Switzerland

<p>The Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons. In succeeding years, other localities joined the original three. The Swiss Confederation secured its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499. A constitution of 1848, which was modified in 1874 to allow voters to introduce referenda on proposed laws, replaced the confederation with a centralized federal government. The major European powers have long honored Switzerland's sovereignty and neutrality, and the country was not involved in either World War. The political and economic integration of Europe over the past half-century, as well as Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the country did not officially become a UN member until 2002. Switzerland remains active in many UN and international organizations but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.</p> <p> </p>

Land

39,997 sq km

Total

41,277 sq km

Water

1,280 sq km

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

0 km (landlocked)

Europe

Highest point

Dufourspitze on Monte Rosa 4,634 m

Lowest point

Lake Maggiore 195 m

Mean elevation

1,350 m

47 00 N, 8 00 E

landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern Europe; along with southeastern France, northern Italy, and southwestern Austria, has the highest elevations in the Alps

494 sq km (2020)

Border countries

Austria 158 km; France 525 km; Italy 698 km; Liechtenstein 41 km; Germany 348 km

number of neighbors

5

Total

1,770 km

Agricultural land

37.8% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 27.1% (2023 est.)

arable land

10.03%

Forest

32% (2023 est.)

Other

32.6% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

0.64%

Yes

Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Fresh water lake(s)

Lake Constance (shared with Germany and Austria) - 540 sq km; Lake Geneva (shared with France) - 580 sq km

Rhein (Rhine) river source (shared with Germany, France, and Netherlands [m]) - 1,233 km<br><br><strong>note:</strong> [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km), <em>(Black Sea)</em> Danube (795,656 sq km), <em>(Adriatic Sea)</em> Po (76,997 sq km), <em>(Mediterranean Sea) </em>Rhone (100,543 sq km)

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/uVuZcXaxSx5jLyEC9

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/51701

Europe

none (landlocked)

avalanches, landslides; flash floods

hydropower potential, timber, salt

population distribution corresponds to elevation, with the northern and western areas far more heavily populated; the higher Alps of the south limit settlement

Western Europe

mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

UTC+01:00

number of time zones

1

0-14 years

15.1% (male 685,221/female 650,802)

15-64 years

64.6% (male 2,887,767/female 2,834,842)

65 years and over

20.3% (2024 est.) (male 830,117/female 971,825)

Beer

3.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0.12 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

1.76 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

9.41 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

4.35 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.01 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

57.5% (2022 est.)

8.61 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

31 per 1,000

adult male

53 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

32.3 (2025 est.)

Potential support ratio

3.1 (2025 est.)

Total dependency ratio

55.8 (2025 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

23.5 (2025 est.)

improved total

96.7%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.9% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

15.4% national budget (2022 est.)

5 % of GDP

Swiss 69.2%, German 4.2%, Italian 3.2%, Portuguese 2.5%, French 2.1%, Kosovan 1.1%, Turkish 1%, other 16.7% (2020 est.)

note

<strong>note:</strong> data represent permanent and non-permanent resident population by country of birth

0.78 (2025 est.)

12 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

11.8% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

12.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

0.1%

4.4 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

2.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

3.4 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

3 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

3 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9% (2019 est.)

Major-language sample(s)

<br>Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)<br><br>The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)<br><br>L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Note

<strong>note</strong>: shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language

number of languages

4

Female

85.8 years

Male

82 years

Total population

83.9 years (2024 est.)

1.432 million Zurich, 441,000 BERN (capital) (2023)

5 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

44.9 years

Male

43.5 years

Total

44.4 years (2025 est.)

31.1 years (2020 est.)

Adjective

Swiss

Noun

Swiss (singular and plural)

5.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

19.5% (2016)

4.48 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Female

4,488,883

Male

4,436,858

Total

8,925,741 (2025 est.)

0.72% (2025 est.)

