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| Travel to Switzerland |
 At the heart of Europe
The travel to Switzerland is a nice adventure. It is often said that Switzerland lies at the heart of Europe. Geographically speaking, that's not quite true. However, the main route linking northern and southern Europe does run through the Alps.
Switzerland borders Germany in the north, Austria and the Principality of Liechtenstein in the east, Italy in the south and France in the west. This means that three important European cultures meet in the country- that of the German-speaking region, the French and the Italian.
Size, regions, population
Switzerland has an area of 41,285 square kilometres (15,940 square miles). The productive area - that is, the area without the lakes, rivers, unproductive vegetation and no vegetation at all - covers 30,753 square km (11,870 square miles)
The Jura, the Plateau and the Alps form the three main geographic regions of the country.
7.3 million people- just over one thousandth (0.1 per cent) of the global population - live in the country. The average age is increasing, as people live longer and have fewer children.
Lifestyles are changing. Family relations, work and education in Switzerland are adapting to new demands. Young Swiss follow the same trends as their contemporaries abroad, but many traditions remain.
The seasons are clearly defined. In autumn (September to November) the fruits ripen, then the leaves turn brown and fall. In winter the snow changes the landscape. In spring (March to May) the trees blossom and the meadows become green. In summer the temperature rises to 25-30 degrees (77-86 degrees Fahrenheit).
History
Switzerland’s geographical position with its transit routes over the Alps made it a desirable possession for European great powers through the ages.
Switzerland developed slowly over many centuries, as more and more regions came together to form a loose confederation whose members gave each other mutual support. At times their different interests stretched the bonds between them almost to breaking point.
There are about 30 countries in the world with a federal structure. Switzerland is the smallest federal state. However, its 26 cantons and four different languages make it one of the most complex.
It was only in 1848 that Switzerland became a more centralised federal state. This favoured its economic development and ended any possibility that the country might break up.
 Economy
Switzerland’s economy is based on a highly qualified labour force performing highly skilled work. The main areas include micro technology, hitech, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, as well as banking and insurance know-how.
Most of the people working in the federal state are employed by small and medium-sized enterprises, which play an extremely important role in the Swiss economy.
However, the age of unlimited economic growth in the country is over. Fear of unemployment has been one of the main concerns of the Swiss for several years now.
People
The travel to Switzerland will meet you with the Family life of the country. People marry relatively late; they concentrate on their training and career before they start a family. The majority of couples have only 1 or 2 children. Surveys have shown that parents put financial difficulties as the main reason for restricting family size. Large flats are expensive, and there is a shortage of affordable child care.
How Swiss people spend their time off
The Swiss work a lot, but they also know how to enjoy their time off. Reading, going for walks and spending time with friends are among the most popular pastimes, according to a Federal Statistical Office survey of 2003.
More than half the population engages in some kind of sports activity at least once a week.
Attending a course and playing a musical instrument came at the bottom of the list.
Swiss culture
The culture which you'll be able to discover during your travel to Switzerland is characterised by the diversity of its geography, its languages and its religious affiliation. This is reflected in the variety of its literature, art, architecture, music, and customs.
The culture of the mountains of the federal state is not the same as that in the plateau, there are significant differences between the language areas, and between the mainly Roman Catholic and the mainly Protestant regions.
The Swiss sometimes wonder what keeps Switzerland together.
Language distribution
You will be amazed during your travel to Switzerland how many languages do the people speak there.
German
German is by far the most widely spoken language in Switzerland: 17 of the 26 cantons are monolingual in German.
French
French is spoken in the western part of the country, the "Suisse Romande." Four cantons are French-speaking: Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel and Vaud. Three cantons are bilingual: in Bern, Fribourg and Valais both French and German are spoken.
Italian
Italian is spoken in Ticino and 4 southern valleys of Grisons.
Rhaeto-Rumantsch (Rumantsch)
Rumantsch is spoken only in the trilingual canton of Graubünden. The other two languages spoken there are German and Italian. Rumantsch, like Italian and French, is a language with Latin roots. It is spoken by just 0.5% of the total Swiss population.
Language rights
Language rights are enshrined in the Swiss constitution. German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Rumantsch all have the status of national languages, but only the first three are official languages. Nevertheless, Rumantsch is used in official communications with Rumantsch speakers, who in turn have the right to use their native language in addressing the central authorities.
Foreigners often assume that the fact that there are four national languages in Switzerland means that every Swiss speaks four languages, or at least three. However, the reality is very different.
The many foreigners resident in Switzerland have brought with them their own languages, which taken as a whole now outnumber both Rumantsch and Italian. The 2000 census showed that speakers of Serbian/Croatian were the largest foreign language group, with 1.4% of the population. English was the main language for 1%.
 Architecture
One other part of the country which you can't pass on your travel to Switzerland is the architecture. The innovative work of Swiss architects has gained an international reputation. At the same time, many foreign architects have produced exciting new buildings in the country.
Contemporary Swiss architects
Switzerland was the birthplace of one of the most influential architects of the 20th century: Le Corbusier (1887-1965) - born Charles-Edouard Jeanneret - who adopted French nationality in 1930. His diverse output ranged from town planning to furniture design. In 1922, Le Corbusier proposed principles for architecture: rationality, economy, and functionalism.
Lugano-based Mario Botta and the Basel-based partnership Herzog and de Meuron are arguably the best-known Swiss architects practising today.
Botta's buildings include several museums in Switzerland and abroad, churches, banks, and even the bus terminal in Lugano. He has taught in a number of universities and been honoured by many more.
Herzog and de Meuron were responsible for two prize-winning projects in London: the redevelopment of the Bankside power station into the Tate Modern, and the design of the Laban Dance Centre. Their current work includes the main stadium for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Innovative Swiss-designed structures can be seen in many countries. The sleek Charles River Bridge in the US city of Boston is the work of a Swiss, Christian Menn. And the Basel-based architects Diener + Diener expanded the Swiss embassy in Berlin by merging a new structure with the part of the building dating from the 19th century.
Within Switzerland, architectural points of interest include the Thermal Baths in Vals designed by Peter Zumthor, and the Kirchner Museum in Davos by architects Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer.
Work by Swiss architects can be found all over the world, while many well-known foreign architects are active in the country. Most of the engineering work on the Chesa Futura was carried out by Swiss firms.
The travel to Switzerland is a unforgettable journey. |
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