Switzerland

Formally the Swiss Federation, Switzerland is a landlocked country at the confluence of Western, Central and Southern Europe. It is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons with federal authorities based in Bern. Switzerland borders Italy on the south, France on the west, Germany on the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein on the east. It is geographically divided into the Swiss Plateau, the Alps and Jura, with a total area of ​​41,285 km2 (15,940 square miles) and a land area of ​​39,997 km2 (15,443 square miles). Although the Alps occupy most of the territory, Switzerland has a population of about 8.5 million and is concentrated in the plateaus, the largest cities and economic centers such as Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Lausanne. These cities have several offices of international organizations, including the WTO, WHO, ILO, the seats of the International Olympic Committee, the headquarters of FIFA, the second largest office in the United Nations, and the main building of banks. For international payment. Switzerland's major international airports are also located in these cities.

The establishment of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the late Middle Ages was the result of a series of military successes against Austria and Burgundy. Switzerland's independence from the Holy Roman Empire was formally recognized by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. The 1291 Charter of the United Nations is considered the founding document of Switzerland, which is celebrated on Swiss National Day. Since the reforms of the 16th century, Switzerland has maintained a strong armed-neutral policy. He has not fought international wars since 1815 and has not joined the United Nations until 2002. Nevertheless, he pursues aggressive foreign policy and is frequently involved in peacebuilding processes around the world. Switzerland is the birthplace of the Red Cross, one of the oldest and most well-known humanitarian organizations in the world. It is a founding member of the European Free Trade Association, but not specifically part of the European Union, the European Economic Area, or the Eurozone. However, it participates in the Schengen Area and the European Single Market through bilateral treaties.

Switzerland occupies the European crossroads of German and Romansh, as reflected in the four major linguistic and cultural regions of German, French, Italian and Romansh. Although most of the population speaks German, Switzerland's national identity is rooted in a common historical background, common values ​​such as federalism and direct democracy, and alpine symbolism. Due to the variety of languages, Switzerland is known by various native names. Schweiz [ˈʃvaɪts] (German). Switzerland [sɥis (ə)] (French); Svizzera [ˈzvittsera] (Italian); and Svizra [ˈʒviːtsrɐ, ˈʒviːtsʁɐ] (Romansh). For coins and stamps, the Latin name Confoederatio Helvetica (often abbreviated as "Helvetia") is used instead of the four languages. It is a developed country with the highest nominal wealth per adult and the eighth highest gross domestic product per capita. It has been regarded as a tax haven. It is highly regarded in several international indicators such as economic competitiveness and human development. Cities such as Zurich, Geneva and Basel are one of the highest quality of life cities in the world, although they have the highest cost of living in the world. In 2020, IMD placed Switzerland first in attracting skilled workers. The WEF ranks the fifth most competitive country in the world.