:Switzerland Economy

Overview:
Switzerland's economic success is matched in few other nations. Per capita
output, general living standards, education and science, health care, and
diet are unsurpassed in Europe. Economic stability helps promote the
important banking and tourist sectors. Since World War II, Switzerland's
economy has adjusted smoothly to the great changes in output and trade
patterns in Europe and presumably can adjust to the challenges of the 1990s,
particularly to the further economic integration of Western Europe and the
amazingly rapid changes in East European political and economic prospects.
After 8 years of growth, the economy experienced a mild recession in 1991
because monetary policy was tightened to combat inflation and because of the
weak international economy. In the second half of 1992, however, Switzerland
is expected to resume growth, despite inflation and unemployment problems.
GDP growth for 1992 may be just under 1%, inflation should drop from 5.9% to
3.5%, and the trade deficit will continue to decline after dropping by over
15% to $5 billion, due to increased exports to Germany. Unemployment,
however, is forecast to rise to 1.6% in 1992, up from 1.3% in 1991 and 0.5%
in 1990.
GDP:
purchasing power equivalent - $147.4 billion, per capita $21,700; real
growth rate -0.2% (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.9% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
1.3% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $24.0 billion; expenditures $23.8 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1990)
Exports:
$62.2 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)
commodities:
machinery and equipment, precision instruments, metal products, foodstuffs,
textiles and clothing
partners:
Western Europe 64% (EC 56%, other 8%), US 9%, Japan 4%
Imports:
$68.5 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)
commodities:
agricultural products, machinery and transportation equipment, chemicals,
textiles, construction materials
partners:
Western Europe 78% (EC 71%, other 7%), US 6%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production:
growth rate 0.4% (1991 est.)
Electricity:
17,710,000 kW capacity; 59,070 million kWh produced, 8,930 kWh per capita
(1991)
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Agriculture:
dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient; food shortages -
fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs,
fruits, vegetables, meat
Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion

:Switzerland Economy

Currency:
Swiss franc, franken, or franco (plural - francs, franken, or franchi); 1
Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4037 (January 1992),
1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988), 1.4912 (1987)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Switzerland Communications

Railroads:
5,174 km total; 2,971 km are government owned and 2,203 km are nongovernment
owned; the government network consists of 2,897 km 1.435-meter standard
gauge and 74 km 1.000-meter narrow gauge track; 1,432 km double track, 99%
electrified; the nongovernment network consists of 710 km 1.435-meter
standard gauge, 1,418 km 1.000-meter gauge, and 75 km 0.790-meter gauge
track, 100% electrified
Highways:
62,145 km total (all paved), of which 18,620 km are canton and 1,057 km are
national highways (740 km autobahn); 42,468 km are communal roads
Inland waterways:
65 km; Rhine (Basel to Rheinfelden, Schaffhausen to Bodensee); 12 navigable
lakes
Pipelines:
crude oil 314 km, natural gas 1,506 km
Ports:
Basel (river port)
Merchant marine:
22 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 325,234 GRT/576,953 DWT; includes 5
cargo, 2 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 chemical tanker, 2 specialized tanker, 9
bulk, 1 petroleum tanker
Civil air:
89 major transport aircraft
Airports:
66 total, 65 usable; 42 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways over
3,659 m; 5 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 18 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications:
excellent domestic, international, and broadcast services; 5,890,000
telephones; extensive cable and microwave networks; broadcast stations - 7
AM, 265 FM, 18 (1,322 repeaters) TV; communications satellite earth station
operating in the INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean) system

:Switzerland Defense Forces

Branches:
Army, Air Force, Frontier Guards, Fortification Guards
Manpower availability:
males 15-49, 1,798,632; 1,544,191 fit for military service; 43,952 reach
military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $4.6 billion, about 2% of GDP (1990)

:Syria Geography

Total area:
185,180 km2
Land area:
184,050 km2 (including 1,295 km2 of Israeli-occupied territory)
Comparative area:
slightly larger than North Dakota
Land boundaries:
2,253 km total; Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km,
Turkey 822 km
Coastline:
193 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone:
6 nm beyond territorial sea limit
Territorial sea:
35 nm
Disputes:
separated from Israel by the 1949 Armistice Line; Golan Heights is Israeli
occupied; Hatay question with Turkey; periodic disputes with Iraq over
Euphrates water rights; ongoing dispute over water development plans by
Turkey for the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
Climate:
mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy
winters (December to February) along coast
Terrain:
primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in
west
Natural resources:
crude oil, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock
salt, marble, gypsum
Land use:
arable land 28%; permanent crops 3%; meadows and pastures 46%; forest and
woodland 3%; other 20%; includes irrigated 3%
Environment:
deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
Note:
there are 38 Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights