Khachatur abovyan - wounds of armenia. Khachatur Abovyan “The people whose hand is weak are pitiful...

State in Central Europe. Territory - 41.3 thousand square meters. km. Population - approx. 6.3 million (1979), including 900 thousand foreigners (permanent residents, seasonal workers). The capital is Bern (147 thousand inhabitants). Among the native Swiss, 65% speak German, 18% speak French, 12% speak Italian, and less than 1% speak Romansh. The first three languages ​​are official. 50.2% of believers are Catholics, 48% are Protestants.

The founding date of Switzerland is considered to be 1 VIII 1291, when the three cantons united into a confederation. Congress of Vienna 1815 proclaimed the "permanent neutrality" of Switzerland. In 1848, a constitution was adopted that transformed Switzerland from a union of states into a single, virtually federal state. The constitution was amended in 1874 and is currently in force. During two world wars it consistently maintained neutrality.

Switzerland's foreign policy doctrine is “universal neutrality”. Adhering to the positions of developed capitalist states on major foreign policy issues, Switzerland has been expanding ties with socialist countries. Switzerland is not a member of the UN, but is a member of most of its specialized organizations, a member of the European Council, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Since 1973, it has been associated with the EEC by an agreement on the gradual introduction of free industrial trade. goods, but does not join the community, since this contradicts the policy of neutrality.

Switzerland is a bourgeois federal parliamentary republic, consists of 23 cantons. Each canton has its own constitution, parliament and government, but the rights of the cantons are limited by the federal constitution. Legislative power in Switzerland belongs to the Federal Assembly (parliament), consisting of two chambers: the National Council (200 deputies) and the Council of Cantons (45 deputies). Executive power is exercised by the Federal Council (government) of 7 federal councilors (ministers), elected for four years. The head of state and government is the president of the confederation, elected for a year by parliament alternately from among the federal councilors. In 1980, J-A was elected president. Chevalla (Radical Democratic Party of Switzerland). The government includes representatives of the Democratic-Christian, Radical Democratic, Social Democratic and Swiss People's Parties.

The Radical Democratic Party of Switzerland (RDPS) is a bourgeois party, closely associated with big capital; Democratic Christian Party of Switzerland (DCP) - expresses the interests of the big and middle bourgeoisie, as well as clerical circles; Social Democratic Party of Switzerland (SDP) - right-wing reformist, part of the Socialist International; Swiss People's Party (SNP) - petty bourgeois; The Swiss Liberal Party (SLP) is bourgeois, representing the interests of Geneva bankers; The Union of Independents (SP) is a right-wing petty-bourgeois party.

Swiss Party of Labor (SLP) - formed in 1944 on the basis of the Communist Party and a group of left socialists; in its activities it is guided by the principles of Marxism-Leninism; fights for the construction of a socialist society, for the implementation of the urgent demands of the working people, for peace and European security. Secretary General ShPT - A. Magnin. Honorary Chairman - J. Vincent. Printing organs - "Voi ouvrier" (on French), "Forverts" (on German) and "Il lavoratore" (in Italian).

Trade unions unite 37% of workers. The largest trade union organization is the Association of Swiss Trade Unions, which is predominantly influenced by the SDPS and is part of the ICFTU.

Switzerland is a highly developed industrial country. By national size per capita income is in 1st place among developed capitalist countries. One of the main financial and banking centers in the world. The leading role in the economy is played by large monopolies, the peculiarity of which is a pronounced transnational character (Nestlé, Ciba-Geigy, Brown-Boveri, Hoffmann La Roche, Sandoz).

Swiss industry specializes in the production of high-quality, expensive products. The main industries are metalworking and mechanical engineering, in particular precision machine tool building and textile equipment (Switzerland's share in world exports of machine tools is 9-10%, and textile equipment - 18%), electrical engineering, chemical industry, especially pharmaceuticals (12-15% of exports medicines of capitalist countries) and production of dyes, watchmaking (half of the watch exports of capitalist countries), food, textiles. In 1978, 44 billion kWh of electricity was produced, including 22% at nuclear power plants.

In 1979, GNP amounted to 160 billion francs, with 60 billion received from foreign trade.

Sat down. the household yields approx. 6% of GNP (including % livestock farming) and meets the country's needs only by 40-45%. The number of cattle is approx. 2 million, the same number of pigs, approx. 400 thousand sheep (1978). Vegetables, fruits, grapes, grains, and sugar beets are grown.