Roman Catholic 34.4%, Protestant 22.5%, other Christian 5.7%, Muslim 5.4%, other 1.5%, none 29.4%, unspecified 1.1% (2020 est.)

improved total

99.69%

Improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Female

17 years (2023 est.)

Male

17 years (2023 est.)

Total

17 years (2023 est.)

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.85 male(s)/female

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

20.1% (2025 est.)

Male

25.5% (2025 est.)

Total

22.8% (2025 est.)

1.59 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

0.79% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

74.2% of total population (2023)

measles

96%

26 cantons (<em>cantons</em>, singular - <em>canton </em>in French; <em>cantoni</em>, singular - <em>cantone </em>in Italian; <em>Kantone</em>, singular - <em>Kanton </em>in German); Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Berne/Bern, Fribourg/Freiburg, Genève (Geneva), Glarus, Graubuenden/Grigioni/Grischun, Jura, Luzern (Lucerne), Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri, Valais/Wallis, Vaud, Zug, Zuerich

note

<strong>note 1:</strong> the names listed above are in the canton's official language(s), with conventional names in parentheses<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong>6 of the cantons -- Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Nidwalden, Obwalden -- are referred to as half cantons because they elect only one member (instead of two) to the Council of States, and in popular referendums where a majority of popular votes and cantonal votes are required, these 6 cantons have a half vote

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Etymology

the origin of the name is uncertain; it is sometimes associated with the German word <em>Baer </em>(bear), but a more likely origin is an Indo-European root word <em>ber</em>, meaning "marshy place"

Geographic coordinates

46 55 N, 7 28 E

Name

Bern

Time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship by birth

no

Citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Switzerland

Dual citizenship recognized

yes

Residency requirement for naturalization

12 years including at least 3 of the last 5 years prior to application

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/ch.svg

Amendment process

proposed by the two houses of the Federal Assembly or by petition of at least one hundred thousand voters (called the "federal popular initiative"); passage of proposals requires majority vote in a referendum; following drafting of an amendment by the Assembly, its passage requires approval by majority vote in a referendum and approval by the majority of cantons

History

previous 1848, 1874; latest adopted by referendum 18 April 1999, effective 1 January 2000

Abbreviation

CH

alternative spellings

CH, Swiss Confederation, Schweiz, Suisse, Svizzera, Svizra

Conventional long form

Swiss Confederation

Conventional short form

Switzerland

Etymology

name derives from the canton of Schwyz, one of the founding cantons of the Swiss Confederacy formed in the late 13th century

FIFA code

SUI

Local long form

Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German)/ Confederation Suisse (French)/ Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)/ Confederaziun Svizra (Romansh)

local long form (fra)

Confédération suisse

Local short form

Schweiz (German)/ Suisse (French)/ Svizzera (Italian)/ Svizra (Romansh)

Chief of mission

Ambassador Callista GINGRICH (since 23 October 2025) note - also accredited to Liechtenstein

Email address and website

<br>https://ch.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Sulgeneckstrasse 19, CH-3007 Bern

FAX

[41] (031) 357-73-20

Mailing address

5110 Bern Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-5110

Telephone

[41] (031) 357-70-11

Chancery

2900 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador Ralph HECKNER (since 18 September 2024)

Consulate(s)

Boston

Consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco

Email address and website

<br>washington@eda.admin.ch<br><br>https://www.eda.admin.ch/washington

FAX

[1] (202) 387-2564

Telephone

[1] (202) 745-7900

Cabinet

Federal Council or Bundesrat (in German), Conseil Federal (in French), Consiglio Federale (in Italian) indirectly elected by the Federal Assembly for a 4-year term

Chief of state

President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2026)

Election results

<em>2024: </em>Karin KELLER-SUTTER elected president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) 168 of 203; Guy PARLEMIN (SVP) elected vice president for 2025; Federal Assembly vote - 196 of 219<em><br><br>2023:  </em>Viola AMHERD elected president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - Viola AMHERD (The Center) 158 of 204; Karin KELLER-SUTTER (FDP.The Liberals) elected vice president for 2024; Federal Assembly vote - 138 of 196<br><br><em>2022:  </em>Alain BERSET elected president for 2023; Federal Assembly vote - Alain BERSET (SP) 140 OF 181; Viola AMHERD elected vice president; Federal assembly vote - 207 of 223

Election/appointment process

president and vice president elected by the Federal Assembly from among members of the Federal Council for a 1-year, non-consecutive term

Expected date of next election

December 2025

Head of government

President of the Swiss Confederation Guy PARMELIN (since 1 January 2026)

Most recent election date

11 December 2024

Note

<strong>note:</strong> the Federal Council, composed of 7 federal councilors, constitutes the federal government of Switzerland; council members rotate the 1-year term of federal president

<strong>description:</strong> red square with an equal-armed white cross in the center that does not extend to the edges of the flag<br><br><strong>history: </strong>the origin of the flag is unclear, but a white cross was used to identify Swiss Confederation troops at the Battle of Laupen (1339)

note

<strong>note:</strong> in 1863, the newly formed International Red Cross chose the inverse of the Swiss flag -- a red cross on a white field -- as its symbol

The flag of Switzerland is square shaped. It features a white Swiss cross centered on a red field.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/ch.svg

federal republic (formally a confederation)

1 August 1291 (founding of the Swiss Confederation)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Australia Group, BIS, CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EFTA, EITI (implementing country), ESA, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), LAIA (observer), MIGA, MONUSCO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OIF, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, PFP, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMISS, UNMOGIP, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Highest court(s)

Federal Supreme Court (consists of 38 justices and 19 deputy justices organized into 7 divisions)

Judge selection and term of office

judges elected by the Federal Assembly for 6-year terms; judges are affiliated with political parties and are elected according to linguistic and regional criteria in approximate proportion to party representation in the Federal Assembly

Note

<strong>note: </strong>each of Switzerland's 26 cantons has its own courts

Subordinate courts

Federal Criminal Court (established in 2004); Federal Administrative Court (established in 2007)

civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts, except federal decrees of a general obligatory character

Legislative structure

bicameral

Legislature name

Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung - Assemblée fédérale - Assemblea federale)

Chamber name

National Council (Nationalrat - Conseil national - Consiglio nazionale)

Electoral system

proportional representation

Expected date of next election

October 2027

Most recent election date

10/22/2023

Number of seats

200 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) (62); Socialist Party (SP/PS) (41); Centre Party (29); FDP/The Liberals (FDP/PLR) (28); Green Party (GPS/PES) (23); Liberal Green Party (GLP/PVL) (10); Other (7)

Percentage of women in chamber

39.5%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

Chamber name

Council of States (Ständerat - Conseil des Etats - Consiglio degli Stati)

Electoral system

other systems

Expected date of next election

October 2027

Most recent election date

10/22/2023

Number of seats

46 (all directly elected)

Parties elected and seats per party

Centre Party (15); FDP/The Liberals (FDP/PLR) (11); Socialist Party (SP/PS) (9); Swiss People's Party (SVP/UDC) (6); Green Party (GPS/PES) (3); Other (2)

Percentage of women in chamber

33.3%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

4 years

red, white

Selected World Heritage Site locales

Old City of Berne (c); Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch (n); Monte San Giorgio (n); Abbey of St Gall (c); Three Castles, Defensive Wall, and Ramparts of the Market-Town of Bellinzona (c); Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes (c); La Chaux-de-Fonds/Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning (c); Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps (c); Benedictine Convent of St John at Müstair (c); Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces (c)

Total World Heritage Sites

13 (9 cultural, 4 natural)

Founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291

note

<strong>note:</strong> celebrated as Swiss National Day since 1 August 1891

Swiss cross (white cross on red field)

The Center (Die Mitte, Alleanza del Centro, Le Centre, Allianza dal Center) (merger of the Christian Democratic People's Party and the Conservative Democratic Party)<br>Evangelical Peoples' Party or EVP/PEV <br>Federal Democrats or EDU <br>Geneva Citizens Movement or MCR/MCG <br>Green Liberal Party (Gruenliberale Partei or GLP, Parti vert liberale or PVL, Partito Verde-Liberale or PVL, Partida Verde Liberale or PVL) <br>Green Party (Gruene Partei der Schweiz or Gruene, Parti Ecologiste Suisse or Les Verts, Partito Ecologista Svizzero or I Verdi, Partida Ecologica Svizra or La Verda)<br>The Liberals or FDP.The Liberals (FDP.Die Liberalen, PLR.Les Liberaux-Radicaux, PLR.I Liberali, Ils Liberals)<br>Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei der Schweiz or SP, Parti Socialiste Suisse or PSS, Partito Socialista Svizzero or PSS, Partida Socialdemocratica de la Svizra or PSS) <br>Swiss People's Party (Schweizerische Volkspartei or SVP, Union Democratique du Centre or UDC, Unione Democratica di Centro or UDC, Uniun Democratica dal Center or UDC) 

Monday

18 years of age; universal

Yes

milk, sugar beets, wheat, potatoes, pork, apples, barley, beef, maize, grapes (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

On alcohol and tobacco

3.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

On food

9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Expenditures

$152.488 billion (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Revenues

$153.795 billion (2023 est.)

code

CHF

name

Swiss franc (CHF) [Fr.]

$72.01 billion

Current account balance 2022

$72.325 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$47.455 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$47.162 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income, non-EU European economy; top ten in GDP per capita; renowned banking and financial hub; low unemployment and inflation; slowed GDP growth post-pandemic; highly skilled but aging workforce; key pharmaceutical and precision manufacturing exporter; leader in innovation and competitiveness indices

Currency

Swiss francs (CHF) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

0.939 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.914 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.955 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.898 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.88 (2024 est.)

$675.81 billion

Exports 2022

$628.737 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$654.175 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$675.059 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, nitrogen compounds, base metal watches (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 14%, China 12%, USA 11%, Italy 5%, Turkey 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$-108,395,568,634

Exports of goods and services

73.3% (2023 est.)

Government consumption

11.3% (2023 est.)

Household consumption

51.1% (2023 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-62% (2023 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

25.8% (2023 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.2% (2023 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

0.6% (2024 est.)

Industry

24.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

72% (2024 est.)

$936.564 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$103,998

33.1 (2018)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

33.8 (2021 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

$897.37 billion

$95,220

27 % of GDP

Highest 10%

26.6% (2021 est.)

Lowest 10%

3% (2021 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

$580.07 billion

Imports 2022

$518.002 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$556.351 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$582.554 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

gold, packaged medicine, vaccines, cars, jewelry (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 17%, USA 9%, Italy 8%, France 6%, China 5% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

1.7% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

machinery, chemicals, watches, textiles, precision instruments, tourism, banking, insurance, pharmaceuticals

1.06%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

2.8% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

2.1% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

1.1% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

5.153 million (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

5.14 million persons

agriculture

2.24%

industry

19.59%

services

78.17%

15.8% (2021 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line

20 % of GDP

Note

<b>note:</b> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2023

19.9% of GDP (2023 est.)

$869.02 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$726.544 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$731.508 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$741.035 billion (2024 est.)

1.3%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.7% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1.3% (2024 est.)

$96,498

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$82,800 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$82,300 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$82,000 (2024 est.)

$3.64 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

$909.37 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$923.628 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$863.892 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$909.366 billion (2024 est.)

17 % of GDP

9 % of GDP

9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

4.87%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

4.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

4.2% (2024 est.)

Female

7.5% (2024 est.)

Male

8.3% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

7.9% (2024 est.)

