Swiss Confederation | |
|---|---|
Anthem: "Swiss Psalm" | |
 Location of Switzerland (green) in Europe (green and dark grey) | |
| Capital | None (de jure) Bern (de facto)[note 1][1][2] 46°57′N 7°27′E / 46.950°N 7.450°E |
| Largest city | Zürich |
| Official languages | German French Italian Romansh |
| Demonym(s) | English: Swiss, German: Schweizer(in), French: Suisse(sse), Italian: svizzero/svizzera, or elvetico/elvetica, Romansh: Svizzer/Svizra |
| Government | Federal semi-direct democracy under a multi-party parliamentary directorial republic |
| Walter Thurnherr | |
| Legislature | Federal Assembly |
| Council of States | |
| National Council | |
| History | |
| c. 1300[note 2] (traditionally 1 August 1291) | |
| 24 October 1648 | |
| 7 August 1815 | |
| 12 September 1848[note 3][3] | |
| Area | |
• Total | 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi) (132nd) |
• Water (%) | 4.2 |
| Population | |
• 2019 estimate |  8,570,146[4] (99th) |
• 2015 census | 8,327,126[5] |
• Density | 207/km2 (536.1/sq mi) (48th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $548 billion[6] (38th) |
• Per capita | $64,649[6] (9th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2018 estimate |
• Total | $704 billion[6] (20th) |
• Per capita | $82,950[6] (2nd) |
| Gini (2018) |  29.7[7]low · 19th |
| HDI (2018) | 0.946[8] very high · 2nd |
| Currency | Swiss franc (CHF) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Date format | dd.mm.yyyy (AD) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +41 |
| ISO 3166 code | CH |
| Internet TLD | .ch, .swiss |
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Switzerland
Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a country situated in the confluence of western, central, and southern Europe. It is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons, with federal authorities seated in Bern. Switzerland is a landlocked country bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. It is geographically divided among the Swiss Plateau, the Alps, and the Jura, spanning a total area of 41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi), and land area of 39,997 km2 (15,443 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8.5 million is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are located, among them the two global cities and economic centres of Zürich and Geneva.