Data code: SZ
Government type: federal republic
National 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
National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss
Confederation, 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Flavio COTTI (since 1 January 1998); Vice President Ruth DREIFUSS (since 1 January 1998); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Federal Council or German-Bundesrat, French-Conseil Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale elected by the Federal Assembly from among its own members for a four-year term elections: president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among the members of the Federal Council for one-year terms that run concurrently; election last held 10 December 1997 (next to be held NA December 1998) election results: Flavio COTTI elected president; percent of Federal Assembly vote-Flavio COTTI 90%; Ruth DREIFUSS elected vice president; percent of legislative vote - Ruth DREIFUSS 69%