Located in Central Europe, Switzerland shares borders with Austria
and Liechtenstein to the east, Italy to the south, France to
the north and west, and Germany to the north.
Travel Insurance for Switzerland:
Area: Europe *
Know Before You Go:
FCO Country Advice for Switzerland
Most of the
country is mountainous with the Alps to the south and Jura Mountains
to the NW. The major lakes include Lakes Geneva, Constance,
Neuchatel, Maggiore, Lucerne and Zurich. The main inland
waterway is the Rhine. The tallest mountain is the
Dufourspitze at approx. 15,000 which is located on the Italian
border. Switzerland (or the Swiss Confederation)
is also known by its Latin name ‘Confoederatio Helvetica’ (Helvetic
Confederation) which accounts for the often used abbreviation ‘CH.’ The
use of the Latin name is to avoid favouring any one of the four
national languages.
The population is comprised of mainly Germans with some French,
Italian, Romansch and others. The official languages are
German, French and Italian. Romansch is also spoken. The
main religions are Roman Catholic and Protestant. Switzerland
has four distinct areas which each have their own charm and atmosphere: the
German-, French-, Italian- and Romansch-speaking parts of the
country
The name Switzerland conjures up images of creamy chocolates,
cuckoo clocks, delicious cheese, expensive watches, Alpine meadows,
The Sound of Music, cow bells, yodellers, and spectacular scenery
with mountains and lakes.
The capital city is Berne and other major cities include Zurich,
Geneva, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Interlaken, Lugano, Lucerne and
Lausanne. Having been neutral in both World Wars, Switzerland
gave up its neutrality and joined the U.N. in 2002. Switzerland’s
lovely cities and Alpine landscapes attract visitors from all
over the world.
Swiss Cities
Berne (or Bern ). The capital
and seat of the Swiss government is located in the
central eastern part of the country.
Geneva is located at the southwestern
tip of the country. The city is divided by the Rhone river
which flows from Lake Geneva.
Zurich is located in the north
of the country. A scenic city, Zurich is situated on the
banks of the River Limmat.
Weather
Switzerland has a temperate climate, although winter is cold
with plenty of snow in the mountains. Temperatures in
summer range from 18-27C (65-80F). In spring and autumn
temperatures range from 9-16C (47-60F). Winter temperatures
range from -2 to 8C (28-46F.
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