Switzerland

Confoederatio Helvetica, is the Latin official name. The use of Latin avoids choosing one of the four official languages. The abbreviation (CH) is similarly used; for example, it is used as Switzerland's ccTLD, .ch. The Latin title Confoederatio Helvetica means Helvetic Confederation. The titles commonly used in French, Italian and Romansh translate as Swiss Confederation, while the German name of Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft translates roughly as "Swiss Commonwealth of the Covenant".

Geography

Main article: Geography of Switzerland

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With an area of 41,000 km², Switzerland is a small country. The population is around 7.4 million, resulting in a population density of 184 people per km².

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Switzerland comprises three basic topographical areas: the Swiss Alps, the Swiss plateau, and the Jura mountains.The Alps are a high mountain range running across the central-south of the country. Among the high peaks of the Swiss Alps, the highest of which is the Dufour Peak at 4,634 m, are found countless valleys, some with glaciers. From these the headwaters of several major European rivers such as the Rhine, the Rhône, the Inn, the Aare or the Ticino, flow down into lakes such as Lake Geneva, Lake Zürich, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Constance.

Related Topics:
Swiss Alps - Swiss plateau - Jura mountains - Alps - Dufour Peak - 4,634 m - Glacier - Rhine - Rhône - Inn - Aare - Ticino - Lake Geneva - Lake Zürich - Lake Neuchâtel - Lake Constance

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The northern, more populous part of the country is more open, but can still be mountainous, for example, in the Jura Mountains, a smaller range in the northwest. The Swiss climate is generally temperate, but can vary greatly between the localities, from harsh conditions on the high mountains to the often pleasant Mediterranean climate at Switzerland's southern tip.

Related Topics:
Jura Mountains - Climate - Temperate

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A zoomable map of Switzerland is available at either www.swissinfo-geo.org or www.swissgeo.ch; a zoomable satellite picture is at map.search.ch.

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See also: Swisstopo topographical survey, List of lakes of Switzerland, List of rivers of Switzerland, List of mountain passes in Switzerland.

Related Topics:
Swisstopo - List of lakes of Switzerland - List of rivers of Switzerland - List of mountain passes in Switzerland

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