Facts and Figures
Geographic Facts
Area
41,293 sq km / 15,936 sq mi
Distance
North to South 220 km / 137 mi.
East to West 348 km / 216 mi.
Length of frontier
1,881 km 1,168 mi.
Switzerland borders France in the West, Germany in the north, Austria and the principality of Liechtenstein in the east and Italy in the south.
Landscape
3 main types of landscape - the Swiss Alps, the hilly Swiss Mittelland, which extends from Lake Constance to Lake Geneva, and the Swiss Jura, a long line of rugged fold mountains.
Highest Peaks
Dufourspitze (Valais): 4,634 m / 15,203 ft
Dom (Valais): 4,545 m / 14,911 ft
Weisshorn (Valais): 4,506 m / 14,793 ft
Matterhorn (Valais): 4,478 m / 14,691 ft
Largest Glacier (Surface)
Aletsch (Valais): 117 sq km / 73 sq ml.
Length 24 km / 15 mi.
Glaciers in total 140
Largest Lakes
Lake Geneva: 582 sq km / 223 sq mi.
Lake Constance: 539 sq km / 208 sq mi.
Lake Neuchâtel: 218 sq km / 83 sq mi.
Lake Maggiore: 212 sq km / 82 sq mi.
Lake Lucerne: 114 sq km / 44 sq mi.
Lake Zurich: 88 sq km / 35 sq mi.
Lakes in total 1,484
Highest Village
Juf (Graubunden): 2,126 m / 7,000 ft
Lowest Village
Ascona (Ticino): 196 m / 690 ft
Largest Cities
Zurich 336,800
Geneva 173,500
Basel 168,700
Berne 122,700
Lucerne 57,000
General Facts about Switzerland
Capital:
Berne
Population:
7,5 million
Government:
Parliamentary Federal State since 1848, Direct democracy
Cantons:
20 full cantons, 6 half cantons
Languages:
German (64%), French (19%), Italian (8%), Romansch (1%), others (8%)
Religions:
Catholic (48%), Protestant (44%), others (8%)