An important source of income is foreign. tourism (6-8 million people per year).

Length roads - 5 thousand km (including 2.9 thousand km owned by the state), paved highways - 61.5 thousand km.

Switzerland accounts for almost 2% of global foreign trade. turnover. It ranks 8th in the world in terms of volume. Main foreign trade partners: Germany, France, Italy, USA. The volume of Soviet-Swiss trade is growing, amounting to approx. 3% foreign trade Swiss turnover. In January 1978, a Soviet-Swiss agreement was signed on economic, industrial. and scientific and technical cooperation.

Despite the fact that Switzerland's imports (oil and oil products, raw materials, food, equipment, etc.) usually exceed exports, its balance of payments is constantly positive, primarily due to income from investments abroad. Switzerland is a major exporter of capital. By the beginning of 1978, Swiss property abroad (including short-term assets) amounted to 324 billion francs, including direct investments - 48.5 billion francs. It is estimated that companies located in other countries and controlled by Swiss capital employ approx. 3.5 million workers and employees, that is, significantly more than in Switzerland itself. Important internal and international role Swiss banks play (more than 500), whose total assets in 1978 reached 396 billion francs, which was almost 2.5 times higher than the country's GNP. Swiss capitalists exploit big number foreign workers and within the country: 17% of those employed in the economy are foreigners. As a rule, they are used in the most difficult and low-paid jobs; a significant part of them do not have the right to change their place of work and residence, etc.

The monetary unit is the Swiss franc 100 Swiss francs. fr. = 38.39 rub. (March 1980).

Switzerland has backward social legislation. In particular, the difference in wages between men and women reaches 30%. At the same time, in Switzerland the level of taxes on monopoly profits is one of the lowest in the world.

Switzerland continues to experience the consequences of a serious economic crisis that hit the country's economy for the first time since the Second World War in 1974-75. The following years were marked by stagnation or weak recovery. The annual growth of GNP does not exceed 2%. During this period, 350 thousand jobs were eliminated, as well as a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises. High prices and unemployment are rising. There are 12.5 thousand officially registered unemployed, in fact there are approx. 20 thousand 250 thousand iyostr. workers left the country (“export of unemployment”).

The political passivity of the population is increasing. 18-21.X 1979 The next parliamentary elections took place, which did not bring changes in the balance of forces. The four parties of the ruling coalition have 169 of the 200 mandates. Only 47.9% of voters took part in the voting (in 1971 - 56.9%, in 1975 - 52.4%).

Sources:

1. Countries of the world: Brief political economics. reference book.-M.: Politizdat, 1980, 497 p.
2. Small Atlas of the World / senior ed. N.M. Terekhov-M.: GUGK, 1980, 147 p.

Officially Switzerland is confederation(which means a union of several independent states), but is essentially a federal republic uniting several sovereign cantons under a single authority and with a single federal center.
This discrepancy arose due to the historical name of the country in Latin- Confoederatio Helvetica, corresponding to the state structure before 1848.

In 1848, a new Swiss constitution was announced, according to which several individual cantons united into a strong union state with a single political system. From this moment begins the modern history of Switzerland as a country with in perfect order in the political system. The new constitution also laid the foundations federal parliamentary system, which are still in effect today.

Switzerland cannot be called a true parliamentary or presidential republic, since the country has unique rules in its government structure. Legislative power belongs to a bicameral parliament - the Union Assembly, which is divided into the National Council and the Council of Cantons, which are completely equal in rights. The National Council consists of 200 deputies elected for 4 years by universal suffrage. The Council of Cantons consists of 2 representatives from each canton and one from half-cantons.

Any laws adopted must be approved by deputies of both chambers in order to minimize the risk of laws being passed that do not meet the interests of the country's residents. In addition, within 10 days after the parliament passes any law, a national referendum is held, in which at least 50 thousand signatures must be collected for approval. This is how the policy of direct democracy is implemented in Switzerland. Changes to the Constitution are approved only through a nationwide mandatory referendum.

Members of Parliament appoint 7 members of the Federal Council, which is the government with executive powers. Each year, one of these 7 representatives is appointed to the post of president, thus the head of state changes annually. The remaining members of the Federal Council head departments or ministries, one of them is also appointed vice-president. The composition of the Federal Council is selected in such a way that it includes representatives of all major political parties and geographical areas of the country.

All government bodies are located in the capital of the country, the city of Bern. The Swiss Federal Court, which has the highest judicial power, is located in Lausanne. Although this body is essentially the supreme court of the state, it cannot declare federal laws unconstitutional.

