Switzerland Geography: A Comprehensive Overview of the Swiss Landscape

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Introduction to Geography of Switzerland

Switzerland, (German: Schweiz; French: Suisse; Italian: Svizzera; Romansh: Svizera), or Swiss Confederation, a country in central Europe. It is also known by a Latin name, Helvetia, used since Roman times. Switzerland consists of 26 political units called cantons. Along the Swiss border lie Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Italy, and France.

Despite its small size, Switzerland is a land of contrasting scenery that includes craggy Alpine peaks, placid lakes, and lush, picturesque valleys. The Swiss people, too, are diverse. Culturally and linguistically they form three main groups: German, French, and Italian. Each preserves to a large extent its traditions and way of life. The Romansh-speaking people form a small minority.

Economically, Switzerland is one of the most industrially advanced and prosperous countries. It is known especially for skillfully made products and for its immense tourist and banking industries. Many international agencies and organizations maintain headquarters there, and it has been the site of numerous international conferences and treaty negotiations.

Facts in brief about SwitzerlandCapital: Bern.Official languages: German, French, and Italian.Official names: Schweiz (in German), Suisse (in French), and Svizzera (in Italian).Area: 15,940 mi2 (41,284 km2), including 523 mi2 (1,355 km2) of inland water. Greatest distances—east-west, 213 mi (343 km); north-south, 138 mi (222 km).Elevation: Highest—Dufourspitze of Monte Rosa, 15,203 ft (4,634 m) above sea level. Lowest—shore of Lake Maggiore, 633 ft (193 m) above sea level.Population: Current estimate—7,542,000; density, 473 per mi2 (183 per km2); distribution, 68 percent urban, 32 percent rural. 2000 census--7,288,010.Chief products: Agriculture—dairy products, fruits, potatoes, sugar beets, wheat. Manufacturing—chemicals, drugs, electrical equipment, machine tools, precision instruments, processed foods, textiles, watches, wine.National anthem: "Swiss Psalm."Flag and coat of arms: Switzerland's flag has a white cross on a red background. The white cross represents Christianity. The region of Schwyz used the flag in an earlier form in 1240. The coat of arms, like the Swiss flag, was established with its present dimensions in 1889.National holiday: Swiss National Day, August 1.Money: Basic unit—Swiss franc. One hundred centimes equal one franc.

Physical Geography

Switzerland lies in the middle of Europe.Land

Switzerland's dominant physical features, each trending northeast-southwest, are the Alps, the Jura Mountains, and the Swiss Plateau.

The Alps cover about three-fifths of Switzerland. In most areas, except the northern foothills, they are high and magnificently rugged, with ice and snow covering the loftiest peaks. Deep, scenic valleys created by glaciers during the last Ice Age are also characteristic. Numerous remnants of the ice still remain, including the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in continental Europe.

The highest parts of the Swiss Alps flank the upper Rhône River valley. South of the valley are the Pennine Alps, where numerous peaks exceed 14,000 feet (4,267 m), especially on or near the Italian border. Dufourspitze, the highest point of Monte Rosa, reaches 15,203 feet (4,634 m)—the highest elevation in Switzerland. Dom rises 14,913 feet (4,545 m); Weisshorn, 14,782 feet (4,506 m). The 14,692-foot (4,478-m) Matterhorn is probably the best-known peak.

North of the Rhône valley rise the Bernese Alps, or Bernese Oberland, which crest in such massive peaks as Finsteraarhorn (14,022 feet; 4,274 m), Aletschhorn (13,763; 4,195), and Jungfrau (13,642; 4,158). This area, which includes the resort city of Inter-laken, is one of the most scenic and frequently visited sections in the Swiss Alps.

The mountains of southeastern Switzerland, notably the Glarus, Lepontine, Rhaetian, and Bernina Alps, are as rugged as those to the west but somewhat lower. Only a few peaks here rise more than 11,000 feet (3,353 m) above sea level; only one exceeds 13,000 feet (3,962 m).

