This research presents a country study of Switzerland. A brief history of the country is followed by a more detailed examination of contemporary Switzerland. The concluding section considers the future of the country.
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 41,530 square kilometers of territory (Hunter 1255-1262). Geographically, the country is located in the heart of the Alps in Central Europe. The Alps cover 60 percent of Switzerland's land area, and the Jura near France accounts for another 10 percent of the country's land area. The remaining 30 percent of the land area is located in the Midlands between the other two regions. Switzerland's population approximates seven million. The country's density is 169 persons per square kilometer.
German is the language of 65 percent of the Swiss. An additional 18 percent speak French as a first language,...