Doing Business in Switzerland General Country Information SWITZERLAND… a land of opportunities Total area: 41,293 sq. kilometers (25,800 sq. miles) Total boundaries: 1,852 km (with Austria, France, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Germany) Population: 7,283,200 (2001 est.) Capital: Bern Major Cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne, and Zurich Founding Date: August 1, 1291 Hear the Swiss National Anthem (MP3) About the Swiss National Anthem The Federal Council (The eight members form the country's Executive Branch of government) Switzerland's origins date back to 1291, when three small Alpine cantons joined forces to create an alliance following democratic principles. Since 1848, Switzerland has been a federal state, consisting of 23 cantons, three of which (Unterwalden, Appenzell and Basel) are divided into two half-cantons for historical reasons, and the most recent of which was formed in 1978 (canton of Jura). There are several German-speaking and French-speaking cantons, one Italian-speaking canton and cantons in which both German and French are spoken. In one canton (Grisons) German, Italian and Rhaeto-Romanic (Rumantsch) are spoken. There are also cantons which are virtually made up of just of one city (e.g., Geneva). As the world's oldest existing direct democracy and a recognized symbol of peace, Switzerland has gained a unique appeal across the globe. Its appealing qualities are also prominent in business and trade. Each year Switzerland attracts extensive foreign direct investment because of the strength of its economy, its state-of-the-art infrastructure, its favorable legal and tax systems, its highly skilled workforce, and its stable government policies. The country also represents a key location for foreign companies to deal with the European market. Switzerland consistently ranks among the top 10 countries in economic studies and is one of the leading economies in Europe based on per capita GDP. Today, over 600 U.S. companies, including a number of Fortune 500 companies, have set up operations in Switzerland, helping increase total U.S. investments in the alpine country to nearly $60 billion. Furthermore, Switzerland is a key to Europe, both as a geographically ideal location, with much of the continent's transportation, telecommunications, and energy crossing the country, and economically, with some of the strongest financial institutions in the world headquartered in the country. Federal Department of Finance OSEC Business Network Location Switzerland (or for: US-based site) State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Federal Department of Economy Federal Statistics Office Swiss Embassy in the U.S. U.S. Embassy in Switzerland U.S. Commercial Service, Switzerland Swiss-American Chamber of Commerce U.S. Dept. of State FY 2001 Trade Guide: Switzerland OECD Economic Survey of Switzerland Swiss Federation of Trade Unions Swiss Banking Commission Swiss Tourism Federation Federal Office for Education and Science Regional business information Association of Swiss Foreign Trade Chambers Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Switzerland Geneva Business Promotion Basel Economics Ltd Swissfirms Database Trade Fairs Swiss Trade Fairs Calendar Association of Swiss Fairs (AFS) Swiss Exhibition Palexpo (Geneva) Zurich Fair (Messe Zürich) Industry Associations Swiss Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Industries (SWISSMEM) Swiss Society of Chemical Industries (SSCI) Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry (FH) Swiss Textile Federation (SGCI) Swiss Shippers' Council Swiss Association of Logistic Swiss Plastics Association Association of Swiss Metal-Working Industry Sub-Contractors (SMZ) Swissmechanic (SM) Swiss Software Association Swiss Timber Information Council Swiss Association of the Info., Comm. & Organization Industry (SWICO) The Swiss Association for Environmental Technology (SVUT) Swiss Bankers Association Association of Cantonal Banks Swiss Insurance Association Swiss Association of Private Hospitals (SAPH) Swiss Spa Association Swiss Federation of Private Schools in Switzerland Swiss Association of Purchasing and Materials Management Federation of Swiss Importers and Wholesale-Traders Swiss Research Information System