ch 20%,
Italian 4%, Romansch 1%, other 1%

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1980 est.)
total population: 99%
male: NA%
female: NA%

Government
----------

Name of country:
conventional long form: Swiss Confederation
conventional short form: Switzerland
local long form: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft (German),
Confederation Suisse (French), Confederazione Svizzera (Italian)
local short form: Schweiz (German), Suisse (French), Svizzera
(Italian)

Data code: SZ

Type of government: federal republic

Capital: Bern

Administrative divisions: 26 cantons (cantons, singular - canton
in French; cantoni, singular - cantone in Italian; kantone, singular
- kanton in German); Aargau, Ausser-Rhoden, Basel-Landschaft,
Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Geneve, Glarus, Graubunden,
Inner-Rhoden, Jura, Luzern, Neuchatel, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Sankt
Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Ticino, Uri,
Valais, Vaud, Zug, Zurich

Independence: 1 August 1291

National holiday: Anniversary of the Founding of the Swiss
Confederation, 1 August (1291)

Constitution: 29 May 1874

Legal system: civil law system influenced by customary law;
judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal
decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: President Jean-Pascal
DELAMURAZ (1996 calendar year; presidency rotates annually); Vice
President Arnold KOLLER (term runs concurrently with that of
president); the president is appointed each year from the Federal
Council by the Federal Assembly
cabinet: Federal Council (German - Bundesrat, French - Censeil
Federal, Italian - Consiglio Federale) was elected for a four-year
term by the Federal Assembly from among its own members

Legislative branch: bicameral Federal Assembly (German -
Bundesversammlung, French - Assemblee Federale, Italian - Assemblea
Federale)
Council of States: (German - Standerat, French - Conseil des Etats,
Italian - Consiglio degli Stati); elections last held throughout
1995 (next to be held NA 1999); results - percent of vote by party
NA; seats - (46 total) PRD 17, PDC 17, UDC 4, PSS 3, LPS 3, LdU 1,
Ticino League 1
National Council: (German - Nationalrat, French - Conseil National,
Italian - Consiglio Nazion