Total area: 41,290 sq km (15,942 sq mi)
Population (2009 est.): 7,604,467
Capital (2003 est.): Bern - 122,700
Largest cities: Zurich - 971,800 (metro. area); Geneva - 178,900; Basel - 162,800; Lausanne - 117,400
Currency: Swiss franc
Languages: German 64%, French 20%, Italian 7% (all official); Romansch 0.5% (national)
Religions: Roman Catholic 42%, Protestant 35%, Orthodox 2%, Muslim 4%, none 11%
Time zone: GMT+1; DST: GMT+2 (from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October)
Electricity: AC 230V/50Hz; plugs with 3 round pins are used ("Swiss 3-Pin" standard; the sockets accept most European plugs with two round pins)
Switzerland is a landlocked country in the Central Europe. It borders France to the west, Germany to the north, Austria and Liechtenstein to the east and Italy to the south.
Switzerland's landscape is dominated by mountains - Alps in the south, and Jura in the northwest. The highest peak is the Dufourspitze, at 4,634 m (15,203 ft), on the Italian border. Other than mountains, the country also has a central plateau of rolling hills, plains, and large lakes. Many rivers and waterfalls add even more beauty to Switzerland's landscapes. The Rhine is the principal river and an inland waterway.
Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product, with Zürich and Geneva ranked as the second and third cities in the world with the highest quality of life.
