Wilkommen in der Schweiz

Bienvenue en SuisseBenvenuti in Svizzera

Welcome to Switzerland

Switzerland: An Introduction

• Switzerland has four official languages. They are German, French, Italian, and Romansh.• Since its founding in 1815, Switzerland has never been invaded by a hostile force. It has also

hosted the two Geneva Conventions.• Switzerland has not invaded another country since its founding, has not participated in any

wars since its founding, and only became a member of the U.N. in 2002.• The International Red Cross was founded in Switzerland and played a crucial part in the two

World Wars.• Switzerland is very mountainous, with most of its southern half comprised of the Alps.

• Switzerland has approximately 1600 lakes and it holds about six percent of Europe’s fresh water.

Zurich: Switzerland’s Crown Jewel

• Zurich is Switzerland’s economic nexus, with an average median household income of around 100,000 US$.

• Many major Swiss corporations are based in Zurich, including the Swiss Stock Exchange, Zurich Financial Services, and Credit Suisse.

• Zurich is also one of the top gold trading centers in the world.

• With a population of 390,000; Zurich is a major hub for Swiss transportation.