Country
Switzerland
Leader
Population
16,323,044 7,925,517
Life Expectancy
52.310 years 81.170 years
Capital City
Bern
Largest city
Lilongwe (population: 646,750) Zurich (population: 341,730)
Human Development Index
0.457 0.955 GDP per capita $43,900 US
Literacy Rate
62.7% 99%
Corruption Perception Index
2.8 9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
13% 27.2% Wealthiest Citizens NA Ernesto Bertarelli ($8.2bn US) Unemployment Rate 3.100%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice Abolished
Political System
multiparty democracy formally a confederation but similar in structure to a federal republic
Independence date
1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation) Religions Christian 79.9%, Muslim 12.8%, other 3%, none 4.3% (1998 census) 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) Languages Chichewa 57.2% (official), Chinyanja 12.8%, Chiyao 10.1%, Chitumbuka 9.5%, Chisena 2.7%, Chilomwe 2.4%, Chitonga 1.7%, other 3.6% (1998 census) 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 Exports machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products External Debt $1,346,000,000,000 US Exchange Rate Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar - 1.0774 (2008 est.), 1.1973 (2007), 1.2539 (2006), 1.2452 (2005), 1.2435 (2004) Military Budget as percentage of GDP 1.000% Beijing Olympics Medal Count 0 6 Location Southern Africa, east of Zambia Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy Area 118,484 km sq 41,277 km sq Coastline 0 km 0 km Climate sub-tropical; rainy season (November to May); dry season (May to November) temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers
