Switzerland is a small, landlocked, multi-cultural, multi-lingual country that shares its borders with Austria, France, Germany, Italy and the tiny Principality of Liechtenstein. Its central location in the heart of Europe makes it quickly and easily accessible from major European cities. Switzerland is best known for its banks, watch industry, cheese, chocolate, utterly reliable railway system and of course its scenic beauty. The mountains provide diversity and charm with a climate ranging from Mediterranean in lakeside towns to Arctic on snow-capped peaks.

Economy
Though poor in mineral resources, Switzerland is a technologically highly developed country with a strong export-orientated economy and a reputation for high quality. The main export markets are EU countries such as France, Germany, Italy and the UK, but also the USA and Japan. The main exports are machines, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, jewellery and watches. Switzerland is a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member, but as yet not a member of the EU. Insurance and banking are two of the main sources of income in the tertiary sector, but tourism is the most important.

Gastronomy
The Swiss hospitality industry has produced numerous outstanding chefs. Many with international acclaim work in leading hotels all over the world. Swiss cuisine is very varied and eating out is always a pleasure. In addition to regional traditional Swiss food and wines, there is also a wide variety of international cuisine.

A few facts
Switzerland has a land area of 41,284 sq km (15,936 sq miles), about 60% of which is made up of foothills and the Alps.
It has approximately 7, 550,000 inhabitants.
Four languages are spoken: German, French, Italian and Romansch.
Bern is the capital city and has a population of almost 123,000. It is a beautiful city and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The largest city is Zurich with a population of almost 337,000.
The highest peak is the Dufourspitze (Canton Valais): 4,634 m / 15,203 ft.
The highest village is Juf (Canton Graubunden): 2,126 m / 7,000 ft
The lowest village is Ascona (Canton Ticino): 196 m / 690 ft.


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