banks in the world, have made Zürich one of Europe’s major financial hubs. The conveniently central location in the middle of Europe has also made Switzerland a favorite meeting place for conventions and international conferences – Geneva, for instance, is home to the United Nations.
Switzerland is not only a place for professionals, though. As a stylish tourist destination it offers top ski resorts like Zermatt and celebrity-studded St Moritz, while the white peaks of mountains set against blue skies make a wonderful backdrop for summertime hiking. The ancient capital of Berne provides opportunities for sightseeing and elegant shopping, while nightlife can prove to be a lot of fun, too, since the Swiss like their food and folk music even in discotheques and nightclubs.
Modern Switzerland was conquered by Julius Caesar during the Gallic wars and made part of the Roman Empire. It remained a Roman province until the 4th century AD. The population reached a high level of civilization Important cities such as Geneva Basel and Zurich were linked by military roads that also served as trade arteries between Rome and the northern tribes.
After the decline of the Roman Empire, Switzerland was invaded by Germanic tribes from the north and west. Some tribes in central and northeastern of Switzerland and western of Switzerland settled there. In 800 the country became part of Charlemagne's empire. It later passed under the dominion of the German emperors.
In 1291 representatives of the three forest cantons of Uri Schwyz and Unterwalden signed the Eternal Alliance. This united them in the struggle against foreign rule by the Hapsburgs who then held the German imperial throne. At the battle of Morganten in 1315 the Swiss defeated the Hapsburg army and secured quasi-independence within the German Empire as the Swiss Confederation.Under the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 European countries recognized Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire and its neutrality.In 1798 armies of the French Revolution conquered Switzerland. The Treaty of Vienna and the Second Peace of Paris in 1815 re-established Swiss independence and the powers participating in the Congress of Vienna agreed to recognize Swiss permanent neutrality.
Switzerland adopted a federal constitution in 1848 modeled in part on the U.S. Constitution. The Swiss amended their constitution extensively in 1874 establishing federal responsibility for defense trade and legal matters. Since then continued political economic and social improvement has characterized Swiss history. The Swiss did not participate in either world wars.
Switzerland may not rank foremost among the centres of European culture, the nation nevertheless can boast of an impressive list of contributors to the arts and sciences. On the one hand, because of limited opportunities at home, some of Switzerland's creative minds have chosen to live elsewhere. This has been particularly true of architects. On the other hand, Switzerland's orthodox neutrality and its laws of political asylum have made the nation a magnet for many creative persons during times of unrest or war in Europe. The mid-19th century was such a time, as were the 1930s and '40s, when the rise of fascism caused a number of German, Austrian, and Italian writers such as Thomas Mann, Stefan George, and Ignazio Silone to seek harbour in Switzerland.
Swiss culture has contributed notably to literature, art, and music. It is an amalgam of the German, French, and Italian cultures embodied in the Swiss linguistic regions; it is separated from these parent cultures, for example, by Swiss dialects and cultural cross-pollination. From early times Switzerland has been exposed to many foreign determines, and as early as the Middle Ages the nation had achieved a high cultural level. Carolingian culture, particularly painting and Romanesque architecture, flourished, and the Saint Gall monastery was a brilliant center of Western culture. Since then most European cultural trends, such as humanism and the Reformation, have been assimilated. Calvin and Huldreich Zwingli.
Much of modern cultural life has been determined by television. The three networks, French, German, and Italian, while portraying their respective cultures, include many programs from France, Germany, and Italy. French-language television also includes shows from Canada and Belgium, whereas the German network presents programs from Austria. All of the nation is determined by American movies and television programs. Cable television, reflecting the Europeanization of Switzerland, has brought a wide mixture of additional programs to the large urban centres.
Swiss cuisine is varied. The great specialty is fondue, a delicious concoction of Gruyère and Vacherin cheese, melted and mixed with white wine, flour, Kirsch and a little garlic. Other cheese specialties are Emmental and Tête de Moine. Regional specialties include viande sechée (dried beef or pork) from Valais and the Grisons where it is called Bündnerfleisch. The meat is cut wafer thin and served with pickled spring onions and gherkins. Papet vaudoir is a delicious dish made from leeks and potatoes. Geneva’s great specialty is pieds de porc (pigs' feet). Pork sausages or salami come in a variety of local recipes including Beinwurst, Engadinerwurst, Kalbsleberwurst (calf’s liver pâté), Knackerli, Landjäger and Leberwurst (pâté). Try Rösti (shredded fried potatoes) and Fondue Bourguignonne (cubed meat with various sauces). Cakes and pastries are also varied: Leckerli are Basle specialties (spiced honey cakes topped with icing sugar, decorated in Bern with a white sugar bear); Fasnachtküchli (sugar-dusted pastries eaten during Carnival), Gugelhopf (a type of sponge cake with a hollow center) and Schaffhausen (cream-filled cakes) are also popular.Great variety of Swiss wines are available throughout the country. There are also spirits made from fruit, the most popular being Kirsch, Marc, Pflümli and Williams. Swiss beer of a lager type is also available. Bottled mineral water is an accepted beverage, with local brands including Henniez and Passuger. Bars/cocktail lounges have table and/or counter service.
Country Name: Swiss Confederation
Area: 41,295 sq km
Population: 7.3 million, Population Density: 175.9 per sq km.
Capital: Bern
People: 74% German, 20% French, 4% Italian & 1% Romansch
Language: German, French, Italian & Romansch
Religion: 49% Roman Catholic & 48% Protestant
Currency:Swiss franc