Switzerland consists of 26 cantons and semi-cantons, each of which has its own authorities and its own constitution, limited by the main Swiss constitution. Federal authorities decide issues of war, foreign policy, army, federal budget management, railways. Executive power in the cantons belongs to the government council, consisting of several members - from 5 to 11 people, headed by the president. In small cantons the government operates on a voluntary basis.

Rivers and lakes of Switzerland. Large rivers such as the Rhine, Danube, Po, Adige and Rhone take their source from glaciers in the mountains of Switzerland. There are 1,484 lakes in Switzerland, the largest of which are Geneva, Constance, and Lago Majors. Sights of Switzerland. Castle in Thun; castle in Neustahl; medieval city fortifications, St. Vincent Cathedral and the 15th century town hall. in Bern; Viflen Castle in Morges, town hall (1504-1514) in Basel, monastery in St. Gallen, Chillon Castle, etc. There are 600 museums in the country, the most popular are the historical one in Zurich and the art museums of Basel, Bern, Geneva and Zurich. Switzerland is famous for its climatic and mountain resorts and winter sports centers. Helpful information for tourists There are no endemic infectious diseases in Switzerland. Vaccinations against such are not required upon entry, with the exception of those who have been in an epidemic area 14 days before arriving in Switzerland.

Switzerland

The cantons independently determine what tasks they will solve within their competence. The cantons retain their own constitutions (however, they must not contradict the union constitution).
Sections of the Constitution Fourth Section The fourth section is devoted to economic issues. The new Swiss Basic Law enshrines the principle of economic freedom, with central importance given to free competition within a private market economy.
It also talks about measures aimed at supporting Swiss agriculture, supporting regions whose economies are under threat, measures to stimulate certain industries and professions are being consolidated, and the protection of the economy from external factors is guaranteed.

Swiss Confederation

Instruction 1 Switzerland is a state that is a federal republic, which includes twenty districts and six semi-districts. The territory of the republic has two enclaves, which are the property of Germany and the Italian state.

Until 1848, Switzerland was considered a confederation. All districts individually operate under their own constitution and created laws, but their rights are limited by one national constitution. 2 The legislative branch is a bicameral federalization assembly, which includes the National Council and the Council of Counties, and in the matter of legislation these two chambers are equal. The National Council, which consists of two hundred deputies, is elected by the population for a four-year term.

The main administrative-territorial units of the cantons are communes (there are about three thousand communes in Switzerland). Direct democratic rule is carried out through referendums and meetings of communes.

Judicial system At the level of the Confederation, the supreme body of justice is the Federal Court, which simultaneously exercises the functions of the Constitutional Court. According to the one hundred and eighty-ninth article of the Constitution, its competence includes resolving complaints about violations of constitutional rights; to the violation of the autonomy of communities and other guarantees of the cantons in favor of public corporations; for violation government contracts or cantonal treaties.

Attention

All these issues, as well as policy in the field of consumer protection, competition development, banking and insurance, monetary and exchange rate policy, and foreign economic policy fall within the competence of the center. Fifth section The fifth part describes the functioning and powers of the Swiss federal authorities.

Section Six The sixth section establishes the procedure for revising the Constitution of Switzerland itself; it also contains transitional provisions.

The Swiss Confederation historically Switzerland as a country arose

Swiss Confederation Historically, Switzerland as a country arose on the site of a traditional confederation of old medieval states. Part of modern Switzerland was first captured by the Romans in 222 BC. e.

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But in order to protect their Empire from barbarians, they had to leave the occupied territories. Switzerland became a federation of fiefs belonging to the Holy Roman Empire.

In 888, the scattered possessions were united into a kingdom by Rudolf of Burgundy, whose relatives ruled Switzerland for the next 150 years. After the death of the last Burgundian king, the kingdom fell into many fiefs, ruled by bishops and ducal families who imposed their own laws.

What form of government does Switzerland have?

All members of the Council are equal in rights and make decisions exclusively on a collegial basis. The Union President is elected from among the advisors on a rotating basis, whose powers last no more than a year; a member of the Council who previously held the post of Vice President takes over for the next term.

The President presides over meetings of the Union Council and performs mainly representative functions. Each of the advisers heads one of the union departments (ministries): the department of foreign affairs; internal affairs department; Department of Justice and Police; Department of Defense, Public Protection and Sports; Department of Economics; Finance Department; Department of Transport, Communications and Energy.

