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SWITZERLAND |
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| Cities of Switzerland |
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ABOUT SWITZERLAND | |
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The Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked alpine country in Western Europe. This small multi-lingual country, of a little over 7 million people, has four national languages, German, French, Italian, and Romansch. Swiss Standard German is written and used in formal situations, while the (significantly different) dialects commonly spoken are called "Swiss German".
Switzerland has a strong economy in finance and banking, rates highly in international economic standards despite its small size, and maintains a long and strong tradition of political and military neutrality. This background allows Switzerland to host various international organizations, such as the United Nations, which, though headquartered in New York City, has many departments in Switzerland. The safety, security, and scenic beauty of the country, for walking, hiking, and skiing, give it a strong and robust tourism sector.
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Capital: - Berne (federal capital)Area: - Total: 41,285 km² (136th)
15,940 sq mi
- Water (%): 4.2Independence: - de facto: 22 September 1499
- Recognised: 24 October 1648
- Restored: 7 August 1815
- Federal state: 12 September 1848 | Official languages: - German, French, Italian, RomanshPopulation: - 2006 estimate: 7,507,000 (94th)
- 2000 census: 7,288,010
- Density: 182/km² (61st)
472/sq mi | |
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