Switzerland Information
More Information About Switzerland…
Switzerland has a unique geography that is breathtakingly beautiful. The Jura Mountains, in the northwestern section of Switzerland provide a majestic backdrop to the towns and cities while more than half of the southeastern regions are dominated by the Alps. In between these two mountainous areas the lush lowlands sweep from Lake Geneva diagonally across the country to Lake Constance. This is a truly scenic country with its picturesque villages, deep mountain gorges, awe-inspiring Alpine peaks, gleaming glaciers, beautiful blue lakes and quaint chalets.
This picture-perfect country is also known for its policy of neutrality in foreign and defence policies. One of the utmost principles of Switzerland’s foreign policy is the non-participation in wars between other countries and the permanent state of neutrality. Since the early 16th century, the Swiss has undertaken a policy of neutrality and it maintained social harmony in a country comprising citizens with cultural ties to neighboring countries and speaking German, French and Italian. German is spoken all over central and northern Switzerland, Italian to the South and French in the west while Romansh is spoken by a small group of people in the southeast. English is widely spoken in the bigger cities.
The foundations of the Swiss Confederation were laid down in 1291 when three small cantons formed an alliance against their foreign overlords, the Habsburgs. The legend of William Tell is known all over the world as this famous hero in Swiss history won a reprieve from his death sentence (he refused to acknowledge Habsburg power) by shooting an apple off his son’s head with a crossbow. The initial three cantons were then joined by other cantons and the alliance expanded. However, it was not until 1848 that a central government was established and modern Switzerland came into being. Switzerland is not a part of the EU and retains its own currency, the Swiss franc (CHF).
The Swiss are known to be very efficient, hard-working, extremely clean and organised, orderly, obedient and overly cautious. The UK’s Guardian newspaper wrote that the Swiss are “probably the most fortunate people on the planet” as they are “healthy, wealthy and…wise”. The Swiss indeed enjoy an excellent quality of life and standard of living as this country is one of the world’s richest and its citizens can expect excellent health services, all-round security and efficient public transport. The Swiss have the greatest life expectancy in Europe and it is no wonder as the population pay attention to their diet, are concern about the environment and spend a great deal of time in sporting activities. They also take part in one of the country’s many festivals which can include folk-dancing, street-barbecuing and general merriment. The country’s biggest music festival is the Montreux Jazz Festival that does not just concentrate on jazz. It also features blues, rock, dance and world music in Bern, Nyon and St Gallen. In Lucerne and Basel, carnival is celebrated in mid-February and spring festivals in Zurich and Lausanne. Together with autumn festivals celebrated all around the country, these festivals keep traditions alive with its costumes and cuisines stretching back to the Middle Ages.
Getting around Switzerland is a breeze as there are plenty of modes of transportation to choose from. This land of lakes and rivers has river boats and lake steamers to give you an enchanting ride. The buses are well-known for their dependability and excellent service and the rail systems one of the most remarkable in the world. Trains depart on the dot and all connections are integrated and scheduled to synchronise both efficiently and conveniently. Taxis can be very expensive however so you might want to avoid these.
