land's role in many
UN and international organizations has strengthened Switzerland's ties
with its neighbors. Switzerland is active in many UN and international
organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.

Geography Switzerland

Location: Central Europe, east of France, north of Italy

Geographic coordinates: 47 00 N, 8 00 E

Map references: Europe

Area: total: 41,290 sq km water: 1,520 sq km land: 39,770 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total: 1,852 km border countries: Austria 164 km,
France 573 km, Italy 740 km, Liechtenstein 41 km, Germany 334 km

Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims: none (landlocked)

Climate: temperate, but varies with altitude; cold, cloudy, rainy/snowy
winters; cool to warm, cloudy, humid summers with occasional showers

Terrain: mostly mountains (Alps in south, Jura in northwest) with a
central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m highest point:
Dufourspitze 4,634 m

Natural resources: hydropower potential, timber, salt

Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 1% other: 89% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 250 sq km (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: avalanches, landslides, flash floods

Environment - current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions
and open-air burning; acid rain; water pollution from increased use of
agricultural fertilizers; loss of biodiversity

Environment - international agreements: party to: Air Pollution, Air
Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants,
Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone
Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Antarctic-Environmental
Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geography - note: landlocked; crossroads of northern and southern
Europe; along with southeastern France and northern Italy, has the
highest elevations in Europe

People Switzerland

Population: 7,301,994 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 16.8% (male 629,513; female 597,472) 15-64
years: 67.7% (male 2,5