Consumption

126,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Exports

300 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

156,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

55.643 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

7,096 kWh

Exports

33.856 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Imports

27.462 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Installed generating capacity

26.502 million kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

4.81 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Biomass and waste

4.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Fossil fuels

0.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

55.75%

Hydroelectricity

53% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Nuclear

34.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

renewable

68.07%

Solar

6.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Wind

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

2,511 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

99.578 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

2.915 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Imports

2.869 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

2.97GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

2 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

4 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

32.4% (2023 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

194,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

Total petroleum production

300 bbl/day (2023 est.)

27.7%

per 100 inhabitants

48 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

49 (2023 est.)

Total

4.33 million (2023 est.)

publicly owned Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) has 8 national TV networks, 3 broadcasting in German, 3 in French, and 2 in Italian; private commercial TV stations broadcast regionally and locally; German, Italian, and French TV broadcasts widely available via multi-channel cable and satellite TV; SRG/SSR has 17 radio stations (2019)

.ch

Percent of population

97% (2023 est.)

####

+41

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

3.003 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

129 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

129 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

11.6 million (2024 est.)

passengers carried

27.73 million passengers

registered carrier departures

205,045 departures

66 (2025)

HB

Right

52 (2025)

By type

bulk carrier 14, general cargo 1, other 2 (includes Liechtenstein)

Total

17 (2023)

Total

5,296 km (2020) 5,296 km electrified; Switzerland remains the only country with a fully electrified network

CH

armored vehicles

tanks

the Swiss military is responsible for territorial defense, limited support to international disaster response and peacekeeping, and providing support to civil authorities when their resources are not sufficient to ward off threats to internal security or provide sufficient relief during disasters; Switzerland has long maintained a policy of military neutrality but does periodically participate in EU, NATO, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and UN military and peacekeeping operations; however, Swiss units will only participate in operations under the mandate of the UN or OSCE; Switzerland joined NATO&rsquo;s Partnership for Peace program in 1996; it has contributed to the NATO-led force in Kosovo (KFOR) since 1999 (2025)

Swiss Armed Forces (aka Swiss Army or Schweizer Armee); Army (aka Land Forces), Swiss Air Force (2025)

active duty personnel

20,000

note

<strong>note:</strong> the federal police maintain internal security and report to the Federal Department of Justice and Police

percent of total labor force

0.40 %

approximately 145,000 Swiss Armed Forces (2024)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the strength figures include professional cadre (approximately 20,000 personnel), people awaiting or participating in mandatory annual training, and people who have already completed their training service obligation

200 Kosovo (NATO/KFOR) (2025)

the military's inventory includes a mix of domestically produced and imported European and US weapons systems; the Swiss defense industry produces a range of military land vehicles (2025)

1 % of GDP

current USD

$6,722,303,544

Military Expenditures 2020

0.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.7% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.7% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.7% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

0.7% of GDP (2024 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

2.27 %

percent of GDP

0.72 % of GDP

every Swiss man 18-30 is obligated to serve in the military or the alternative civilian service; women can serve on a voluntary basis; required military service is 245 days, including 18-21 weeks of basic training generally between the ages of 19-25, followed by six three-week recalls for refresher training over the following nine years; the system offers opportunities for conscripts to train as non-commissioned and commissioned officers in the militia with longer service commitments (2026)

note

<strong>note: </strong>alternative civilian service is up to 370 days or 1.5x as many days as military service

PowerIndex score

0.8396

IDPs

97 (2024 est.)

Refugees

213,177 (2024 est.)

Stateless persons

1,267 (2024 est.)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

From coal and metallurgical coke

195,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

5.583 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

27.528 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

33.306 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from agricultural fertilizers; soil pollution from chemical contaminants; soil erosion; loss of biodiversity

Party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

Signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

9 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

13 % of total land area

8 % of total

53.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

4 % of internal resources

Agricultural

160.1 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Industrial

642.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

930 million cubic meters (2022)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

6.08 million tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

30.1% (2022 est.)