The Jura Mountains, which lie partly in France, extend northeasterly from the vicinity of Lake Geneva to the Rhine River, east of Basel. They are geologically related to the Alps, but are much lower and have relatively gentle slopes. In general, the Jura Mountains consist of more or less parallel folds, or ridges, separated by narrow valleys. Summit elevations are highest in the southwestern part of the chain, where they generally range from 3,000 to 4,000 feet (900 to 1,200 m). A few peaks exceed 5,000 feet (1,500 m).

The Swiss Plateau, sometimes called the Mittelland, spans the entire country between the Jura Mountains and the Alps. Nearly everywhere the surface is rolling to hilly with broad cultivated valleys. Elevations generally are between 1,000 and 2,000 feet (300 and 600 m). Most of Switzerland's population, all of its largest cities, and virtually all of its productive cropland are situated on the plateau.

Water

The Rhine River, with its many tributaries, drains most of the land. It begins in the Alps at the junction of two main head-streams, the Vorderrhein and the Hinterrhein, and flows first northward and then westward past Basel. For most of its course in Switzerland, the Rhine forms the borders with Liechtenstein, Austria, and Germany. The Aare, its chief tributary in Switzerland, drains practically all the plateau and is fed partially by such rivers as the Limmat, Reuss, Emme, and Saane.

The Rhône drains the southwest. It begins at the foot of the Rhône Glacier, near the source of the Rhine, and follows a magnificent, deep valley to enter Lake Geneva. The Rhône emerges at Geneva and continues on into France. The only significant rivers in southeastern and eastern Switzerland are the Ticino and the Inn. The Ticino is the main source of Lake Maggiore's water and is a tributary of the Po. The Inn, following the valley of the Engadine into Austria, flows on to join the Danube.

Notable among Switzerland's numerous waterfalls are the low but mighty Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen and the narrow but high (984 feet; 300 m) Staubbach Falls in the Bernese Alps. The highest, which descends in several leaps, is Cascade de Giétroz, 1,696 feet (517 m).

Switzerland also abounds in lakes, many renowned for magnificent settings and sparkling clear waters. Lake Geneva and Lake Constance are the largest; both have surface areas exceeding 200 square miles (518 km2). Next in size are Lake Neuchâtel, near the Jura Mountains, and Lake Maggiore, on the Italian border. Also sizable are Lakes Lucerne, Lugano, Thun, Biel, Zug, and Brienz. Numerous small lakes dot the Alps.

Climate

Switzerland has an invigorating continental climate, marked by warm summers, cold winters, and very little severe weather except in the higher parts of the Alps. On the plateau, average temperatures vary from about 30° F. (-1° C.) during January, the coldest month, to nearly 70° F. (21° C.) in July. The large lakes on the plateau, especially Lake Geneva, act as moderating local influences both in summer and in winter. Conditions are mildest in the extreme south, around Lakes Maggiore and Lugano, where some effects of the Mediterranean climate of southern Europe are felt.

In the mountains, the climate is determined mainly by elevation—the higher the elevation, the colder the climate. Also important is the exposure, or location in relation to the sun. The south sides of mountains, those facing the sun, are considerably warmer than the shaded northern slopes. Above 9,000 to 10,000 feet (2,700 to 3,000 m), the climate is cold, with perpetual ice and snow.

Precipitation is abundant throughout Switzerland, except in parts of the upper Rhône valley, which get as little as 20 inches (500 mm) a year. On the plateau, it varies from about 30 to 40 inches (750 to 1,000 mm), depending on locality. Precipitation is extremely heavy in the mountains, where much of it falls as snow.

Economy

Switzerland's economy is based mainly on manufacturing and foreign trade and also on tourism and international business and commerce. Except during periods of worldwide recession, it is a strong and thriving economy, one that requires hundreds of thousands of resident foreign workers in addition to the Swiss.

