Founded in 1219, Switzerland was a union of 3 districts resisting Habsburg rule. It was not until 1815 that Switzerland gained its independence. At the turn of the century, there were only 7.2 million people in Switzerland. Did you know that the system of government in Switzerland is based on the US constitution? It only takes 100,000 Swiss to demand a revision of the Constitution. Every year, there is a presidential election, however, there are seven members of the Executive branch (Swiss Federal Council) that is up for election every four years. Continue reading to learn more about Switzerland.
Politics
In 1999, the Swiss voted in favor of a newly formed constitution. There are many seats that are situated in Geneva, Switzerland, including the World Trade Organization, World Economic Forum, International Organization for Standardization, World Wide Web Virtual Library, World Health Organization, European headquarters of the UN, Airports Council International, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Switzerland
Switzerland helps to set the standard high for everyone else. Switzerland has one of the highest life expectancies in Europe, only second to Sweden. They also have one of the highest employment rates in the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development), second only to Iceland. Switzerland is located in the middle of Europe and covers an area of just over 41,000 sq km.
Geography and States
The three main geographic regions in Switzerland are made up of the Plateau, the Jura, and the Alps. There are 26 districts in Switzerland, each one act as an independent state with its own constitution, government, courts, and legislature.
People
Did you know that there are five official languages in Switzerland? 20% of the population of Switzerland is foreigners. Switzerland is largely sought after for its skiing. Germans make up 65% of the population. The religion of Switzerland is mainly Roman Catholics and Protestants.
Famous
Some of the most luxurious watch brands come from Switzerland including Rolex, TAG Heuer, Franck Muller, and Baume et Mercier. Some of the most famous Swiss are the world champion tennis player, Roger Federer, the first and only Swiss astronaut Claude Nicollier, Renee Zellweger, the famous architect H.H. Geiger, Ursula Andress, and the fictional character Heidi. In 1999, a Jewish woman was president of Switzerland.
