Are you curious to learn some weird and wonderful facts about Switzerland?
If so, excellent! You are in exactly the right place my friend…
It’s time to chat about Switzerland facts.
Let’s dive right in…
Facts About Switzerland
1 – Switzerland is a landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of 8.545 million. The capital of Switzerland is Bern (population 133,155).
2 – Zurich is however the largest city in Switzerland with a population of 402,762.
3 – Switzerland has four official languages – French, German, Italian, and Romansh. The stats are as follows: German (spoken by 63% of people), French (22%), Italian (8%), Romansh (less than 1%).
4 – The Swiss franc was originally created as a way for traders to set prices without relying on gold or silver. The Swiss franc is one of the most stable currencies in the world because its value isn’t based on gold or silver, but instead on economic strength and stability.
5 – In 2007, a referendum was held and voters approved a measure that would allow foreigners who have been employed for five years or more to become naturalized citizens.
More Facts About Switzerland
6 – One of Switzerland’s most famous exports are watches – they’re often called “Swiss Made,” but this doesn’t mean they were actually made in Switzerland.
7 – There are 347 ski resorts in Switzerland.
8 – The Swiss Confederation was established in 1291 as a defensive alliance among three cantons.
9 – The modern state of Switzerland was formed by the 1848 Congress of Vienna, which united 26 cantons.
10 – In 1889, the International Committee of Red Cross was founded in Geneva by Jean-Henri Dunant and Gustave Moynier.
More Facts About Switzerland
11 – The Swiss Alps are home to over 100 peaks that are higher than 10,000 feet high.
12 – The Swiss are notoriously neutral and have not been involved in any major world conflicts since 1815.
13 – It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.
14 – It consists of 26 cantons (states) based on historical boundaries which have largely remained unchanged since 1848 when they were created by combining smaller entities together.
15 – The Swiss Confederation was founded on 12 August 1815 as a result of what has been called “the Restoration”, following Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo.
More Facts About Switzerland
16 – Switzerland is one of four countries worldwide that has no military or air force but still remains neutral in foreign affairs with an armed forces consisting solely of about 200 volunteer soldiers who perform border patrol duties only.
17 – Zurich was rated as one of the top 10 cities to live in by Monocle magazine.
18 – One million copies of the book Heidi (about a little girl living in the Swiss Alps) were sold when it was published in 1881 – making it one of the first international literary hits.
This book about an orphan girl living with her grandfather on his alpine dairy farm remains popular today both as literature and film adaptations.
19 – Swiss cuisine includes fondue, raclette, or Rösti – fried potatoes mixed with raw eggs and milk.
20 – The Swiss Army Knife was invented in Switzerland.
More Facts About Switzerland
21 – Switzerland’s highest mountain, Monte Rosa, is 4,634 meters tall.
22 – The oldest cheese ever found dates back to 3200 BC and was found in a cave near Bern (in Switzerland).
23 – Famous people from Switzerland include Albert Einstein and Marcel Proust.
24 – Zurich Airport was voted as one of “The World’s Top Ten Best Airports” by Skytrax for five consecutive years (2011-2015).
25 – There are more than 500 castles and fortresses in Switzerland.