The supreme (legislative) power in the Confederation is exercised by the Federal Assembly (Parliament), which consists of two chambers: the National Council and the Council of Cantons.

Switzerland as a confederation

Conducts radio and television appearances on the occasion of the New Year and the Swiss National Day (August 1) Acts and is recognized as the head of state when conducting official visits abroad, since the Council has no right to leave the country in in full force Federal Council The Federal Government of Switzerland, which is the collective head of state. Established in 1848 by the Federal Constitution. The Federal Council operates primarily through weekly meetings, which are held every Wednesday at the Federal Palace in Bern. Federal Council meetings and voting results are closed to the public and records remain. sealed for 50 years Members of the Federal Council are elected for a term of four years at a joint meeting of both houses of the Federal Assembly.

Switzerland confederation or federation

Second section The second part of the Swiss constitution regulates the fundamental rights of man and citizen, citizenship rights and social goals. When talking about the country’s population, “Swiss women” are written first, only then “Swiss” - this is due to the belated recognition of the political rights of Swiss women who received voting rights only in 1971, based on the results of a referendum (at the previous referendum on this issue (1959), the proposal was not approved).

Third section The third part describes the order of relationships and the distribution of competencies between the Confederation and administrative-territorial units (cantons and communities). Tax relations are also regulated in detail.

According to the constitution, the Confederation performs those tasks that require uniform regulation, as well as those assigned to it by the “fundamental law” of the country.

Switzerland confederation

The Constitution specifies that both houses have equal standing. Elections to the National Council (two hundred deputies) are held every four years.

Elections are based on the principle of proportionality. Each canton must have at least one seat on the Council.

The procedure for elections to the Council of Cantons is regulated by the cantons themselves. A total of forty-six deputies are elected to the Council of Cantons using a majoritarian system. The term of office of deputies is determined by the cantonal constitutions, usually three or four years. The chairmen of both chambers are re-elected annually. Citizens over eighteen years of age enjoy the right to vote in Switzerland.

It is important to point out that Switzerland was the last country in Europe to grant voting rights to women. This happened in 1971. Each of the twenty-six states of Switzerland has its own constitution, parliament and government.

Switzerland is undoubtedly one of the smallest federal states in existence. For example, the United States is 227 times larger than Switzerland. The population of Switzerland reaches approximately 6.3 million. However, Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, each of which is a state with sovereign jurisdiction. The canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden has only 14,000 inhabitants. It has fewer residents than government employees in the city of Zurich. But these small democracies can develop in a modern environment high technology and superpowers when the economy requires large territories and large markets. Historically, Switzerland as a country arose on the site of a traditional confederation of old medieval states. Although institutionally Switzerland has become a federal state, it is still called the Confederation.

Switzerland

The highest executive body of Switzerland. Federal Council (government). Major cities in Switzerland. Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne.

Swiss Confederation

It is fundamentally important that the Swiss Constitution begins with the words: “We, the people of Switzerland and the cantons,” which gives grounds to speak, as already emphasized above, about the special principle of sovereignty, as well as about a kind of cantonal and communal loyalty, organically complemented by loyalty to the federation as a whole . Constitutions of European States: T.3 // Ed. Okunkova L.A.

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M., 2001. P. 531. It is necessary to especially note the nature of the political culture of the Swiss, which largely determines the appearance of this country. As Daniel Eleizer has argued, despite the many dividing lines, Switzerland's political culture is federalist in all its manifestations (including institutional ones), especially in the organization of civil society cells in the ability to create consultative mechanisms with the aim of making decisions based on consensus.

At the federal level, the autonomy of the cantons is protected not only by the Constitution, but also by political practice, which often goes beyond the existing legal framework, but ultimately receives institutional embodiment. Switzerland is an ethno-nationally “variegated” country, consisting of four main ethnic groups: German 65%; French 18%; Italian 10%; Romansh 1% (represented by Swiss Romanches). In accordance with the Constitution, all these groups have equal rights and all four languages ​​are state (however, Romansh is a “limited” state language, i.e., not all official documents are published in this language). The linguistic composition of the population is as follows: German (63.7%), French (19.2%), Italian (7.6%), Romansh (0.6%).

Such laws also cannot be challenged in court. A feature of the legislative process in Switzerland is the introduction of constitutional amendments or additions based on the results of referendums, which are considered the most effective way influence on legislative decisions.

