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Swiss Confederation
National name: Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera/Svizra
President: Moritz Leuenberger (2006)
Land area: 15,355 sq mi (39,769 sq km); total area: 15,942 sq mi (41,290 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 7,523,934 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 9.7/1000;
infant mortality rate: 4.3/1000; life expectancy: 80.5; density per sq mi: 490
Capital (2003 est.): Bern, 122,700
Largest cities: Zurich, 971,800 (metro. area), 348,100 (city proper); Geneva,
178,900; Basel, 162,800; Lausanne, 117,400
Monetary unit: Swiss franc
Languages: German 64%, French 20%, Italian 7% (all official); Romansch 0.5%
(national)
Ethnicity/race: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Religions: Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 35%, Orthodox 2%, Muslim 4%, none 11%
(2000)
Literacy rate: 99% (1980 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $264.1 billion; per capita $35,300. Real
growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 1.2%. Unemployment: 3.8%. Arable land: 10%.
Agriculture: grains, fruits, vegetables; meat, eggs. Labor force: 3.8 million;
services 69%, industry 26%, agriculture 5% (1998). Industries: machinery,
chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments. Natural resources:
hydropower potential, timber, salt. Exports: $148.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.):
machinery, chemicals, metals, watches, agricultural products. Imports: $135
billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery, chemicals, vehicles, metals; agricultural
products, textiles. Major trading partners: Germany, U.S., France, Italy, UK,
Spain, Netherlands, Austria (2004).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 4.82 million (1998); mobile
cellular: 1.967 million (1999). Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 113 (plus
many low power stations), shortwave 2 (1998). Radios: 7.1 million (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 115 (plus 1,919 repeaters) (1995). Televisions:
3.31 million (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 44 (Switzerland and
Liechtenstein) (2000). Internet users: 3.85 million (2002).
Transportation: Railways: total: 4,511 km (2002). Highways: total: 71,011 km;
paved: 71,011 km (including 1,638 km of expressways); unpaved: 0 km (2000).
Waterways: 65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12
navigable lakes. Ports and harbors: Basel. Airports: 66 (2002).
International disputes: none.
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