Switzerland: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 13, 2026

News •

Gold smuggled from war zones entered the UAE despite new regulations, report says • Nov. 13, 2026, 12:59 PM ET (AP)

First confirmed Ebola patient in Nigeria evacuated to Switzerland • Oct. 26, 2026, 5:33 PM ET (AP)

A 'Treasury of Ice' goes on show, revealing relics as Swiss glaciers rapidly melt • Oct. 21, 2026, 12:03 AM ET (AP)

Facts

Also Known As	Confederaziun Helvetica • Confédération Suisse • Schweiz • Svizzera • Helvetic Confederation • Helvetia • Swiss Confederation • Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft • Confederazione Svizzera • Confederazione Elvetica • Suisse • Svizzra
Head Of State And Government	President of the Federal Council: Guy Parmelin
Capital	Bern²
Population	(2026 est.) 9,239,000
Currency Exchange Rate	1 USD equals 0.833 Swiss franc
Form Of Government	federal state with two legislative houses (Council of States [46]; National Council [200])
Official Languages	French; German; Italian; Romansh (locally)
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Swiss Confederation¹
Total Area (Sq Km)	41,291
Total Area (Sq Mi)	15,943
Monetary Unit	Swiss franc (CHF)
Population Rank	(2026) 98
Population Projection 2030	9,234,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2026) 579.5
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2026) 223.8
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2023) 84.9% • Rural: (2023) 15.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2024) 82.4 years • Female: (2024) 85.9 years
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2024) 857,475
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2024) 95,220
¹Official long-form name in French is Confédération Suisse; in German, Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft; in Italian, Confederazione Svizzera; in Romansh, Confederaziun Svizra.²The federal supreme court is located in Lausanne.

Photos and Videos

Map of Switzerland showing its national boundaries, major cities, and surrounding countries including France, Germany, Austria, and Italy. Cantonal borders and names are marked, with cities such as Bern, Geneva, Zurich, and Lausanne labeled. An inset locator map in the top left highlights Switzerland's position within Europe.

Scattered houses and buildings of an alpine village sit among green meadows and forests in the upper Engadin valley, with snow-capped mountains in the background.

Map of central Europe highlighting Switzerland in tan, with an arrow pointing to its location. Neighboring countries including France, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Italy are labeled, as well as major bodies of water like the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas. Switzerland's capital, Bern, is marked.

Grindelwald, Switzerland

Lake of Gruyere with blue water surrounded by green fields, scattered trees, and distant mountains in the Fribourg region of Switzerland.

Switzerland: Alps

Map of Switzerland highlighting major physical features such as the Alps, Jura Mountains, and key rivers and lakes including Lake Geneva, Lake Neuchatel, Lake Zurich, and the Rhine River. Notable peaks like Dufourspitze, Dom, Weisshorn, and the Matterhorn are marked, along with mountain passes and waterfalls. Surrounding countries-France, Germany, Austria, and Italy-are labeled, and a small inset locator map shows Switzerland's position within Europe.

Behold the power of the Rhine River at Rhine Falls, near Schaffhausen, Switzerland

The challenging life of Swiss mountain farmers

Learn how Switzerland's neutrality in past European wars and gold trade made it a secure banking centre

Constructing the world's largest railway tunnel in Switzerland

National anthem of Switzerland

See All Videos, Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

First Helvetic Confession Holy League League of Nations nation-state Council of Europe Helsinki Accords European Free Trade Association Marshall Plan Neuchâtel crisis Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

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