According to localcollegeexplorer, Switzerland is a small landlocked country located in the heart of Europe. It is known for its neutrality, beautiful scenery, and diverse culture. The history of Switzerland dates back to the prehistoric times with settlements by the Celts in the first century BC. The area was conquered by the Romans in 58 BC and remained under Roman rule until the 5th century AD when it was invaded by Germanic tribes. The modern Swiss Confederation was founded in 1291 when three cantons (Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden) formed an alliance for mutual defense against foreign rulers. This alliance eventually grew to include eight cantons and became known as the Old Swiss Confederacy. In 1353, a charter was signed between Emperor Charles IV of Germany and the Swiss cantons which granted them virtual independence from imperial rule. During this period, Switzerland experienced relative peace and stability which allowed it to become an important center of commerce and banking. In 1515, a decisive victory over Austria at Marignano secured Swiss independence from foreign control while also allowing it to expand its borders through conquest or purchase of additional territories. By 1648, Switzerland had grown to include 13 cantons with Bern becoming its de facto capital city while Geneva served as its spiritual center due to its Calvinist roots. The 18th century saw a decline in Swiss power but it managed to remain neutral during both World Wars which allowed it to remain largely unscathed by conflict while still engaging in international trade with all sides. After World War II, Switzerland joined several international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and Council of Europe (COE) which further strengthened its international standing as a peaceful nation committed to human rights and democracy. Today, Switzerland is one of Europe’s most prosperous countries thanks to its strong economy based on manufacturing industries such as pharmaceuticals and precision engineering along with services like banking and tourism. It also has some of the highest living standards in Europe due to generous welfare benefits provided by its government ensuring that all citizens have access to healthcare, education and other social services. In 2010, Switzerland was a small, landlocked nation located in Central Europe with a population of approximately 7.5 million people. It was bordered by France, Germany, Austria and Italy and was home to four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansch. Politically speaking, Switzerland had a long-standing tradition of democracy and in 2010 the country was a federal republic with seven cantons each having its own government. The federal government was led by the Federal Council which consisted of seven elected members who each held office for four years. In addition to this government structure, Switzerland also had two houses of parliament – the National Council and the Council of States. Switzerland’s economy was one of the strongest in Europe due to its highly developed banking sector as well as its highly skilled labor force and strong manufacturing sector which included industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals and electronics. The country also boasted a high standard of living with excellent public healthcare and education systems as well as generous welfare benefits for its citizens. In terms of culture, Swiss culture had been heavily influenced by its neighboring countries but still retained many unique characteristics such as traditional folk music; cuisine which included fondue dishes; literature which revolved around Swiss history; and traditional customs such as Fasnacht celebrations where locals danced through the streets wearing costumes to mark the changing of seasons. In addition to this vibrant culture, Switzerland also boasted some beautiful natural landscapes including majestic alpine peaks as well as stunning lakeside views along its many bodies of water including Lake Geneva and Lake Lucerne. In short, in 2010 Switzerland was an advanced nation with much to offer both citizens and visitors alike. Check ezinereligion for Switzerland Religion and Languages.
Geneva has many faces: it is known as the “capital of the world” – this name came from the headquarters of the UN and the Red Cross, as a scientific center – because of the nuclear physics laboratory with the Large Hadron Collider, as a resort around Lake Leman. The second largest city in Switzerland is home to just under 200,000 people, more than 40% of whom are foreigners. The symbol of the smallest metropolis is the 140-meter Jet d’Eau…
Graubünden is a Swiss canton and a member of the Swiss Confederation. The capital of Graubünden is Chur. Naming of the canton of Graubünden It is assumed that the name Graubünden is a derivative. In 1367 the Gray Bund was founded. This was first used in 1447 as a nickname for Austrians and Zurich residents. But the Bundsmen adopted the name in their linguistic usage. Later in the 16th century, the area of today’s Canton of Graubünden was also known…
French is spoken in the Swiss canton of Jura. With one exception: people speak German in the community of Ederswiler. The canton of Jura is located in the northwest of the Swiss Confederation, the capital of Jura is called Delsberg. Jura’s neighbors are France and the cantons of Neuchâtel, Bern, Solothurn and Basel-Landschaft. The canton is quite sparsely populated and is also one of the smaller cantons in Switzerland. Many of the places in the canton have a French and…
Appenzell Innerrhoden is a German speaking Canton and belongs to the Swiss Confederation. Its main town is called Appenzell. The peculiarity of the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden is that it has the canton with the lowest population in all of Switzerland and the second smallest area. Only 15,000 people live here. The neighborhood The canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden is right next to the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden and St. Gallen. The Almauftrieb and Almabtrieb is a spectacle every year. It…
CULTURE: MUSIC For many centuries it is impossible to speak of a specifically Swiss music: it can only be noted that in the regions now marked by the borders of this country, a musical life generically participates in the characteristics of European musical life, in particular that of French and German, develops. It must be remembered that the monasteries of St. Gallen and Einsiedeln, important in the history of the Gregorian tradition and in that of the sequence, are based…
As far as literature in French is concerned, only two names illustrate the spiritual and literary life in the Middle Ages: that of the chronicler Hugues de Pierre in the fifteenth century and of the knight and poet Othon de Granson (1340-ca.1397), of which G. Chaucer translated three ballads. The French-speaking literature was born in reality only with the reform, requirements for controversy, political and administrative, and remains long monopoly of theologians and jurists, first in order of time Pierre…
Switzerland – country information Country name Switzerland Official name The Swiss Confederation Capital Bern Continent Europe Area 41,284 km2 Population 8,112,200 (2013) Foundation of a state 1. 8. 1291 The highest mountains Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) 4634 m Longest rivers Rhein (in the country 375 km) The largest lakes Lac Léman (Geneva region) 581 km 2 State system a pluralistic federal republic with a bicameral parliament The biggest cities Zürich 855,000, Geneva 405,000, Basel 365,000, Bern (capital) 310,000 Official language German,…