50 thousand citizens may demand a referendum on the decision of the Federal Assembly. Thus, the Swiss political tradition favors popular initiatives and referendums. As the Swiss themselves believe, in a system where power is transferred to the cantons and communes, the principles of representative democracy play minor role. At the cantonal level, legislative power is exercised by the Grand Council or the Canton Council, or the Council of the Land.

The Swiss Confederation historically Switzerland as a country arose

GDP: 386.1 billion USD (2007) GDP per capita: 51.4 thousand USD Form government system: federalism Form of government: parliamentary republic Legislative body: bicameral parliament Head of state: president Head of government: prime minister Party structures: multi-party system Fundamentals of government In the early Middle Ages, almost the entire territory of Switzerland was part of the Frankish state.

After the collapse of Charlemagne's empire, Switzerland was divided into many practically unconnected lands - cantons (from the French canton - district). In August 1291, in order to jointly act against the territorial claims of the Habsburgs, the forest cantons of Switzerland entered into an “eternal alliance” among themselves, which laid the foundations of the Swiss Confederation (Swiss Union), which had broad rights within the Holy Roman Empire.

What form of government does Switzerland have?

Switzerland Swiss Confederation Date of creation of an independent state: August 1, 1291 Area: 41.3 thousand square meters. km Administrative division: 26 cantons Capital: Bern Official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh Currency: Swiss franc Population: 7.5 million (2007) Population density per square meter.

km: 181.5 people Proportion of urban population: 68% Ethnic composition of the population: German-Swiss, Franco-Swiss, Italo-Swiss and Romansh; OK. 20% of the country's population are foreigners (Italians, Spaniards, Germans, French, etc.) Religion: Catholic Christianity dominates (42% of the population), Protestantism is in second place (33% of the population) Basis of the economy: industry, banking services Employment: in service sector - St. 70%; in industry - approx. 26%; V agriculture- OK.

Switzerland as a confederation

The reason for this confusion lies in the peculiarities of translation. In German, Switzerland is called "Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft".

The German word "Eidgenossenschaft" does not translate into French, Italian or even English. This German word literally means that Switzerland is a country founded on the agreement of "sworn".

Each subject of the Swiss Confederation has its own constitution, legislature and government, but their rights are limited by the federal Constitution: according to Art. 3 of the Constitution, the cantons are sovereign to the extent that their sovereignty is not limited by the federal Constitution. Taking into account all these circumstances, the researchers indicate that Switzerland is divided into 26 cantons, each of which “is a state with sovereign jurisdiction” of the Constitution of European States: Vol.3 // Ed. Okunkova L.A. M., 2001. P. 540..

Switzerland confederation or federation

The cantons may provide that newly settled persons may exercise the right to vote at the cantonal and communal level after a maximum period of three months from the date of settlement. Cantons can enter into agreements with each other on issues of legislation, administration, justice and form joint organizations and institutions.

Attention

The Confederation may participate in these agreements within the limits of its powers. Intercantonal agreements must not be contrary to the law or interests of the Confederation or the rights of other cantons.

Switzerland confederation

The successor to the Swiss Communist Party (CPS), founded in 1921 and ceased to exist in 1944, was the Swiss Party of Labor (SLP). In the last quarter of the twentieth century. The ShPT reconsidered its positions, previously focused on achieving socialist ideals, and moved closer to the democrats. The Swiss People's Party (SPP) has existed since 1971. Under its wing, people from the Party of Peasants, Burghers and Craftsmen (founded in 1919) and Democratic Party Switzerland (founded 1941). New parties include the Evangelical People's Party, the Swiss Democrats and the Greens.

How well do you know Switzerland? Here's the mixture interesting facts to test you.

1. Switzerland is one of only two countries to have a square flag—the Vatican also has a square flag. The Swiss flag is a red square with a white cross in the center.

2. Switzerland is ready for a nuclear war - it has enough nuclear shelters to resettle its entire population. The law requires that everyone have access to shelter in or near their building. Swiss military bunkers disguised as quaint village houses.

3. The country's main defense strategy is to demolish all major roads, bridges (road and rail) leading to Switzerland in the event of a foreign invasion. At the same time, at least 3,000 places across the country are prepared for impact at any moment.

4. Coffee in Zurich is the most expensive in the world - it costs on average 3.65 CHF (3.65 $US), and Copenhagen, Basel, Bern and Geneva are in the top five of the price index.
5. Switzerland became the first producer of instant coffee when Nestlé, founded by Swiss businessman Henri Nestlé in 1867, launched Nescafe in 1938.

