General information* about
SWITZERLAND
Etymology
The English name Switzerland is a compound containing Switzer,
an obsolete term for the
Swiss, in use during the
16th
to 19th
centuries.[12]
The English adjective Swiss is a loan from French
Suisse, also in use since the 16th
century. The name Switzer is from the
Alemannic Schwiizer, in origin
an inhabitant of
Schwyz and
its
associated territory, one of the Waldstätten cantons which formed the
nucleus of the Old Swiss Confederacy. The toponym itself is first attested in
972, as
Old High German Suittes,
ultimately perhaps related to suedan
"to burn", referring to the area of forest that was burned and cleared to build.[13]
The name was extended to the area dominated by the canton, and after the
Swabian
War of 1499 gradually came to be used pars pro toto for the entire
Confederation.
The
Swiss German name of the country, Schwiiz,
is homophonous to that of the canton and the settlement, but distinguished by
the use of the definite article (d'Schwiiz
for the Confederation, but simple Schwiiz
for the canton and the town).
The
Neo-Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica was introduced at the
formation of the federal state in 1848, harking back to the Napoleonic
Helvetic Republic. It is derived from the name of the
Helvetii,
a Celtic tribe
living on the
Swiss
plateau before the
Roman era. The name of the Helvetii is attested epigraphically, in
Etruscan form, on a vessel dated to ca. 300 BC.[14]
They first appear in historiography in the 2nd century BC, in
Posidonius.
Helvetia
appears as a
national personification of the Swiss confederacy in the 17th century, with
a 1672 play by Johann Caspar Weissenbach.
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History
Switzerland has existed as a state in its present form since the adoption of
the Swiss Federal Constitution in 1848. The precursors of modern Switzerland
established a protective alliance at the end of the 13th century, forming a
loose confederation of states which persisted for centuries.
Early history
The oldest traces of human existence in Switzerland date back about 150,000
years.[15]
The oldest known farming settlements in Switzerland, which were found at
Gächlingen,
have been dated to around 5300 BC.[15]
The earliest known cultural tribes of the area were members of the
Hallstatt and
La Tène cultures, named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the
north side of
Lake Neuchâtel. La Tène culture developed and flourished during the late
Iron Age
from around 450 BC,[15]
possibly under some influence from the
Greek
and
Etruscan civilisations. One of the most important tribal groups in the Swiss
region was the
Helvetii. In 58 BC, at the
Battle of Bibracte,
Julius Caesar's armies defeated the Helvetii.[15]
In 15 BC,
Tiberius, who was destined to be the second Roman emperor and his brother,
Drusus, conquered the Alps, integrating them into the
Roman
Empire. The area occupied by the
Helvetii—the
namesakes of the later Confoederatio Helvetica—first became part of Rome's
Gallia Belgica province and then of its
Germania Superior province, while the eastern portion of modern Switzerland
was integrated into the
Roman province of
Raetia.