Manufacturing has gained its prominent position mainly because of the ability of the Swiss to make specialized products that readily find worldwide markets. By its exports Switzerland pays for many imports—virtually all raw materials, many manufactured goods, and much of its food supply. Economic development has also been aided by an abundant supply of hydroelectric power and by the country's neutrality, which allowed Switzerland to escape the ravages of two world wars.

On a per capita basis, the Swiss gross domestic product is usually one of the highest, if not the highest, in the world. Switzerland has very little unemployment and strikes are quite rare.

The Swiss government, in general, follows a policy of minimum interference in the economy. The agricultural sector, where prices are maintained at a rather high level, is the major exception.

Manufacturing

Virtually all the major manufacturing industries specialize in high-value items and are geared primarily for export. The chief products are machinery, chemicals, watches, and textiles.

The machinery industry is the largest industry in Switzerland in value of exports. It includes the making of textile and printing machinery, turbines, electric locomotives, marine diesel engines, trucks and buses, machine tools, scientific and technical instruments, and electronic products. The industry, as a whole, centers mainly in the northern German-speaking cities, particularly in or near Zürich, Winterthur, Baden, Schaffhausen, and Basel. Closely allied is the metallurgical industry, in which a broad range of metals are processed.

The chemical industry, second in importance, produces a wide variety of industrial and agricultural specialty products, among which are dyes, pharmaceuticals, and plastics. Basel is the chief center.

Watches and clocks have long been a valuable Swiss product. Almost all are made for export. The watchmaking industry, though fairly widespread, is concentrated in the French-speaking areas of the west, especially the cities of Geneva, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Le Locle, Neuchâtel, and Biel. The textile industry, located mainly in the north and northeast, yields high-quality cotton, wool, linen, silk, and rayon and other synthetic fabrics. Specialties include embroidery items and ribbons. Other notable industries are food processing, the graphic arts, woodworking, and the making of clothing, shoes, paper, and paper products.

Tourism, Banking, and Insurance

are extremely important sectors of the economy. Together, they usually more than offset Switzerland's deficit in foreign trade, allowing the country to have a favorable balance of payments.

The entire country is popular with tourists in spring, summer, and autumn. In winter, skiing and other sports in the Alps are the main attractions. Among the best-known mountain resorts are St. Moritz, Davos, and Zermatt.

Switzerland ranks among the world's leading nations in international banking and finance, mainly because of its political stability and neutrality, the strength of the Swiss franc, and the rigid secrecy of its banks. Secrecy is particularly important for it attracts vast amounts of foreign money into numbered accounts from people all over the world. The money is invested domestically and abroad, mainly through large commercial banks centered in Zürich, Basel, Bern, and Geneva.

Many Swiss insurance companies, with branch offices throughout the world, specialize in transportation insurance and reinsurance. The Zürich stock exchange is the largest in Switzerland and one of the most important in Europe.

Agriculture

Although greatly limited by climate and terrain, agriculture is significant. It engages about 6 per cent of the Swiss working population, provides valuable exports, and meets about half of the nation's domestic food requirements. In general, the numerous farms are family-owned and extremely small.

Swiss agriculture concentrates on dairying and the production of fodder crops. Both are well suited to the climate and the terrain. Together, they account for most of the productive farmland. On high Alpine meadows, dairying and the grazing of livestock are the only kinds of farming that can be practiced.

By far the most valuable product is milk. Most is used for making cheese, butter, condensed and powdered milk, and milk chocolate. Because of their high quality, Swiss dairy products find ready foreign markets. Among the best known are Emmentaler (Swiss) and Gruyère cheese. In addition to dairy cattle, the Swiss raise many hogs and chickens, but relatively few beef cattle.

On the cultivated land, which is primarily on the plateau, the chief crops are cereals, mainly wheat and barley. Also significant are potatoes, sugar beets, and a variety of other vegetables. In many areas there are extensive wine-grape vineyards and orchards—mainly apple, pear, plum, and cherry.

Transportation and Communication

Despite the ruggedness of much of the terrain, Switzerland has a comprehensive transportation system that links the major places on the plateau and the remote mountain areas. In the Alps are hundreds of bridges and tunnels.

