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Other
sectors
The service sector is
an enormous part of the economy, concerning 61.2%
of the labour force and contributing 64.9% of the
GNP.
Switzerland is primarily a
major power in financial services and the third
biggest banking centre in the world. This sector
however is undergoing changes, banks are actually
laying off employees, something which has never
happened before.
As nearly everywhere else in
the world, the mobile telephone market is
thriving.
Population
The population is
7,120,000, the total surface area is 41,288 sq.
kms.
It is varied and is made up of germanophones (64%),
francophones (19%) Italians, Yougoslavs, Spaniards
and Romanch.
19.3% of the population are foreigners, 1,576
million in all.
The population density is
higher than in France, 179 inhabitants per square
kilometer (against 106 in France). The majority of
the population is concentrated in the towns. The
population is mostly aged between 15 and 59.
Life expectancy is 79.16 years.
Women work much less than in
the other European countries, due to fiscal reasons
for couples. There is a high divorce rate and the
birth rate has dropped to its lowest level
(1.46).
Language
Four languages are spoken in Switzerland : German,
French, Italian and Romanch. The Romanch was
recognized by the federal constitution in 1938 as
the fourth national language, but not as an
official language. It is mainly spoken by the
Grisons and is one of the Rhaeto-Romanic languages
like Frioulin and Ladin.
Religion
There is freedom of worship and also freedom of
conscience. The two main religious affiliations are
Roman Catholic and Reformed Evangelists. Other
religions exist : Protestants, Muslims, Jews
...
Weights,
measures & .......voltages
The metric system is
in use. The electrical current is 22 volts, but be
careful with the plugs, they are not the same
standard as in France.
Money
The official currency is the Swiss Franc.
(CHF)
1 Swiss franc = approx 4.30
French Francs
1 euro = 1.5323 Swiss Francs
Climate
Between the Jura and
the Alps the winters are severe, the summers hot
and stormy. In the Alps the climate varies
depending on the altitude, the orientation and the
exposure of the valleys. The climate is well-known
for its beneficial effects however, and in most of
the stations there are theraputic climatology
centres.
In the south there is a
milder and sunnier climate in the Tessin,
influenced by the Mediterranean.
In winter Switzerland is
known as a skiers' paradise, in the Jura and the
Alps the snow lies for several months and even
longer in the higher altitudes. Because of the
altitude the ski stations are usually sunny, being
above the fog.
Sometimes the ski season can
be cut short by a hot dry wind called the foehn,
which blows mainly in spring and autumn, but
sometimes also in winter. This wind hardly ever
blows in the Valais or the Berne Alps but quite
often in the Grisons and in the Gorthard mountains.
Engadine, in the east has a dry cold climate. The
snow usually lies for a few weeks in Berne and
Zurich, much less in Lausanne and Geneva, around
Lake Leman and in the Tessin.
It is fairly hot in summer,
cool in the mornings but it can be very hot by
midday. Clouds amass around the mountain peaks. By
the end of the day, around 6 or 7pm a cold wind
starts to blow. There is also much more rain in
summer, end of the day storms in the south and more
persistant lighter rain in the north . Temperatures
are mild in autumn in the valleys until
mid-October.
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