Switzerland (French, Suisse; German, Schweiz; Italian, Svizzera), federal republic in west-central Europe, bounded to the north by France and Germany, to the east by Austria and Liechtenstein, to the south by Italy, and to the west by France. The country has an area of 41,284 sq km (15,940 sq mi). Its largest city is Zurich, and the capital is Bern.
Population
7,207,060
(1996 official estimate)
Population Density
175 persons/sq km
(452 persons/sq mi)
(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
68%Urban
32%Rural
Largest Cities
Zürich343,869
Basel174,007
Geneva173,549
Bern127,469
(1994 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
65%German
18%French
10%Italian
7%Other
including Spaniards, Romansh, and Turks
Languages
German
French
Italian
Official Languages
Romansh
Religions
46%Roman Catholicism
47%Protestantism
7%Other
including Judaism, other Christian denominations, and Islam