|RNature and climate:|N Switzerland have three topographic regions: In northwest the Jura-mountains, in south and east the Alps and between these two regions, the Mittelland, a hilly landscape.
Average elevation above sea is 1350 metres and the highest peak, Monte Rosa, reaches 4634 m.a.s.l. and the lowest point 193 m.a.s.l. is by Lago Naggiore south of the Alps.
In the Alps two of the longest rivers in Europe have their sources, The Rhine and the Rhone. Altogether the Alps are very cracked by rivervalleys.
Average temperature varies with elevation. In January 0°C in the lower parts and -10°C in the higher. In July 20°C in the lower parts and between 10 and 15°C in the higher parts.
Percipitation in the western parts between 900 and 1500 mm and in the Alps between 1500 and 3000 mm. In some valleys much less.
2% of the land is covered by glaciers.
|RPeople:|N Of mixed European descent.
|REconomy:|N 7% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture which only covers 45% of domestic demands. Most important crops are corn, potatoes, sugarbeets, vegetables and tobacco.
Switzerland have few mineral resources, the only one worth extracting is stonesalt.
Though dependent on imported raw material Switzerland is one of the worlds most industrialized countries, with the manufacturing aimed at export goods. Machinery, precisioninstruments, electric and electronic products, medicine, watches, textiles and shoes are produced.
The Swiss banking and insurance system is well known around the world and their export of services well cover the deficit in the balance caused by import of raw materials and food. The famous band secrecy has been broken up a bit lately.
During the last decades tourism has gained in importance.
|RHistory:|N The oldest traces of settlements in Switzerland dates from 4000BC.
The Helvetians were the biggest Celtic-German tribe in Switzerland and when they tried to migrate westward they were defeated by the Roman emperor Ceasar who by the year 50BC conquered the whole Swiss area, which became a Roman province called Helvetia.
The Swiss confederation dates from 1291. August 1st this year men from the three cantons Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden gathered at the Rütli-meadow by the lake Vierwaldstätter and founded an oathfederation.1315 this oathfederation defeated the Habsburgs and during the 14th century the five cantons Luzern, Zürich, Glanes, Zug and Bern joined the federation.
In the 15th century the federation effectively defended its independence which was internationally recognized in 1499 and five more cantons joined. During this century Switzerland introduced a forceful and sometimes expansive foreign policy, but since it had been defeated by France in 1515 the policy of neutrality was introduced and has been developed since then. This was the last war on foreign soil that the Swiss army has been involved in.
1798 French troops invaded . The French created the Helvetian Republic which in 1803, by Napoleon, was transformed to a federal country under the French emperor. Napoleon also established five new cantons. At the Vienna congress 1815 Swiss independence was recognized and its eternal and inviolable neutrality was recognized and guaranteed by Austria, France, Great Britain, Portugal, Preussia, Russia, Spain and Sweden. Three more cantons, Genèva, Valais and Neuchâtel joined the federation.
Conflicts between some cantons led to a short civil war in the 1940:s and ended in 1848 when Switzerland got its first federal constitution and a federal government.
As one of the last democracies Switzerland in 1970 inaugurated women's suffrage.
In 1978 a new canton, Jura, was formed.
A part of the Swiss army, the Swiss guards, guarantees the defence of the Vatican City.