Founded in 44 BC,
Augusta Raurica was the first Roman settlement on the Rhine and is
nowadays the most important archaeological site in Switzerland[16]
In the
Early Middle Ages, from the
4th
century, the western extent of modern-day Switzerland was part of the
territory of the
Kings of the Burgundians. The
Alemanni settled the
Swiss
plateau in the
5th
century and the
valleys of the Alps in the
8th
century, forming
Alemannia. Modern-day Switzerland was therefore then divided between the
kingdoms of Alemannia and
Burgundy.[15]
The entire region became part of the expanding
Frankish Empire in the
6th
century, following
Clovis I's
victory over the
Alemanni at
Tolbiac in 504 AD, and later Frankish domination of the Burgundians.[17][18]
Throughout the rest of the
6th,
7th
and 8th
centuries the Swiss regions continued under Frankish hegemony (Merovingian
and
Carolingian dynasties). But after its extension under
Charlemagne, the Frankish empire was divided by the
Treaty of Verdun in 843.[15]
The territories of nowadays Switzerland became divided into
Middle Francia and
East
Francia until they were reunified under the
Holy Roman Empire around 1000 AD.[15]
By 1200, the
Swiss plateau comprised the dominions of the houses of
Savoy,
Zähringer,
Habsburg and
Kyburg.[15]
Some regions (Uri,
Schwyz,
Unterwalden, later known as Waldstätten) were accorded the
Imperial immediacy to grant the empire direct control over the mountain
passes. When the Kyburg dynasty fell in 1264 AD, the Habsburgs under
King Rudolph I (Holy Roman Emperor in 1273) extended their territory to the
eastern Swiss plateau.[17]
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Federal state
The canton of Bern was one of the three cantons presiding over the
Tagsatzung
(former legislative and executive council) with Lucerne and Zürich. Its cantonal
capital was then chosen as the federal capital in 1848, mainly because of its
closeness to the French speaking area.[21]
The
restoration of the power to the patriciate was only temporary. After a
period of unrest with repeated violent clashes such as the
Züriputsch
of 1839, civil war broke out in 1847 when some of the Catholic cantons tried to
set up a separate alliance (the
Sonderbundskrieg).[20]
The war lasted for less than a month, causing fewer than 100 casualties, most of
which were through
friendly fire. However minor the Sonderbundskrieg seems to be when compared
with other European riots and wars in the 19th century, it nevertheless had a
major impact on both the psychology and the society of the Swiss and of
Switzerland.
The war made all Swiss understand the need for unity and strength towards its
European neighbours. Swiss people from all strata of society, whether Catholic,
Protestant, or from the liberal or conservative current, realised that the
cantons would profit more if their economic and religious interests were merged.
Thus, while the rest of Europe was
plagued by revolutionary uprisings, the Swiss drew up an actual constitution
which provided for a
federal layout, much of it inspired by the
American example. This constitution provided for a central authority while
leaving the cantons the right to self-government on local issues. Giving credit
to those who favoured the power of the cantons (the Sonderbund Kantone), the
national assembly was divided between an
upper
house (the
Swiss Council of States, 2 representatives per canton) and a
lower
house (the
National Council of Switzerland, representatives elected from across the
country).
Referenda were made mandatory for any amendment of this constitution.[18]
A system of single weights and measures was introduced and in 1850 the
Swiss
franc became the Swiss
single currency. Article 11 of the constitution forbid sending troops to
serve abroad, though the Swiss were still obliged to serve
Francis II of the Two Sicilies with Swiss Guards present at the
Siege of Gaeta in 1860, marking the end of foreign service.
An important clause of the constitution was that it could be re-written
completely if this was deemed necessary, thus enabling it to evolve as a whole
rather than being modified one amendment at a time.[22]
This need soon proved itself when the rise in population and the
Industrial Revolution that followed led to calls to modify the constitution
accordingly. An early draft was rejected by the population in 1872 but
modifications led to its acceptance in 1874.[20]
It introduced the facultative referendum for laws at the federal level. It also
established federal responsibility for defence, trade, and legal matters.
In 1891, the constitution was revised with unusually strong elements of
direct democracy, which remain unique even today.[20]
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Modern history
The beginning of tourism in the 19th century led to the construction of
important infrastructures. Here the train connecting the village of
Zermatt
(1891).
Switzerland was not invaded during either of the
world wars.
During
World War I, Switzerland was home to Vladimir Illych Ulyanov (Lenin)
and he remained there until 1917.[23]
Swiss neutrality was seriously questioned by the
Grimm-Hoffmann Affair in 1917, but it was short-lived. In 1920, Switzerland
joined the
League of Nations, which was based in
Geneva, on the
condition that it was exempt from any military requirements.
During World War II, detailed invasion plans were drawn up by the Germans,[24]
but Switzerland was never attacked.[20]
Switzerland was able to remain independent through a combination of military
deterrence, concessions to Germany, and good fortune as larger events during the
war delayed an invasion.[18]
Attempts by Switzerland's small
Nazi Party
to cause annexation by Germany failed miserably. The Swiss press vigorously
criticised the
Third Reich, often infuriating its leadership. Under General
Henri
Guisan, a massive mobilisation of militia forces was ordered. The Swiss
military strategy was changed from one of static defence at the borders to
protect the economic heartland, to one of organised long-term attrition and
withdrawal to strong, well-stockpiled positions high in the Alps known as the
Réduit. Switzerland was an important base for espionage by both sides in the
conflict and often mediated communications between the Axis and Allied powers.