6. In Switzerland, citizens can challenge any law passed by parliament, provided they collect 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days. If so, a popular vote is held and voters decide by a simple majority whether to pass or reject the law.

7. Switzerland boasts some of the most famous inventions in the world - they created Velcro, cellophane, the Swiss Army knife, absinthe, the potato peeler, LSD, muesli, milk chocolate. Swiss scientists are conducting research into the use of LSD to treat mental illness and pain.

8. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), life expectancy for men in Switzerland is 81.3 years and 85.3 years for Swiss women. This puts Switzerland in second place (after Japan) in terms of average duration life. The population is aging; in 2015, almost a fifth of the population was over 65 years of age.

9. Swiss law prohibits owning “social” pets outside of a couple. It is illegal in Switzerland to keep only one guinea pig, mouse, ferret, fish, canary, pig or other social creature. Switzerland treats the isolation of such animals as cruelty. Switzerland has an animal rights lawyer and a pet rental service in case one animal in a couple dies before the owner purchases a new pet to comply with mating laws.

10. Swiss taxes on dog ownership - determined by the size and weight of the dog. Dog owners also need to take a training course to learn how to properly care for their pets.

11. Switzerland is one of the best places in a world where you can be born, live and be happy - in accordance with its consistently high rating in global reports. Switzerland was recognized as the most happy country in the world in 2015 and ranked second in 2016 (after Denmark) out of 156 countries. Zurich was voted the second best city to live in the quality of life report, after Mercer, and in 2016 after Vienna. Bern is second after Helsinki best city for personal safety, much higher than London (72).
12. There are 208 mountains in Switzerland with a height of more than 3000 m - 24 of them are more than 4000 m. The most high mountain- Monte Rosa (Dufoursptiz) 4634 m high, on the Swiss-Italian border.

13. Climate of Switzerland. Cold, snowy winters have been the historical norm, but freezing temperatures and heavy snowfalls are occurring today to a lesser extent, especially in low-lying areas. Many Swiss ski resorts are struggling to survive without artificial snow. During hot summers, temperatures in some areas exceed 30-35°C. The Alps act as a climate barrier: northern Switzerland tends to be colder due to Atlantic winds, while southern Switzerland has a mild climate influenced by Mediterranean winds.

14. A child can refuse the name given to him by his parents - in Switzerland it is prohibited to give a child a name that could harm the interests of the child. For example, authorities banned the Swiss musician Christina Lauterburg from calling her daughter "Lexicon" (an "object" rather than a name); may also cancel a child's name if it can be misunderstood or mispronounced in German.

15. Switzerland is known as Confoederatio Helvetica, abbreviated as CH. Helvetia is the symbol of Switzerland. Napoleonic Helvetic Republic has appeared on coins since 1879. The Swiss also call themselves “confederates”, Eidgenossen (literally: fellow-sworn), a term used since the 14th century. Swiss (resident of Schwyz), used since the 16th century, comes from the Alemannic Schwier (territory of one of the cantons of Waldstätten), Officially it is called the Swiss Confederation by historical reasons, although modern Switzerland is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, and the capital Bern is a federal city.
16. Swiss Confederation founded on August 1, 1291 - celebrated annually as National holiday Switzerland. The constitution has been in force in Switzerland since 1874. The new revised and approved Constitution officially came into force on January 1, 2000.

17. Switzerland has a significant wealth gap between rich and poor - 20% of the population earns more than four times the average, and 20% of the population earns below average, according to OCED.

18. Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates among industrial developed countries, despite liberal Swiss laws. In 2015, Switzerland had only 0.5 murders per 100 thousand people (about 40 per year), compared to 5 murders per 100 thousand people in the United States (30-40 per day).
19. According to rough estimates small arms in Switzerland there are about 45.7 units per 45 inhabitants, which is the third highest rate in the world after the United States and Yemen. In 2011, Swiss voters rejected legislation calling for stricter gun control, including a proposal to ban the purchase of automatic weapons and introduce a firearms licensing system.

20. Military service is still compulsory for Swiss male citizens - Switzerland is one of last countries Western Europe, where they observe universal conscription, along with Austria. According to the Swiss constitution, Swiss male citizens must serve in the Swiss army after the age of 18, while women can serve as volunteers. Military training camps are common throughout Switzerland. In addition, it is legal to keep personal military weapons (semi-automatic rifles) after service, and high degree gun ownership in Switzerland is partly explained by the Swiss tradition of keeping military-grade rifles at home.

