Area: 41,293 sq km

Population: 8.0 million (July 2013 est.)

Capital: Berne

Principal Towns: The conurbations of Zurich, Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, Lucerne and Winterthur have populations of over 100,000 inhabitants.

Languages: German, French, Italian and Romansch are the official languages. English is widely spoken, particularly in business and commerce.

Gross Domestic Product: $362.4 billion (2012 est.)

Gross Domestic Product: $629.5 billion (2012 est.) (PPP)

GDP per capita (Nominal): $78,726 (2012 est.)

GDP per capita (PPP): $54,600 (2012 est.)

International reserves (of foreign exchange and gold): $331.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Climate: Switzerland's climate is a mixture of the major European climatic zones, due to the Alps, and is thus highly variable from place to place. Generally the summers are mild, about 25°C, and the winters cool at about 5°C.
 
DEMOGRAPHY

Population: 7,996,026 (July 2013 est.)

Ethnic groups: German 65%, French 18%, Italian 10%, Romansch 1%, other 6%

Age Distribution (2013 est.)
0-14 years: 15.2%
15-24 years: 11.6%
25-54 years: 44%
55-64 years: 12%
65 years and over: 17.3%

Population Growth 0.85% (2013 est.)
Education: Of total population 99% age 15 and over can read and write (2003).

GENERAL
The Swiss economy is among the world's most advanced and prosperous. Per capita income is virtually the highest in the world, as are wages. Trade has been the key to prosperity in Switzerland. The country is dependent upon export markets to generate income while dependent upon imports for raw materials and to expand the range of goods and services available in the country. Switzerland has liberal investment and trade policies, notwithstanding agriculture, and a conservative fiscal policy. The Swiss legal system is highly developed, commercial law is well defined, and solid laws and policies protect investments. The Swiss franc is one of the world's soundest currencies, and the country is known for its high standard of banking and financial services. Switzerland is a member of a number of international economic organizations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 released by the World Economic Forum, Switzerland tops the overall ranking in competitiveness for the third consecutive year, reflecting the country's sound institutional environment, excellent infrastructure, efficient markets, competent macroeconomic management, world-class educational attainment, and high levels of technological innovation, which boost Switzerland's competitiveness in the global economy. Northern and Western European countries dominate the top 10 with Sweden (3rd), Finland (4th), Germany (6th), the Netherlands (7th), Denmark (8th) and the United Kingdom (10th). Japan remains the second-ranked Asian economy at 9th place, despite falling three places since last year.

Travel to Switzerland:
From December 12, 2008 Switzerland is part of the Schengen Area, a zone covering 3.6 million square kilometres and offering unrestricted travel to 400 million Europeans. There will be no more passport checks at country frontiers, but police checks in the border zones will be stepped up. Goods traffic will still be subject to border searches, as Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union.

Visa Requirements: Most valid passports are recognized by the Swiss authorities for business or leisure visits; for precise details one should consult a Swiss consul or embassy before departing.

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Diplomatic representations of the Arab countries in Switzerland and Swiss representations in the Arab countries