SwissEnergy

Swiss Confederation Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft  (German) Confédération suisse  (French) Confederazione Svizzera  (Italian) Confederaziun svizra  (Romansh) Confoederatio Helvetica  (Latin)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: (traditional) "Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno" (Latin) "One for all, all for one"
Anthem: "Swiss Psalm"
Location of  Switzerland  (green) in Europe  (green & dark grey)
Capital	None (de jure) Bern (de facto) 46°57′N 7°27′E / 46.950°N 7.450°E / 46.950; 7.450
Largest city	Zürich
Official languages	German French Italian Romansh
Demonym	English: Swiss, German: Schweizer(in), French: Suisse(sse), Italian: svizzero/svizzera, or elvetico/elvetica, Romansh: Svizzer/Svizra
Government	Federal semi-direct democracy under multi-party parliamentary directorial republic
• Federal Council	Doris Leuthard (President) Ueli Maurer Didier Burkhalter Simonetta Sommaruga Johann Schneider-Ammann Alain Berset (Vice President) Guy Parmelin
• Federal Chancellor	Walter Thurnherr
Legislature	Federal Assembly
• Upper house	Council of States
• Lower house	National Council
History
• Foundation date	c. 1300 (traditionally 1 August 1291)
• Peace of Westphalia	24 October 1648
• Restoration	7 August 1815
• Federal state	12 September 1848
Area
• Total	41,285 km2 (15,940 sq mi) (132nd)
• Water (%)	4.2
Population
• 2016 estimate	8,401,120 (99th)
• 2015 census	8,327,126
• Density	202/km2 (523.2/sq mi) (63rd)
GDP (PPP)	2017 estimate
• Total	$517 billion (39th)
• Per capita	$61,360 (9th)
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	$681 billion (19th)
• Per capita	$80,837 (2nd)
Gini (2015)	29.5 low · 19th
HDI (2015)	0.939 very high · 2nd
Currency	Swiss franc (CHF)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Date format	dd.mm.yyyy (AD)
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+41
Patron saint	St Nicholas of Flüe
ISO 3166 code	CH
Internet TLD	.ch
Website www.admin.ch

in Europe  (green & dark grey)

Switzerland (/ˈswɪtsərlənd/), officially the Swiss Confederation, is a federal republic in Europe. It consists of 26 cantons, and the city of Bern is the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western-Central Europe, and is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km² (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately eight million people is concentrated mostly on the plateau, where the largest cities are to be found: among them are the two global cities and economic centres Zürich and Geneva.

The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy dates to the late medieval period, resulting from a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy. Swiss independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The country has a history of armed neutrality going back to the Reformation; it has not been in a state of war internationally since 1815 and did not join the United Nations until 2002. Nevertheless, it pursues an active foreign policy and is frequently involved in peace-building processes around the world. In addition to being the birthplace of the Red Cross, Switzerland is home to numerous international organisations, including the second largest UN office. On the European level, it is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association, but notably not part of the European Union or the European Economic Area. However, it participates in the Schengen Area and the European Single Market through bilateral treaties.