With standards as high as their snow tipped
Alps, the Swiss command a special on quantity. Switzerland
is a neat little nation - cities that run with the reliability
of their perfectly crafted time pieces and watches …
quaint farmhouses bowered with carefully pruned vines and
bright flower boxes and well groomed fields. Summers in Switzerland
bristle with folkfares, and festivals. In the mellow fall,
the grape harvests herald colourful seasonal celebrations.
Swiss winters are for mountain top resorting and Alpine, recreational
activities. Fine Swiss craftsmanship assures shoppers of bringing
home a bargain.
Switzerland is a high quality tourist attraction - heart
stopping scenery combines with the restful calm that comes
from an atmosphere of cleanliness and honest dealing.
For all who have dreamt of a world without poverty, filled
with shining cities of beauty and comfort, peopled by honest,
industrious citizenry and untouched by strife and tensions,
Switzerland is the place to go!
Fast Facts
| Area: |
41,295 sq km (16,105 sq mi) |
| Capital City: |
Bern |
| Languages: |
German - spoken by 64% of the
population, mainly in the central and eastern areas around
Basel, Berne, Zurich, Lucerne and Zermatt. French - spoken
by 18% of the population, mainly in the area around Geneva,
Neuchatel and Lausanne. Italian - spoken by 10% of the population
in the south throughout Ticino and in part of the Grisons
(Graubunden). Romansch - spoken by less than 1% of the population
in the southeast canton of Grisons. |
| Religion: |
Switzerland is a Christian country with
46% of the population Roman Catholic and 40% Protestant. |
| Time: |
GMT/UTC plus one hour |
| Electricity: |
220 volts, 50Hz |
| Currency: |
Swiss franc (1 franc = 100
rappen or centimes) |
| Government: |
Federal republic
|
Seasons
to Visit: You can visit Switzerland any time throughout
the year. Summer lasts roughly from June to September, and offers
the most pleasant climate for outdoor pursuits. Unfortunately, you
won't be the only tourist during this period, so prices can be high,
accommodation hard to find and the mainstream sights crowded. You'll
find much better deals and fewer crowds in the shoulder seasons
of April-May and late-September-October. [top] |