The Swiss Federal Railways system, which is government-owned and entirely electrified, ranks among the finest in Europe. Numerous short lines are owned and operated privately or by the various cantons and municipalities.

Switzerland's roads are modern and well-constructed but tend to be overcrowded. A system of expressways, chiefly on the plateau, is maintained by the federal government. The other primary highways, and all secondary highways, are maintained by the cantons.

Basel is Switzerland's only large inland port. It serves mainly barges on the Rhine, one of the busiest inland waterways in the world. Besides a barge fleet, the Swiss also have an oceangoing merchant marine, begun during World War II. Passenger steamers operate on most of the larger lakes.

Scores of international airlines serve Switzerland, principally through the airports in or near Zürich, Geneva, and Basel. Swissair, the national airline, provides domestic and worldwide flights.

Postal, telephone, and telegraph services are federally owned and operated. The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, which is federally licensed and controlled, provides television broadcasts in German, French, and Italian, and radio broadcasts in German, French, Italian, and Romansch.

Economic production in SwitzerlandEconomic activities% of GDP producedNumber of workers% of all workersFinance, insurance, real estate, & business services 26580,00015Manufacturing & mining 21689,00018Trade, restaurants, & hotels 15886,00023Government 13153,0004Community, social, & personal services 7813,00021Transportation & communication 7253,0006Construction 6289,0007Utilities 325,0001Agriculture, forestry, & fishing 2187,0005Total 1003,875,000100

The People

The Swiss are the descendants of Celtic, Italian, and Germanic peoples.

Language, Religion, and Education

Four national languages are recognized. German is spoken by about 65 per cent of the population; French, by about 20 per cent; Italian, by more than 10 per cent; and Romansh, a form of Latin, by a small group in the southeast. English is widely used.

Freedom of religion is guaranteed; there is no official religion. Approximately 35 per cent of the population is Roman Catholic and 40 per cent is Protestant. There is a small Jewish community.

Education is administered by the cantons. It is free and compulsory for nine years in most cantons. Following primary schooling, students may continue their general education or begin vocational training at one of several types of secondary school. There is almost no illiteracy.

Swiss universities are public and are administered solely by the cantons. The oldest, at Basel, was founded in 1460. The federal government maintains technical institutes in Zürich and Lausanne.

Sports, Recreation, and Culture

Skiing is the most popular sport, and many Swiss ski resorts are world famous. Ice skating and mountain climbing are also popular.

Numerous festivals and fairs are held throughout the country. In April or May, the return of the herds and flocks to mountain pastures is celebrated in valley hamlets. The William Tell Festival at Interlaken, held in July and August, recalls the legendary exploits of the Swiss folk hero. August 1 is celebrated as Swiss National Day.

Switzerland has been the adopted home of many European writers, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Hermann Hesse. In the 20th century several native Swiss have gained international recognition in the arts, including Carl Spitteler (literature), Max Frisch and Friedrich Dürrenmatt (drama and literature), and Alberto Giacometti (sculpture and painting). The Swiss National Museum, with exhibits on Swiss history and culture, is in Zürich.

Government

Switzerland is a federal republic composed of 26 cantons (states), three of which are subdivided into half-cantons. Under the constitution of 2000, executive authority is exercised by the Federal Council, composed of seven members elected by the Federal Assembly for four years. One member is designated by the Council each year to serve as national president.

The Federal Assembly is a two-house legislative body. The Council of States is composed of two members from each canton, elected in various ways for varying terms. The National Council with 200 members is directly elected for four years.

Each canton is self-governing. In several cantons government is conducted by annual meetings of voters. Initiatives and referenda, which originated in the Swiss cantons, are widely used for proposing and voting on both federal and cantonal legislation and constitutional amendments. In 1971, women were granted the right to vote.

Justice is primarily a cantonal function. The Federal Tribunal is the highest court of appeal.

Switzerland maintains a small standing army and air force. Training for the federal militia is compulsory for most male citizens.