The
International Red Cross, based in Geneva, played an important part during
this and other conflicts.
Switzerland's trade was blockaded by both the
Allies and by the
Axis. Economic cooperation and extension of credit to the
Third Reich varied according to the perceived likelihood of invasion and the
availability of other trading partners. Concessions reached a peak after a
crucial rail link through
Vichy
France was severed in 1942, leaving Switzerland completely surrounded by the
Axis. Over the course of the war, Switzerland interned over 300,000 refugees,
104,000 of whom were foreign troops, interned according to the Rights and
Duties of Neutral Powers outlined in the
Hague Conventions. 60,000 of the refugees were civilians escaping
persecution by the Nazis. Of these, 26,000 to 27,000 were Jews. However, strict
immigration and asylum policies as well as the financial relationships with Nazi
Germany raised controversy.[25]
During the war, the Swiss Air Force engaged aircraft of both sides, shooting
down 11 intruding
Luftwaffe
planes in May and June 1940, then forcing down other intruders after a change of
policy following threats from Germany. The fact that the Swiss Air Force
consistently beat the
Luftwaffe
was a recurring embarrassment for
Hitler in World War Two. The Allies acknowledged this, but the Allied Air
Forces also many times intruded Swiss Air Space and made raids on several cities
during the War. Over 100 Allied bombers and their crews were interned during the
war. During 1944-45, Allied bombers mistakenly bombed the Swiss towns of
Schaffhausen (killing 40 people),
Stein am Rhein,
Vals, Rafz (18
killed), and notoriously on 4 March, 1945 both
Basel and
Zürich were
bombed.
The coat of arms of the Canton of Jura has been set apart in the dome
of the Federal Palace. The canton was founded in 1978, its territory split
off that of the canton of Bern and formally joined the Swiss Confederation
in 1979.
Women were granted the
right to vote
in the first Swiss cantons in 1959, at the federal level in 1971[20][26]
and, after resistance, in the last canton
Appenzell Innerrhoden in 1990. After
suffrage at
the federal level women quickly rose in political significance, with the first
woman on the seven member
Federal Council executive being
Elisabeth Kopp who served from 1984–1989.[20]
The first female president was
Ruth
Dreifuss, elected in 1998 to become president during 1999. (The Swiss
president is elected every year from those among the seven member high council
and cannot serve two consecutive terms). The second female president is
Micheline Calmy-Rey who held the 2007 Swiss high office. She is originally
from the western area of the French-speaking canton
Geneve (Genf in German, Ginevra in Italian). She is presently joined on the
seven member cabinet/high council by two other women,
Doris Leuthard, from the canton of
Aargau and
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, from the canton of
Graubünden.
Switzerland joined the
Council of Europe in 1963.[18]
In 1979 areas from the canton of
Bern attained
independence from the Bernese, forming the new
canton of Jura. On 18 April 1999 the Swiss population and the cantons voted
in favour of a completely revised
federal constitution.[20]
In 2002 Switzerland became a full member of the
United Nations, leaving the
Vatican as
the last widely recognised state without full UN membership. Switzerland is a
founding member of the
EFTA, but is not a member of the
European Economic Area. An application for membership in the
European Union was sent in May 1992, but not advanced since the EEA was
rejected in December 1992[20]
when Switzerland was the only country to launch a referendum on the EEA. There
have since been several referenda on the EU issue; due to a mixed reaction from
the population the membership application has been frozen. Nonetheless, Swiss
law is gradually being adjusted to conform with that of the EU and the
government has signed a number of
bilateral agreements with the European Union. Switzerland, together with
Liechtenstein, has been completely surrounded by the EU since Austria's
membership in 1995. On 5 June 2005, Swiss voters agreed by a 55% majority to
join the
Schengen treaty, a result that was regarded by EU commentators as a sign of
support by Switzerland, a country that is traditionally perceived as independent
and reluctant to enter supranational bodies.[18]
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Cantons
The Swiss Confederation consists of 26 cantons:[28]
*These
half
cantons are represented by one councillor (instead of two) in the
Council of States (see
traditional half-cantons).
