Switzerland is a federation of 20 cantons and six half- cantons (Canton is the name for a political division, derived from Old French).
On August 1, 1291 three rural communes Schwyz, Uri and Lower Unterwalden signed the Bundesbrief (Federal Charter) to form the Old Swiss Confederacy. The charter documented an eternal alliance to defend their liberties against their Hapsburg overlords.
In 1315 the people from the Eternal alliance fought the Habsburgs in battles at Morgarten, Sempach and Näfels, winning all three battles. More towns and districts joined them, and there were 13 cantons by 1513.
The Protestant Reformation was accepted in the 1520s by Zurich, Berne and Basel, but the rural cantons remained Catholic.
Switzerland gradually won more freedom from Hapsburg control until its complete independence was recognized by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648.
A French invasion in 1798 established the Helvetic Republic with a centralized government; this was modified by Napoleon's Act of Mediation in 1803, his attempt at a compromise between the Ancien Régime and a Republic, which made Switzerland a democratic federation.
The Helvetii were a tribe occupying what is now Switzerland before the Romans.
In 1815 Switzerland again became independent from France. The Congress of Vienna guaranteed Swiss neutrality, and Switzerland received Geneva and other territories, increasing the number of cantons to 22.
After a civil war between Sonderbund (a union of the Catholic cantons Lucerne, Zug, Freiburg and Valais) and the Liberals, a revised federal constitution, giving the central Swiss government wide powers, was introduced on September 12, 1848: a further revision in 1874 increased its powers and introduced the principle of the referendum.
The flag of Switzerland consists of a red flag with a white cross (a bold, equilateral cross) in the center.
Use of the white cross as a military ensign had been used in the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 14th century, but the modern design of a white cross suspended in a square red field was introduced only during the Napoleonic period, first used in 1800 during the Hundred Days by general Niklaus Franz von Bachmann, and was introduced as the official national flag in December 1889.
It is one of only two square sovereign-state flags, the other being the flag of Vatican City.
Switzerland has for centuries been a neutral country, and did not fight in World War I or World War II.
Switzerland did not join the United Nations for 57 years because of its neutrality. A referendum in 1986 rejected the advice of the government and came out overwhelmingly against membership of the United Nations, but they eventually joined in 2002, leaving the Vatican City as the last widely recognized state without full UN membership.
For many years, Switzerland had over 3,000 points of demolition to stop invaders, with bridges rigged to detonate and/or fall on railways, artificial landslides, and hidden artillery set. On the German side, all tunnels were rigged, and mountains were hollowed for whole divisions. It was only 25 years after the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, that the last vestiges of the system were dismantled.
The country has sufficient nuclear fallout shelter capacity to accommodate 114% of their population.
Switzerland has been the base for many international organizations and a host of many international peace conferences.
Switzerland has no president - instead it has a seven member Swiss Federal Council with shared power.
It's against the law to slam your car door in Switzerland.
In Switzerland, it is still legal to eat dog and cat meat, and some Swiss people still eat it regularly.
You can be denied citizenship in Switzerland for "being too annoying."
The capital of Switzerland is Bern. The largest city of Switzerland is Zürich.
In 2009, the then-Libyan leader Colonel Gadaffi called for Switzerland to be dissolved and divided up between neighboring countries after Swiss police arrested his son for beating up hotel staff. The following year, he declared jihad on the country.
At 2,100 metres (6,890 ft) above sea level, Juf in Switzerland is Europe's highest permanently inhabited community.
The banks of Switzerland and the insurance companies in Switzerland together produce eleven per cent of the gross domestic product.
Switzerland has no landfills. 50% of the municipal waste is recycled, 50% is incinerated to produce electricity.
48 of Switzerland's mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) above sea level or higher. At 4,634 m (15,203 ft), Monte Rosa is the highest, although the Matterhorn (4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is often regarded as the most famous.
Switzerland has the two-letter code CH as the country’s official name is a Latin one ‘Confoederatio Helvetica.' - Latin is also still used on stamps and coins.
Switzerland has four official national languages: French, German, Italian and Romansh. Romansh is an old language that is similar to Latin.
About two thirds of the population speak German; French is spoken in the west of the country, while Italian is spoken in the canton of Ticino and Romansh in parts of Graubünden.
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| Thun Pixiebay |
HISTORY
On August 1, 1291 three rural communes Schwyz, Uri and Lower Unterwalden signed the Bundesbrief (Federal Charter) to form the Old Swiss Confederacy. The charter documented an eternal alliance to defend their liberties against their Hapsburg overlords.