21. Albert Einstein developed his famous formula E = MC 2 in Switzerland - he developed his theory of relativity while studying and living in Bern, renouncing his German citizenship to avoid conscription.

22. Sunday in Switzerland is protected by a long list of social laws: activities such as mowing the grass, hanging out laundry, washing a car or recycling bottles are considered illegal to ensure peace and beauty.
23. A good night's sleep is also guaranteed by the rules: noisy activities are prohibited after 10 pm, including slamming a car door, flushing a toilet or emptying a bathtub.

24. Scotland's Gotthard Tunnel is the longest in the world - it is 57 km long, located under the Alps, 7 km longer than the tunnel between England and France. It took 17 years to build and is the most expensive tunnel in the world. A 45-minute journey between Zurich and Lugano, the Rhine-Alps corridor stretches from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, crosses Germany and connects the port of Genoa in Italy.

25. Almost half of marriages in Switzerland end in divorce - the divorce rate is gradually decreasing, but stood at 41.4% in 2015. People marry relatively late, with men aged 31.8 and women aged 29.6, and the average number of children per woman is 1.5 (EU average is 1.6).

26. Switzerland ranks third in the world in terms of wages and employment: Swiss workers earn an average of $57,082 US per year, equal to Luxembourg and the United States, and lose on average only 1.7% of their earnings if they become unemployed. In 2015, about 80% of the country's population, aged 15 to 64, was in paid work - the second highest employment in the OECD. Only about 2% work force remain unemployed for a year or longer, below the OECD average of 2.6%. In addition, Switzerland is consistently among the best countries employment for youth, according to the KOF Youth Labor Market Index.

27. Women are still underrepresented in political life, despite the fact that Switzerland is often praised as an example of direct democracy.

28. Switzerland is not governed by a head of state - instead it has a 7-member executive council - the Swiss collective head of state. The President is elected for a one-year term of office and is treated as primus inter equals.

29. Switzerland lags behind most Western European countries in terms of gender equality - in 2015, only 41.3% of women worked full time, compared to 83.6% of men. Women held less than 20% of all national positions. Despite its commitment to equal pay for men and women, Switzerland ranks 24th out of 38 OECD countries for gender equality in salary, with a 17% difference. However, Schilling's 2017 State of the Union report reported that women now made up one-fifth of new management positions, up 4% on the previous year and marking the 10th consecutive year of increase.

30. Foreigners account for almost 25% of the population - one of the highest in the world. However, in February 2014, Swiss voters passed a controversial immigration initiative. It aims to introduce restrictions on the number of foreigners allowed into Switzerland and end the free movement agreement with the European Union. Despite this, in 2017 the number of foreigners on Swiss executive boards rose to 45%, highlighting Switzerland's continued need for foreign talent.

31. Tobacco use is widespread - about 28.2% of the Swiss population are smokers, compared to the British 19% or Americans 16.8%
32. Switzerland has one of the highest rates of cannabis use in the world - along with the US and UK. It is estimated that approximately 600,000 users obtain 100 tons of hash and marijuana annually. Since October 2013, possession of marijuana has been decriminalized and anyone over 18 years old caught with 10g can pay a fine of 100 Swiss francs on the spot, without going to court.

33. There are four in Switzerland national languages- French, German, Italian and Rhaeto-Romantsch (with Latin roots), although the level of proficiency in other foreign languages ​​is declining in favor of English. About 60% of the population speak English - Switzerland ranks 14th in the world in the Index English proficiency EF for English speakers.

34. Absinthe originated in the Swiss canton of Neuchâtel in the late 18th century - when French physician Pierre Ordiner created an emerald green elixir, rumored to cure all diseases, made from local herbs and Artemisia absinthium, which grew in abundance around a small Swiss town. Couvee, Val-de-Travers region of Switzerland. After allegedly sharing his recipe, Henri-Louis Pernot opened the first absinthe distillery in Couva in 1797. National Absinthe Day is celebrated on March 5th every year.

35. The Swiss eat more chocolate than any other country in the world - they eat a record amount of it, approximately 11 kg per person per year. Chocolate is a major Swiss export; With 18 Swiss chocolate companies operating, Switzerland exports almost 115,500 tons of chocolate per year. The Swiss invented conching and other technologies to improve the art of chocolate making.

