Located in Western Europe, Switzerland is one of the most prosperous countries in the world known for its scenic beauty and high standard of living. The early Swiss Confederation, formed by an alliance between neighboring cantons in 1291, achieved independence from the Holy Roman Empire in 1499.In 1848, Switzerland, as it is today, was formed with the adoption of the Swiss Federal Constitution, which was deeply influenced by the US Constitution and the ideas of the French Revolution. Officially, the country is still called the Swiss Confederation.Switzerland has a long history of neutrality and has not participated in any war since 1815.
Some facts
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Capital: Berne
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Population:7,604,467 (July 2009 est.)
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Religion: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, others
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Languages: German, French, Italian, Romansh. The German spoken in the country, Swiss German, is different from Standard German. However, in official contexts, Standard German is used.
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Time zone: Central European Time (CET) = GMT +1. In summer, due to daylight saving it falls in the Central European Summer Time (CEST) = GMT +2.
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Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Places of importance and interest
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Zürich : Zürich, which falls in the German speaking part of Switzerland, is the largest city and the financial centre of the country. It has several fascinating tourist destinations: the Gothic church, Fraumünster, with stained glass windows made by the Russian- French painter, Marc Chagall; the twin-towered Grossmünster cathedral; the Swiss National Museum and so on. A ferry trip on Lake Zürich is also recommended.
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Geneva : The second largest city in Switzerland, Geneva falls in the French speaking part of the country and is the centre of arts. Several governmental and non-governmental organizations are based in Geneva. Visitors flock to see the Jet d'Eau (a 140 m fountain), Cathédrale de St Pierre (a magnificent example of Romanesque architecture) and Palais de Nations. The Jardin Anglais, situated near Lake Geneva, has the world famous flower clock made of over 65,000 blooms.
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Berne : The capital city houses several museums and has a rich history. Old Bern City is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Popular tourist destinations are the Berne Historical Museum, Federal Palace of Switzerland and Einsteinhaus. The Zytglogge or the Clock Tower, built towards the end of the 13th century, is a must see for its wonderful animatronics (technology for operating puppets). The main language spoken in Berne is a dialect of Swiss German.
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Lucerne : Located on the shore of Lake Lucerne, Lucerne is traditionally a highly popular tourist destination in Switzerland. Some of the landmarks here are the Chapel Bridge ( a wooden bridge built in the 14th century), the Lion Monument (a monument carved into a sandstone quarry wall ) and Museggmauer (city ramparts built in the 14th century). The Glacier Garden is also popular as are the various art museums.
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Interlaken : Interlaken is the outdoor sports capital of the country and also one of the most popular tourist spots.
| Did you know? The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was founded in 1863 in Geneva and is still based there. The flag of the Red Cross is the flag of Switzerland with the colours inverted. Switzerland was the first country to sign a treaty of friendship with then newly independent India in August 1948, thus establishing the longest economical and cultural relations that India has with any country in the world. |
Meetings are always held by appointment. The Swiss value punctuality and appreciate promptness at all business and social events. Arriving on time conveys the importance you have assigned to a meeting. A delay of more than five minutes is considered inappropriate and should be avoided at all costs.
In a business context, the most common form of greeting is a handshake. When in a meeting, shake hands with all present. During the first meeting, it would be safer to address people with a professional or courtesy title followed by their surname as the Swiss are rather formal. This trend seems to be changing now and in some organizations you might be invited to use the first name.
Ensure that you carry a sufficient supply of business cards. Apart from those you are meeting, you might have to give your card to the receptionist for filing. There is no ritual for exchanging business cards. It would help to mention your designation on the card and also the year in which your organization was established.
In formal meetings it is best to wear formal suits with white shirts, plain silk ties and well polished shoes. Women can wear suits or skirts/ trousers. Depending on the industry, the level of formality in everyday office wear differs. The banking sector is still quite formal, whereas the IT industry tends to dress casually.
| Did you know? Working styles in Switzerland tend to differ depending on the ethnic background of the person. E.g. The German Swiss prefer to get down to business immediately whereas the French and the Italian Swiss are likely to indulge in some small talk before beginning discussions. |
Economy
Switzerland has a highly successful and largely stable market-based economy. The Swiss franc is one of the strongest currencies in the world. The country boasts of a high standard of living, high industrial productivity and a superior quality of healthcare and education systems. Its main industries are tourism, watches, banking, machinery, chemicals, textiles, motors, generators, turbines and precision instruments. Famous Swiss companies include Glencore, Nestle, Novartis, Swiss Re, Credit Suisse, Logitech, the Swatch Group, Schindler, UBS , Roche, Rolex and so on.