Their populations vary between 15,000 (Appenzell Innerrhoden) and 1,253,500 (Zürich),
and their area between 37 km2 (14 sq mi) (Basel-Stadt) and 7,105 km2
(2,743 sq mi) (Graubünden). The Cantons comprise a total of 2,889
municipalities. Within Switzerland there are two
enclaves:
Büsingen belongs to Germany,
Campione d'Italia belongs to Italy.
In a referendum held in the
Austrian state of
Vorarlberg
on 11 May 1919 over 80% of those voting supported a proposal that the state
should join the Swiss Confederation. However, this was prevented by the
opposition of the
Austrian Government, the
Allies,
Swiss liberals, the Swiss-Italians (persons of Swiss nationality who live in
Italian Switzerland, see map) and the
Romands (Swiss nationals living in the French-speaking regions of
Switzerland, see map).[36]
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Geography and climate
Extending across the north and south side of the
Alps, Switzerland
comprises a great diversity of landscapes and climates on a limited area of
41,285 square kilometres (15,940 sq mi).[42]
The population is about 7.6 million, resulting in an average
population density of around 240 people per square kilometre (622/sq mi).[42][43][44]
However, the more mountainous southern half of the country is far more sparsely
populated than this average, while the northern half and extreme south have a
somewhat greater density, as they comprise more hospitable hilly terrain, partly
forested and partly cleared, as well as several large lakes.[42]
Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the
Swiss Alps
on the south, the
Central Plateau or "middleland", and the
Jura mountains on the north.[42]
The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the
country, comprising about 60% of the country's total area. Among the high peaks
of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the
Dufourspitze at 4,634 m (15,203 ft),[42]
countless valleys are found, many with waterfalls and
glaciers.
From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the
Rhine,
Rhône,
Inn,
Aare, and
Ticino flow finally into the largest Swiss lakes such as
Lake
Geneva (Lac Léman),
Lake Zürich,
Lake Neuchâtel, and
Lake Constance.[42]
The most famous mountain is the
Matterhorn
(4,478 m/14,692 ft) in
Valais and the
Pennine
Alps bordering Italy. Even higher mountains are located in the area: the
Dufourspitze (4,634 m/15,203 ft), the
Dom (4,545 m/14,911 ft) and thirdly, the
Weisshorn
(4,506 m/14,783 ft). The section of the
Bernese
Alps above the deep glacial
Lauterbrunnen valley, containing 72 waterfalls, is also well known for the
Jungfrau(4,158 m/13,642 ft)
and Eiger, and
the many picturesque valleys in the region. In the southeast the long
Engadin
Valley, encompassing the
St. Moritz
area in canton
Graubünden,
is also well known; the highest peak in the neighbouring
Bernina Alps is
Piz
Bernina (4,049 m/13,284 ft).[46]
The more populous northern part of the country, comprising about 30% of the
country's total area, is called the Middle Land. It has greater open and hilly
landscapes, partly forested, partly open pastures, usually with grazing herds,
or vegetables and fruit fields, but it is still hilly. There are large lakes
found here and the biggest Swiss cities are in this area of the country.[46]
The largest lake is
Lake
Geneva (also called Lac Léman in French), in western Switzerland. The
Rhone River is both the main input and output of Lake Geneva.
The Swiss
climate is generally
temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities,[47][48]
from glacial conditions on the mountaintops to the often pleasant near
Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip. Summers tend to be warm
and humid at times with periodic rainfall so they are ideal for pastures and
grazing. The winters in the mountains alternate with sun and
snow, while the
lower lands tend to be more cloudy and foggy in winter.[48]
A weather phenomenon known as the
föhn[47]
can occur at all times of the year, even in winter, and is characterised by a
relatively warm wind, bringing air of very low relative humidity. It blows
mostly on the northern side of the Alps where it can trigger dangerous
avalanches.[48]
The driest conditions persist in the southern valleys of the
Valais[47]
above which valuable
saffron is
harvested and many wine grapes are grown, Graubünden also tends to be drier in
climate[47]
and slightly colder, yet with plentiful snow in winter. The wettest conditions
persist in the high Alps and in the
Ticino canton
which has much sun yet heavy bursts of rain from time to time.[47]
The eastern part tends to be colder than western Switzerland, yet anywhere up
high in the mountains can experience a cold spell at any time of the year.