36. More than half of Switzerland's domestic electricity production comes from 556 hydroelectric power plants—about 19 million gigawatt hours per year—with hydroelectricity being the country's most important renewable energy.
37. There are about 1,500 lakes in Switzerland, of which Lake Geneva is the largest and is reported to contain over 40 shipwrecks.

38. The Swiss railway station of Aarau has a clock with a diameter of 9 meters, the second largest in Europe, only the clock at the station in Cergy (France) is larger (10 meters). St. Peter's Church in Zurich has a dial with a diameter of 8.7 m.

39. The Swiss are the best mathematicians in Europe - Swiss teenagers were ranked first in Europe in mathematics in the 2015 PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) survey and eighth in the world.
40. According to the Performance Index, Swiss teachers earn the highest annual salaries, with an average of $68,000 US.

41. Switzerland is one of the most innovative countries in the world and one of the most competitive. Switzerland invests about 3% of its GDP on research and development (R&D). 1.2% of all scientific publications, published in the world, belong to the Swiss - this is 17th place in the international ranking. If we consider the actual number of documents produced in proportion to the population of the country, Switzerland comes out on top with an average of 3.6 publications per 1000 inhabitants. In terms of impact, only the United States surpassed Switzerland.

42. In one year, 23,269 patents were filed in Switzerland. Only Japan has more patent applications per capita than Switzerland. In the Global Competitiveness Report prepared by the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2013, Switzerland was ranked first for the fifth time.

43. Switzerland has 26 cantons, which are federal states of the Swiss Confederation. They vary greatly in size, population and character: the canton of Geneva contains only one city; The canton of Uri is mountains and valleys; the population of the canton of Zurich is over one million, while the inhabitants of Appenzell Inner Rhodes would fit into a football stadium.

44. The Swiss economy is based on highly skilled workers specializing in areas such as microtechnology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, banking and insurance. Switzerland is widely recognized as an international research center and actively promotes science and technology.

45. Switzerland has a population of 8.3 million; About 5 million of them live on the Swiss plateau between the Jura Mountains and the Swiss Alps. All major Swiss cities are on the plateau, including the city of Zurich, which is the largest in Switzerland with a population of 376,990. The canton (federal state) of Zurich is the most populous canton in Switzerland, with a total of 1,242,000 people.

46. ​​The majority of people in Switzerland are Christians, 42% are Catholics and 35% are Protestants, but 11% of residents claim no religious affiliation at all.

47. The Swiss are an educated population - 88% of adults have the equivalent of a high school diploma. The Swiss government predicts that the number of people aged 24-65 with more than a secondary education will rise to 60% by 2040, although foreigners are expected to contribute about 30% of this increase.

48. Switzerland does not use the euro as its currency. Switzerland uses the Swiss franc (CHF). In June 2016, one Swiss franc was worth about €0.92/$1.02/GBP0.76.

49. Switzerland is home to the European Organization for Nuclear Research, the world's largest particle physics laboratory, based in Geneva and spanning the Swiss/French border. The physicists won the Nobel Prize in 2013 for their work on the theory of the Higgs boson, one of the building blocks of the universe, which was finally discovered at CERN's Large Hadron Collider in 2012.

50. Switzerland is the birthplace of many famous people: creator of the World Wide Web Tim Berners-Lee, architect Le Corbusier, Red Cross founder Jean Henri Dunant, DNA researcher Friedrich Miescher, philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau and psychologist Carl Jung.

51. Museums play an integral role in Swiss culture - Swiss museums attract more than a million visitors a month. In 2017, the Swiss statistical office released data that there are 1,111 museums in Switzerland, the majority of which (367) are regional or local, followed by art (171), technical (140), history (126) museums. Most Swiss mueseums are in German-speaking Switzerland, while Italy's Ticino has the highest density of museums.

Rolex Training Center at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne was opened in 2010. It contains one of the most important collections scientific works in Europe.

52. Switzerland ranks first in the 2013 Global Innovation Index published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

53. Since its founding in 1952, the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has processed more than 70,000 applications for research funding, enabling 20,000 talented young researchers to conduct research papers abroad.

54. The Commission for Technology and Innovation (CTI) supports applied research and project development, as well as the creation of start-ups. In 2013, CTI used federal grants totaling CHF 109.3 billion to finance 331 projects.

55. The two national universities of Switzerland, the federal technical institutes, in Zurich and Lausanne, are known throughout the world for their advanced scientific achievements. They attract foreign researchers and lecturers - more than 50% of teachers at both institutes are not from Switzerland.