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| The 1291 Bundesbrief (Federal charter) |
In 1315 the people from the Eternal alliance fought the Habsburgs in battles at Morgarten, Sempach and Näfels, winning all three battles. More towns and districts joined them, and there were 13 cantons by 1513.
The Protestant Reformation was accepted in the 1520s by Zurich, Berne and Basel, but the rural cantons remained Catholic.
Switzerland gradually won more freedom from Hapsburg control until its complete independence was recognized by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648.
A French invasion in 1798 established the Helvetic Republic with a centralized government; this was modified by Napoleon's Act of Mediation in 1803, his attempt at a compromise between the Ancien Régime and a Republic, which made Switzerland a democratic federation.
The Helvetii were a tribe occupying what is now Switzerland before the Romans.
 |
| The Act of Mediation |
In 1815 Switzerland again became independent from France. The Congress of Vienna guaranteed Swiss neutrality, and Switzerland received Geneva and other territories, increasing the number of cantons to 22.
After a civil war between Sonderbund (a union of the Catholic cantons Lucerne, Zug, Freiburg and Valais) and the Liberals, a revised federal constitution, giving the central Swiss government wide powers, was introduced on September 12, 1848: a further revision in 1874 increased its powers and introduced the principle of the referendum.
The flag of Switzerland consists of a red flag with a white cross (a bold, equilateral cross) in the center.
Use of the white cross as a military ensign had been used in the Old Swiss Confederacy since the 14th century, but the modern design of a white cross suspended in a square red field was introduced only during the Napoleonic period, first used in 1800 during the Hundred Days by general Niklaus Franz von Bachmann, and was introduced as the official national flag in December 1889.
It is one of only two square sovereign-state flags, the other being the flag of Vatican City.
NEUTRALITY
Switzerland has for centuries been a neutral country, and did not fight in World War I or World War II.
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| Physical map of Switzerland |
Switzerland did not join the United Nations for 57 years because of its neutrality. A referendum in 1986 rejected the advice of the government and came out overwhelmingly against membership of the United Nations, but they eventually joined in 2002, leaving the Vatican City as the last widely recognized state without full UN membership.
For many years, Switzerland had over 3,000 points of demolition to stop invaders, with bridges rigged to detonate and/or fall on railways, artificial landslides, and hidden artillery set. On the German side, all tunnels were rigged, and mountains were hollowed for whole divisions. It was only 25 years after the collapse of communism in eastern Europe, that the last vestiges of the system were dismantled.
The country has sufficient nuclear fallout shelter capacity to accommodate 114% of their population.
Switzerland has been the base for many international organizations and a host of many international peace conferences.
FUN SWISS FACTS
Switzerland has no president - instead it has a seven member Swiss Federal Council with shared power.
It's against the law to slam your car door in Switzerland.
In Switzerland, it is still legal to eat dog and cat meat, and some Swiss people still eat it regularly.
You can be denied citizenship in Switzerland for "being too annoying."
The capital of Switzerland is Bern. The largest city of Switzerland is Zürich.
In 2009, the then-Libyan leader Colonel Gadaffi called for Switzerland to be dissolved and divided up between neighboring countries after Swiss police arrested his son for beating up hotel staff. The following year, he declared jihad on the country.
At 2,100 metres (6,890 ft) above sea level, Juf in Switzerland is Europe's highest permanently inhabited community.
The banks of Switzerland and the insurance companies in Switzerland together produce eleven per cent of the gross domestic product.
Switzerland has no landfills. 50% of the municipal waste is recycled, 50% is incinerated to produce electricity.
48 of Switzerland's mountains are 4,000 metres (13,000 ft) above sea level or higher. At 4,634 m (15,203 ft), Monte Rosa is the highest, although the Matterhorn (4,478 m or 14,692 ft) is often regarded as the most famous.
 |
| Matterhorn Pixiebay |
Switzerland has the two-letter code CH as the country’s official name is a Latin one ‘Confoederatio Helvetica.' - Latin is also still used on stamps and coins.
Switzerland has four official national languages: French, German, Italian and Romansh. Romansh is an old language that is similar to Latin.
About two thirds of the population speak German; French is spoken in the west of the country, while Italian is spoken in the canton of Ticino and Romansh in parts of Graubünden.
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