Precipitation tends to be spread moderately throughout the year, with minor
variations across the seasons depending on locale. Autumn frequently tends to be
the driest season, yet the weather patterns in Switzerland can be highly
variable from year to year, and difficult to predict.
Switzerland's eco-systems can be particularly vulnerable, because of the many
delicate valleys separated by high mountains, often forming unique ecologies.
The mountainous regions themselves are also vulnerable, with a rich range of
plants not found at other altitudes, and experience some pressure from visitors
and grazing. The tree line in the mountains of Switzerland has advanced down
1,000 ft (300 m) over the years, largely because of the increasing absence of
herding and grazing pressures.
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Culture
The culture of Switzerland is influenced by its neighbours but over the years
a distinctive culture with some regional differences and an independent streak
has developed. In particular, French-speaking regions have tended to orient
themselves slightly more on
French culture and tend to be more pro
EU.
In general, the Swiss are known for their long standing
humanitarian tradition as Switzerland is the birth place of the
Red Cross Movement and hosts the
United Nations Human Rights Council. In recent years, however, a series of
anti-immigrant and anti-Islamic campaigns and political measures have focused
international attention on the level of
xenophobia
in Switzerland. A 2006 study conducted by
Geneva University with the support of the
Swiss National Science Foundation found that more than half of of the Swiss
population are xenophobic, with 23% admitting to being
antisemetic.[105]
Swiss German speaking areas may perhaps be seen more oriented on
German culture, although German-speaking Swiss people identify strictly as
Swiss because of the difference between
High German, and the
Swiss
German dialects. Italian-speaking areas can have more of an
Italian culture. A region may be in some ways strongly culturally connected
to the neighbouring country that shares its language. The linguistically
isolated
Romansh culture in the eastern mountains of Switzerland is also robust and
strives to maintain its rare linguistic tradition.
Many mountain areas have a strong highly energetic
ski resort
culture in winter, and a
hiking (wandering)
culture in summer. Some areas throughout the year have a recreational culture
that caters to tourism, yet the quieter seasons are spring and autumn when there
are fewer visitors and a higher ratio of Swiss. A traditional farmer and herder
culture also predominates in many areas and small farms are omnipresent outside
the cities. In film, American productions constitute most of the programme,
although several Swiss movies have enjoyed commercial successes in recent years.
Folk art is kept alive in organisations all over the country. In Switzerland it
is mostly expressed in music,dance, poetry, wood carving and embroidery. The
alphorn, a
trumpet- like musical instrument made of wood, has become alongside
yodeling and the accordion an epitome of traditional
Swiss music.
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Food
The cuisine of Switzerland is multi-faceted. While some dishes such as
fondue,
raclette or
rösti are
omnipresent through the country, each region developed its own gastronomy
according to the differences of climate and languages.[112]
Traditional Swiss cuisine uses ingredients similar to those in other European
countries, as well as unique
dairy
products and cheeses such as
Gruyère or
Emmental, produced in the valleys of
Gruyères
and Emmental.
Chocolate had been made in Switzerland since the 18th century but it gained
its reputation at the end of the 19th century with the invention of modern
techniques such as
conching and
tempering which enabled its production on a high quality level. Also a
breakthrough was the invention of milk chocolate in 1875 by
Daniel
Peter.[113]
Swiss
wine is produced mainly in
Valais, Vaud (Lavaux),
Geneva and
Ticino, with a small majority of white wines. Vineyards have been cultivated
in Switzerland since the Roman era, even though certain traces can be found of a
more ancient origin. The most widespread varieties are the
Chasselas
(called
Fendant in Valais) and
Pinot Noir. The
Merlot is the main variety produced in Ticino.[114]
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information
source : www.wikipedia.org
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