SWITZERLAND: A COUNTRY STUDY

Through the middle of the seventeenth century, Switzerland was a part of the Holy Roman Empire (Hunter 1255-1262). From the late-thirteenth century through 1648, Switzerland was a part of a defensive league of three states within the Holy Roman Empire. In 1648, the league became independent of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1798, a united Helvetic Republic was formed from the cantons comprising the defensive league. In 1815, the perpetual neutrality of Switzerland, the successor to the Helvetic Republic, was guaranteed by Austria, France, Great Britain, Portugal, Prussia, Russia, Spain, and Sweden by the Congress of Vienna. Switzerland's present constitution was adopted in 1874, and the newest canton, Jura, was established by a vote of the electorate in 1978.

The review of contemporary Switzerland is presented in relation to five areas of interest. These areas are (1) demographics, geography, and social conditions in Switzerland, (2) the status and performance of the economy, (3) resources and trade, (4) political and economic environments, and (5) economic affiliations.

Switzerland is a country of more than 41,53

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me share for the highest 10 percent of the population in Switzerland (29.8 percent) is even higher than that in the United States (25 percent), while the range in the other Western European countries is from 21.2 to 25.5 percent). The quintile income shares among the Swiss population are as follows (World Bank 237): 1. Lowest 20 percent: 5.2 percent. 2. Second quintile: 11.7 percent. 3. Third quintile: 16.4 percent. 4. Fourth quintile: 22.1 percent. 5. Highest 20 percent: 44.6 percent. Highest 10 percent: 29.8 percent. Economic development in Switzerland has not resulted in the degree of urbanization that has occurred in most other industrial countries. In Switzerland, 61 percent of the population resides in urban area (World Bank 239). Comparable levels are 74 percent in the United States, 86 percent in the Netherlands, and 92 percent in the United Kingdom. In Switzerland, 22 percent of the population resides in urban areas with populations in excess of 500,000 persons, while the proportion is 77 percent in the United States, 24 percent in the Netherlands, and 55 percent in the United Kingdom. Resources and Trade Switzerland's most important resource is its people. The highly educated and trained Swiss people
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Approximate Word count = 2264
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page)

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