Governance
The President is both the chief of the state and the head of the government. The post is purely ceremonial and rotates annually among the seven members of the Federal Council for a one-year term. The Federal Council is an executive council (cabinet) that heads the executive branch, with its members being elected by country’s parliament for a four-year term.
| Did you know? Switzerland has the second highest employment rate (after Iceland) from among the 30 member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Geneva is the headquarters of many international organizations such a WHO, WTO, ISO etc. |
Apart from its picture postcard scenery and the alpine valley which attracts tourists and filmmakers, Switzerland is most commonly associated with the Swiss knife, chocolate, cheese, watches, alphorns ( a musical instrument) and cow bells.
Major festivals in Switzerland include Christmas, Easter, Good Friday and New Year. An important non religious holiday is the Swiss National Day which falls on August 1.
Mountaineering, skiing and snowboarding are the most popular sports in Switzerland and the geography of the country offers several opportunities to practice these sports. Like other European nations, football is also widely followed. Switzerland won the 2009 Under 17 FIFA World Championship - a result of the football academies and coaching system for the youth that Switzerland is famous for. Two of the largest international football organizations – FIFA and UEFA- are headquartered in Switzerland, as is the International Olympic Committee. Roger Federer and Martina Hingis, both famous faces in tennis, are Swiss.
Hiking and cycling are popular outdoor activities in Switzerland. There are over 5,000km (31,070 miles) of marked trails and signposts indicating the most suitable time for hiking and difficulty level of the trails have been put up. Cycling trails, too, are clearly marked and enthusiasts can borrow cycles from railway stations.
| Did you know? Currently, Roger Federer is the only sportsman to have won the 'Laureas Sportsman of the Year' award four times. The first skiing championship was held in Switzerland, in Mürren. |
Switzerland has a reliable and efficient public transport network, mainly consisting of trains and buses.
The rail network is very dense and trains are run by Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB), the national railway company, and other regional companies as well. Depending on one's need, one can choose from a number of rail passes.
Bus coaches run by the postal department provide bus services and connect even the remotest villages. While planning a trip, it would be advisable to check the timetable, since the frequency of the post buses is not very high. Other bus services in cities and towns run very frequently and punctually as well.
| Did you know? The highest train station in Europe is at Jungfraujoch, a peak in Switzerland, at a height of 11,330 feet. |
Weather
The climate is usually temperate, but there can be variations depending on altitude. The four seasons are:
-Spring (March - May): The trees blossom and the meadows become green.
-Summer (June - Sep): Summer offers the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits (apart from exclusively
winter sports).
-Autumn (September - November): A little cooler than spring but still mostly clear and dry days.
-Winter (December - February): Cold and dry.
Food
Food in Switzerland is as diverse as its regions and bears French, Italian and minor German influences. Though there are some common dishes available throughout the country, there are regional specialties depending on the culture and climate of the region. Most Swiss dishes use fresh products, herbs and cheese. Fondue (melted cheese into which pieces of bread are dipped), raclette (scraped cheese with potatoes, onions, peppers, gherkins and meat) and rösti (grated potato fried in a pancake) are world famous Swiss specialties.
Switzerland is also associated with chocolates and is home to some of the best chocolate manufacturers like Nestle and Lindt & Sprüngli.
The most common beverages are tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Tea tends to be drunk with a slice of lemon rather than milk. Beer is drunk more in German speaking parts of the country, whereas in the French and Italian speaking parts, wine is preferred.
Culture
Swiss culture is characterised by diversity since it has speakers of three main European languages. The culture of a region is strongly influenced by the culture of a neighbouring country with which it shares a language; e.g. the French speaking part of Switzerland has many traces of French culture.
Switzerland has had world famous contributors in the field of literature, art, architecture and sciences. Some famous Swiss writers are Gottfried Keller, Max Frisch and Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Heidi, one of the most popular children's story, is from Switzerland. The Locarno International Film Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festivals are two events which film and music lovers eagerly await.
| Did you know? The highest peak in Switzerland is Dufourspitze at 4634 m (15,203 feet). |
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