The 1993 CIA World Factbook

by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

*Switzerland, People

Population:
6,986,621 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.83% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
12.37 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate:
9.24 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
5.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
6.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
77.99 years
male:
74.6 years
female:
81.54 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.6 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Swiss (singular and plural)
adjective:
Swiss
Ethnic divisions:
total population:
German 65%
French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%
Swiss nationals:
German 74%
French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 47.6%, Protestant 44.3%, other 8.1% (1980)
Languages:
German 65%, French 18%, Italian 12%, Romansch 1%, other 4%
note:
these are figures for Swiss nationals only -
German 74%, French 20%, Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1980)
total population:
99%
male:
NA%
female:
NA%
Labor force:
3.31 million (904,095 foreign workers, mostly Italian)
by occupation:
services 50%, industry and crafts 33%, government 10%, agriculture and
forestry 6%, other 1% (1989)

*Switzerland, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Swiss Confederation
conventional short form:
Switzerland
local long form:
Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German) Confederation Suisse (French)
Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form:
Schweiz (German) Suisse (French) Svizzera (Italian)
Digraph:
SZ
Type:
federal republic
Capital:
Bern
Administrative divisions:
26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton in French; cantoni, singular -
cantone in Italian; kantone, singular - kanton in German); Aargau,
Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve,
Glarus, Graubunden, Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden,
Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino,
Uri, Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich
Independence:
1 August 1291
Constitution:
29 May 1874
Legal system:
civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative
acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory
character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday:
Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss Confederation, 1 August (1291)
Political parties and leaders:
Free Democratic Party (FDP), Bruno HUNZIKER, president; Social Democratic
Party (SPS), Helmut HUBACHER, chairman; Christian Democratic People's Party
(CVP), Eva SEGMULLER-WEBER, chairman; Swiss People's Party (SVP), Hans
UHLMANN, president; Green Party (GPS), Peter SCHMID, president; Automobile
Party (AP), DREYER; Alliance of Independents' Party (LdU), Dr. Franz JAEGER,
president; Swiss Democratic Party (SD), NA; Evangelical People's Party
(EVP), Max DUNKI, president; Workers' Party (PdA; Communist), Jean
SPIELMANN, general secretary; Ticino League, leader NA; Liberal Party (LPS),
Gilbert COUTAU, president
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
Council of States:
last held throughout 1991 (next to be held NA 1995); results - percent of
vote by party NA; seats - (46 total) FDP 18, CVP 16, SVP 4, SPS 3, LPS 3,
LdU 1, Ticino League 1
National Council:
last held 20 October 1991 (next to be held NA October 1995); results -
percent of vote by party NA; seats - (200 total) FDP 44, SPS 42, CVP 37, SVP
25, GPS 14, LPS 10, AP 8, LdU 6, SD 5, EVP 3, PdA 2, Ticino League 2, other
2
Executive branch:
president, vice president, Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French -
Conseil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale)

*Switzerland, Government

Legislative branch:
bicameral Federal Assembly (German - Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee
Federale, Italian - Assemblea Federale) consists of an upper council or
Council of States (German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats, Italian -
Consiglio degli Stati) and a lower council or National Council (German -
Nationalrat, French - Conseil National, Italian - Consiglio Nazionale)
Judicial branch:
Federal Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
President Adolf OGI (1993 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice
President Otto STICH (term runs concurrently with that of president)
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM
(coopeating country), CSCE, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, ESA, FAO, G-8, G-10, GATT,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, MTRC, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN (observer), UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Edouard BRUNNER
chancery:
2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
(202) 745-7900
FAX:
(202) 387-2564
consulates general:
Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph B. GILDENHORN
embassy:
Jubilaeumstrasse 93, 3005 Bern
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[41] (31) 437-011
FAX:
[41] (31) 437-344
branch office:
Geneva
consulate general:
Zurich
Flag: red square with a bold, equilateral white cross in the center that does not
extend to the edges of the flag

*Switzerland, Economy

Overview:
Switzerland's economy - one of the most prosperous and stable in the world -
is nonetheless undergoing a painful adjustment after both the inflationary
boom of the late-1980s and the electorate's rejection late last year of
membership in the European Economic Area. Stubborn inflation and a soft
economy have afflicted Switzerland. Despite slow growth in 1991-92, the
Swiss central bank had been unable to ease monetary policy in the past three
years because of the threat to the Swiss franc posed by high German interest
rates. As a result, unemployment is forecast to rise from 3% in 1992 to more
than 4% in 1993, with inflation moving down from 4% to 3%. The voters'
rejection in December 1992 of a referendum on membership in the EEA which
was supported by most political, business, and financial leaders has raised
doubts that the country can maintain its preeminent prosperity and
leadership in commercial banking in the 21st century. Despite these
problems, Swiss per capita output, general living standards, education and
science, health care, and diet remain unsurpassed in Europe. The country has
few natural resources except for the scenic natural beauty that has made it
a world leader in tourism. Management-labor relations remain generally
harmonious.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $152.3 billion (1992)
National product real growth rate:
-0.6% (1992)
National product per capita:
$22,300 (1992)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
4.1% (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate:
3% (1992 est.)
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 countries 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 countries 71%, other 7%), US 6%
External debt:
$NA
Industrial production: growth rate 0.4% (1991 est.)
Electricity:
17,710,000 kW capacity; 56,000 million kWh produced, 8,200 kWh per capita
(1992)
Industries:
machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments
Agriculture:
dairy farming predominates; less than 50% self-sufficient in food; must
import fish, refined sugar, fats and oils (other than butter), grains, eggs,
fruits, vegetables, meat

*Switzerland, Economy

Economic aid:
donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $3.5 billion
Currency:
1 Swiss franc, franken, or franco (SwF) = 100 centimes, rappen, or centesimi
Exchange rates:
Swiss francs, franken, or franchi (SwF) per US$1 - 1.4781 (January 1993),
1.4062 (1992), 1.4340 (1991), 1.3892 (1990), 1.6359 (1989), 1.4633 (1988)
Fiscal year:
calendar year